Proverbs 23:31-32 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
‘At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.’ The keywords are: “At the last.” Scripture asks us to judge alcohol not by its beginning but by its ending. The comparison to a serpent teaches several truths. A snake bite may appear suddenly, inject deadly poison, produce lasting injury, and sometimes lead to death.
Likewise, drunkenness slowly poisons judgment, health, relationships, character, and spiritual life. Pleasure or escape is temporary. The consequences endure.
Seven characteristics of drunkenness: [1] Intemperance (23:30-31). Self-control disappears. [2] Mental confusion and delirium (23:32). Judgment becomes impaired, and thinking becomes irrational. [3] Sexual immorality (23:33). Alcohol lowers moral restraint and often leads to impurity. [4] Foolish and perverse speech (23:33). Words become reckless and harmful. [5] Reeling and instability (23:34). The body loses coordination and balance. [6] Insensibility (23:35). Pain and danger are ignored or unnoticed. [7] Bondage. Instead of controlling alcohol, the drunkard becomes controlled by it.
Living the Word 