Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Wherever there is an indulgence in pride, whether it be on an individual or a national level, a serious fall is certain to follow, sooner or later if repentance and confession does not take place, and very often when the fall occurs, there could be tremendous collateral damage to persons who may not have been directly participating in the indulgence of pride.
The Bible is replete with accounts of persons who deliberately indulged in pride, and their after history should serve as beacons of warning to generations that come after, because these things were written for our instruction and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
At the center of the word pride is the letter I. That letter is actually where the root of the problem lies, because anything pride touches and anywhere pride goes, oneself becomes the all-absorbing center of attention.
There have been several incidents where pride has driven a person to seek negative attention if positive attention cannot be achieved. Thus, persons taking selfies at the very edge of some cliff, have sought to be admired on social media and in the process some of them have fallen over, and perished on the rocks below. Let’s read:
[New York Post, Nov. 4, 2021] A 33-year-old Belgian woman plunged 100 feet to her death after posing for a selfie on the edge of a cliff during a trip with her husband, according to a report. Her body was recovered by a team of rescuers that included police, firefighters, and scuba divers.
Others on Tik Tok have garnered negative attention to themselves by eating dangerous foods, by doing life threatening stunts, and by trying to mimic folks who are being led blindfolded by demons to do and say anything that will go viral, regardless of whether God is honored or not.
Then there is a sort of pride that is manifest in one’s outward appearance. This can occur in various ways, if there is any indulgence of pride in the things you own, in the cars you drive, in the way folks dress, if one dresses to impress.
Pride can also be indulged in the education persons have acquired, and the political or religious standing among men. In one instance, a poor soul, who had procured his doctorate, got deeply offended when he was introduced to speak and the host mistakenly forgot to add the doctor title to his name.
Now even though the sky is the limit and God wants us to be the very best we can be, we should always cultivate a humble spirit that is willing to be taught of God, while at the same time, recognizing that all we accomplish, and all that we become as far as our standing among men goes, is the result of God who enables and empowers us to do these things.
God desires His people to be the head, and not the tail, but to often, when He raises us to great heights, we become dizzy, and we often forget The Lord who brought us from nothing to something, and persons often begin to take the glory of their achievements to themselves.
Then there is the very worst kind of pride, where a person craves the admiration and praise that belong to God alone. Whenever any person gets fired up by the praise of others, wherever commendations, and applause of fellow mortals, fuel what they say or do, it’ll just be a matter of time, before they are praised into doing something really stupid.
Worship belongs to God alone, and if any mortal has indulged in the craving for praise, a very serious fall will be coming due. This is exactly what took place in heaven when Lucifer indulged pride, and by doing so, he became satan.
As he indulged the craving for praise and worship from fellow angels, he forgot that he was a created being and the more he indulged the craving his own mind became very adversely affected and he began to say and do things that he never would have done if he remained humble.
In other words, the indulgence of pride began to adversely affect lucifer’s thought processes so that he couldn’t reason out things logically in a number of instances, because pride can cause one to think and act in a manner that is irrational, for the simple fact that pride interferes with deep rational thought. Let’s read:
Ezekiel 28: 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Even though some may not know it, pride inevitably leads to presumption, meaning that you would end up taking risks that are not well thought out. This is what happened when there was war in heaven, for if Lucifer had studied the situation thoroughly, with a humble spirit, he would have seen and known that it was a futile venture to enter into war against God.
But pride, and the craving for worship and adoration has the effect of warping a person’s thought process and if the situation is not promptly corrected, it will send a person completely off their rockers, and put them in untenable situations, they would try in vain to extricate themselves from.
Being humble involves much more than manifesting an outward appearance of piety, for there are folks who may dress pretty humbly, and yet their hearts are swelling with pride. God is not deceived, nor is He impressed with mere outward manifestations of humility.
Many scribes, and pharisees of Christ’s day went to great lengths to exude a persona of humility, but when it came time to accept God’s revealed will, or to confess that they were wrong many of them were a no show.
To deliberately harbor opinions, and perspectives in opposition to God’s revealed will is a manifestation of pride, and to cling to doctrinal, theological, even philosophical concepts that are contrary to the word of God, is pride being demonstrated in real time.
There are several examples given in the Bible, so we may chart straight paths for our feet, especially at a time when personal and national pride is definitely on the rise. Beware, because pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit comes before destruction.
It was pride that caused Nebuchadnezzar to eat a ton of salad, for even though he was forewarned by God through Daniel, against taking glory to himself for his accomplishments, he didn’t learn the critical, important lesson that everything man accomplishes which is good, is done through the grace and power of God. Let’s read:
Daniel 4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spoke and said is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and the honor of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make you to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most-High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 349] God desires that His workers in every line shall look to Him as the Giver of all they possess. All right inventions, and improvements have their source in Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working.
