“Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly. At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things” (Proverbs 23:31-33).
Nothing overpromises and underdelivers like alcohol. Nothing perverts an accurate understanding of good and evil like alcohol. Nothing produces woe, sorrows, contentions, complaints, wounds without cause, and physical infirmities like alcohol.
Because of this, the only wise approach to this physical and spiritual poison is complete abstinence. Do not even look at the stuff (v. 31). Decline all invitations to revelries and drinking parties (1 Pet. 4:3).
Like the first lie told by the serpent, Satan promises a “good time” when partying. What he fails to mention is “at the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper.” When your eyes see strange things and your heart is uttering perverse things, you are not having a “good time”, you are glorying in your shame and are unmistakably heading toward the eternal punishment of divine wrath (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21).
