Isaiah 28:1
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
Alcohol has always been the Devil’s juice to destroy nations, families, and individuals. People who say it is okay to drink wine or strong drink in moderation are in rebellion to the admonitions of the Scriptures. Isaiah 28 gives several destructive effects alcohol has on a nation, and especially on an individual’s life.
First, alcohol slowly takes your beauty away. Notice what God said about the drunkards of Ephraim: their beauty is a fading flower. One thing you will notice about alcohol is it takes away the good looks God has created someone with. The longer you drink alcohol, the more it takes your beauty. Alcohol takes the natural beauty God has given you and replaces it with a hardened and aged look that sin always does to an individual.
Second, alcohol slowly erodes your life. Notice again that God says they are a fading flower. The fading flower is slowly dying, and that is what alcohol does to any individual who is deceived by it. Alcohol slowly takes your life away: your family life, your financial life, the potential of your life, and your physical life. Alcohol is not only bad for your health; it is bad for anything that you enjoy in life. Alcohol promises life, but it slowly robs the one of life who is deceived by it.
Third, alcohol takes away your ability to make good decisions. Verse 7 says, But they also have erred through wine… Please notice that it is not the strong drink that causes someone to err, although strong drink will do this, but wine is what causes one to err. You can say that you just drink a little wine, but a little wine begins to destroy your ability to make good decisions.
Fourth, alcohol changes your direction in life. Verse 7 teaches alcohol leads a person out of the way. I have never seen a good Christian drink alcohol. Alcohol slowly destroys a promising future by changing the course of life that one lives, the life that brings a promising future. Alcohol has led many down a course of life that leads to destruction. People who once served the Lord will start living like the world once they take that first drink of alcohol.
Fifth, alcohol changes your doctrine. Verse 7 says the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink. God has never used one person to build a great, Scripturally sound church who was drinking alcohol. You cannot have sound Scriptural doctrine and drink alcohol. Alcohol affects your ability to understand the Scriptures through God’s eyes. I would never trust anyone’s doctrine who drinks wine or strong drink because their doctrine is tainted by alcohol.
Sixth, alcohol leads to a life of sin. Verse 7 says those who drink alcohol are out of the way. What way is God talking about? He is talking living for God. Alcohol leads to a life of sin, adultery, and immorality. Alcohol changes the way you think and clouds your ability to see the right way of living.
Seventh, alcohol controls your life. Verse 7 says, they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. Alcohol will control you so much that it doesn't matter how many times you mess up; you will go back to it. My friend, do not be deceived by alcohol; its effects will destroy your promising future and the life that you can enjoy without it.