The skillful touch of the physician’s hand, his power over nerve and muscle, his knowledge of the delicate organism of the body, is the wisdom of divine power, to be used in behalf of the suffering.
The skill with which the carpenter uses the hammer, the strength with which the blacksmith makes the anvil ring, comes from God. He has entrusted men with talents, and He expects them to look to Him for counsel.
Divine and human agencies are to combine in temporal as well as in spiritual achievements. They are to be united in all human pursuits, in mechanical and agricultural labor, in mercantile, and in scientific enterprises. There must be cooperation in everything embraced in Christian activity.
Then again, you have the rise, and fall of king David. While going through his valley experiences, being hunted by king Saul night and day, he depended on God for everything. He would pray and ask for God’s guidance before doing anything, and before making any move, and as such, The Lord was always there with him.
But after a day of humble beginnings, the prosperity and victories God had given him began to get to his head, and he became puffed up in his mind, to the point where even if God warned him of impending transgression, he would not pay heed.
The song that had hit the billboard charts back then that went like this: Saul has slain has his thousands, and David his ten thousands, finally got to the king, and later on, as David lost sight of the Source of his strength, he too took a very serious fall, from which he never fully recovered.
As we observe the history of the indulgence of pride we will see a pattern emerging, where persons have humble beginnings, afterwards God raises them up on a pedestal, and before you know it, pride leads them to believe that they do not need God, nor His advice anymore.
And as we study the history of those who gave gone before we should ask ourselves several introspect questions, as it may pertain to indulgence of pride in our own lives. When persons were living down in old country, with none of the niceties and luxuries in life to divert our minds, maybe we used to pray and trust God for everything.
But now, since God has blessed and set persons up, nice and cute, would we still be willing to wait upon Him as we did in former years, or now that we could afford it, have we begun to think that we don’t need His instructions and guidance anymore. Let’s read a very important excerpt before we proceed.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] The Bible has little to say in praise of men. Little space is given to recounting the virtues of even the best men who have ever lived. All the good qualities that men possess are the gift of God.
Their good deeds are performed by the grace of God through Christ. Since they owe all to God the glory of whatever they are or do belongs to Him alone; they are but instruments in His hands.
More than this, as all lessons of Bible history teach, it is a perilous thing to praise or exalt men, for if one comes to lose sight of his entire dependence on God and to trust to his own strength, he is sure to fall.
Peter took a hit after he had walked on water by the power of Christ. He was going well, once he kept his eyes fixed on Jesus, but as soon as he took his eyes off of Christ and looked back with self-satisfaction at his fellow disciples, to take a selfie, he began to sink, and he almost lost his life, just like the woman who fell from the cliff, were it not for the mercy of God. Let’s read:
Matthew 14: 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
[The Desire of Ages pp 381] Looking unto Jesus, Peter walks securely; but as in self-satisfaction he glances back toward his companions in the boat, his eyes are turned from the Savior.
The wind is boisterous. The waves roll high, and come directly between him and the Master; and he is afraid. For a moment Christ is hidden from his view, and his faith gives way. He begins to sink.
But while the billows talk with death, Peter lifts his eyes from the angry waters, and fixing them upon Jesus, cries, “Lord, save me.” Immediately Jesus grasps the outstretched hand, saying, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
Walking side by side, Peter’s hand in that of his Master, they stepped into the boat together. But Peter was now subdued and silent. He had no reason to boast over his fellows, because through unbelief and self-exaltation he had very nearly lost his life. When he turned his eyes from Jesus, his footing was lost, and he sank amid the waves.
We should never believe that righteous individuals are entirely immune from the indulgence of pride in different forms, and in various ways. The Lord is not revealing these dark chapters in Bible history, just to make us feel bad. He is showing us these things so that we may take a serious look at ourselves, and confess and repent where necessary.
We have been studying the book, Live like Elijah, but after careful observation you will see that Elijah was also affected by the indulgence of pride. His was not of the more common kind, for it was spiritual pride, that endangered him to the same problem the you and me in the here and now may be suffering from.
In his valley experiences, he has to run for his life as David had to. He is confined to the wilderness, by the brook Cherith, and there he learns that favorite song, Humble me. Afterwards, God exalts him upon a pinnacle, and there he is in danger of succumbing to pride, as can be observed in his own words.
Again, some persons wonder why Elijah had to pray only once for fire, but seven times for rain. And in our own experiences, we may wonder why at times God may answer our prayers immediately, whilst at other times we have to pray seven times. In many cases, the problem could be traced back to pride.
