The Fall of Pride
Today’s Verse:
This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. ~Zephaniah 2:10
In Zephaniah 2, we see God’s dealings and judgment against the nations that disparaged and oppressed Israel. We see God vindicating His people from the nations that made themselves the enemies of His people. God said that they have, in their pride, “reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.” Let us see the fall of pride.
We see the displeasure.
God is displeased with all forms of pride. Of the seven sins that God calls an abomination, the first of these is a proud look (Proverbs 6:16-17). In Proverbs 8:13, God said, “Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” In Proverbs 21:4, God said “An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.” Pride is self-exaltation. Pride is when we believe that we are deserving of praise. Pride is snubbing our nose and face against another person. Pride is the root cause of jealousy, envy, anger, wrath, unforgiveness, and unrepentance.
We see the downfall.
The nations of Moab and Ammon reproached and reviled God’s people and magnified themselves against their borders. They spoke against the Jews and God. God told them that He would bring these hostile nations down, just like He did to Sodom and Gomorrah. The ancient nations knew very well how Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown by fire from God in less than a day. Yet, in spite of that precedent, in their haughty pride, they acted as if they were above God. The devastation by which God would overthrow these nations for their pride is described as “the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation.” “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
We see the diagnosis.
“Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off” (Psalm 138:6). From a distance, God knows all about the pride in our heart. Pride is the opposite of humility. Pride is the enemy of grace. Pride prevents our prayers from being answered. Pride kills a preacher from being used of God. Pride is why a sinner puts off getting saved. Pride is corrupting and controlling. We must examine our hearts regarding our pride. All of us have pride. We must look deep within our hearts to see the how much pride has taken residency within us. We must deal with the pride within us before God intervenes and deals with it for us.
We see the defense.
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). We must humble ourselves before God and confess that we are consumed with pride. We must die to our accomplishments, acumen, and accumulations. We must see pride as being wicked. We must admit when we are wrong. We must accept responsibility for our actions. We must be willing to step down from our lofty ideals and puffed up personality, and be humble. As we do so, God gives us grace in our humiliation. God gives us grace to say that we are sorry. God gives us grace to make every wrong right.
Let us make sure that pride is not our downfall. God gives grace to the humble.
Have a humble God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Proverbs 7-9