Drunkards and Crowns of Pride

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! Isaiah 28:1
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet. Isaiah 28:3

"To be spiritually drunk is to be filled with pride" (J Vernon McGee). This passage compares pride with drunkenness.

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. Isaiah 28:7-8

There are certain characteristics of spiritual drunkenness, of being filled with pride.

First, there is a characteristic of being "swallowed up". The drinker starts out "swallowing up" the drink in quantities and times that he controls. However, at some point, the drink takes control of the drinker; the drink determines what quantities and times the drinker will drink. So it comes to pass that the drinker is being "swallowed up" by the drink, not vice versa.

Similarly, a man starts out "swallowing up" pride in quantities and times that he controls. But at some point, the pride takes control. So it comes to pass that the man is being "swallowed up" by pride. In both cases, the man is not in control of the vice; the vice is in control of the man.

Second, there is a characteristic of being "out of the way". The Hebrew word used is "ta`ah", which means to err, wander, go astray, stagger. The word has the connotation of being intoxicated, controlled by drink, and seduced. The word draws a vivid mental picture of a drunkard staggering and wandering around, being easily enticed to sin along the way. But it's the same when we give ourselves over to be controlled by pride. When pride is in control, we stagger and wander around, and are easily enticed to sin. Just like drink, pride both emboldens and sedates us into wandering into forbidden paths and succumbing to whatever sin crosses our path.

Third, there is a characteristic of "erring in vision". A drunk man's vision is significantly impaired; that's one of the reasons why it's a crime to drink and drive. Similarly, a man's vision is significantly impaired when he is drunk with pride. Just as drink causes us to "see" things wrong, so does pride. It's not uncommon for a drunk man to run over somebody else, and never even see them. It's not uncommon for a prideful man to run over somebody else, and never even see them.

Remember those old sitcoms where each person involved in a conflict told the story from their point of view? The husband's version always portrayed his character as the good guy, and the wife as the bad guy. When the wife told her side of the story, her version portrayed her character as the good guy, and the husband as the bad guy. At the end, we saw the true story, which portrayed the good and bad in each of the characters. Here's a good litmus test for us. Whenever we find that our version of the story places all the blame on the other person while proclaiming ourselves faultless, there's a very good chance we're erring in vision because of pride.

Fourth, there is a characteristic of "stumbling in judgment". The Hebrew words mean "to reel, totter, or stumble" in "giving a decision, in pronouncing judgement, or reasoning". A drunk man's judgment is significantly impaired; his thinking is all wrong. Likewise, a man's judgment is significantly impaired when he is drunk with pride. Perhaps this is primarily because "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble" (I Peter 5:5). We need the grace of God to have right judgment; if He is resisting us because of pride, our judgment will lack wisdom from God. Our thinking will be all wrong. Have you ever observed someone making a complete mess of a situation and thought to yourself, "what is he thinking"? There's a very good chance that he is stumbling in judgment because of his pride.

Fifth, there is a characteristic of "vomit and filthiness". Vomit and filth are foul and offensive to any sober man. When's the last time you saw a "vomit-scented" candle or "filth-scented" pot pourri? Think about it. The smell of vomit and filth is universally offensive. But a drunk man is oblivious to the vomit and filth around him; it doesn't offend him. So it is with the proud man. He becomes oblivous to the vomit and filth his life is generating. He doesn't understand why it is offensive to others. When you come across a man who is not offended by the filth in his life, there is pride at work.