As Elijah stood upon Mt. Carmel God gave him the victory over the false worship which had infiltrated, and tainted almost everyone in Israel. It was a major overturning of Baal worship, and Jezebel, the priests and Ahab all suffered very humiliating defeats in the public square.
Yet, it was by the power of God alone that victory was won, and thus, like so many before, Elijah has to be very careful lest it goes to his head, because pride could also affect righteous persons if they are not kept by the power of God at all times. Let’s read:
1st Kings 18: 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
43 And said to his servant, go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, there is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
[RH May 26, 1891] The prophet did not give up in discouragement. He kept reviewing his life, to see where he had failed to honor God, he confessed his sins.
[Conflict & Courage pp 212] Elijah humbled himself until he was in a condition where he would not take the glory to himself. As Elijah searched his heart, he seems to be less and less both in his own estimation and in the sight of God.
It seemed to him that he was nothing, and that God was everything; and when he reached the point of renouncing self, while he clung to the Savior as his only strength and righteousness, the answer came.
The same historical pattern of humility manifested initially in one’s experience, and later on becoming self-dependent can also be seen in the life of Joshua who prayed like never before, when it was time for the overthrow of Jericho to take place. He was very careful to follow all of God’s instructions and waited in humility for God to direct in all decision making.
And so said so done, because once we acknowledge our total dependence on The Lord, at every step of advance, the sky is the limit, because God could and would do great things for His people. But watch out, after you become famous lest the fame goes to your head, and you get an attitude. Let’s read:
Joshua 6: 27 So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.
After God gave Joshua the victory, and he became famous, we observe that he didn’t think it necessary to pray and ask God’s advice on the capture of Ai. In this instance, he turned to the wisdom of man, by leaving God out of the picture, and so said so done, because as history shows, pride goes before a fall. Let’s read:
Joshua 7: 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spoke unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few.
4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turns their backs before their enemies!
Apparently, the pride problem does not only affect men, because women also suffer from the same issue. When one gets promoted, or when one might reach the stratosphere in their experience, it’s often the case that persons get an attitude as can be seen in the following example.
Genesis 16: 3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 145] Flattered with the honor of her new position as Abraham’s wife, and hoping to be the mother of the great nation to descend from him, Hagar became proud and boastful, and treated her mistress with contempt.
Forced to listen to the complaints of both, Abraham vainly endeavored to restore harmony. Though it was at Sarah’s earnest entreaty that he had married Hagar, she now reproached him as the one at fault. Hagar’s haughty spirit would not brook the harshness which her insolence had provoked. “When Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”
Even the apostle Paul struggled with the same issue, for the abundance of knowledge and deep spiritual insights given to him by God, was an ongoing threat to his humility, in so much that God could not even answer his prayers for his own good, when he asked for healing.
The reason for God denying his request is directly pointed out, so that we who live in the 21st century, where pride stalks the land unrebuked, might take heed, lest like Paul, God has to refrain from blessing or healing us, lest we too become puffed up. Let’s read:
2nd Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
It was pride that caused Hezekiah to make one of the greatest mistakes of his life. God had blessed him really good with material and spiritual blessings and when he was on his bed of affliction, needing healing, he prayed like never before.
In the valley of affliction, he humbled himself, as he stared the grim reaper in the face. And God heard and answered his prayer. It is a sad commentary on human nature, that it’s often the case that God only gets our attention when our backs are against the wall. Let’s read:
2nd Kings 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, thus saith the Lord, set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,
3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have
walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.
11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
But not long after, when the ambassadors from the kingdom of Babylon came to find out why all their time pieces had abruptly gone into reverse for some unknown reason, Hezekiah did not step up to the plate to give God the glory.
That would have been a golden opportunity to hold an evangelistic crusade, to introduce the visitors to the God of heaven and to let them know what great things He had done, in signs and wonders in behalf of Hezekiah and they would have been receptive for it obviously was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Instead, Hezekiah showed off all his riches, all of his furniture, and all the gold in the temple and then he took them into his garage, where there was parked a Porsche, a Bentley a Lamborghini and a Maybach, side by side. But not a single word about God’s great deliverance was ever mentioned. Let’s read:
2nd Kings 20: 12 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
The time is coming soon when God is again going to do very great things through His people, and for His people, but the critically important lessons we need to learn must be incorporated into our experience.
When people may inadvertently praise or flatter us for something, make certain to give God the praise and the glory, and pray like never before, lest your head becomes swollen with pride, and God has to recommend a ton of grass like with Nebuchadnezzar to bring us back down from our high horse.
Again, if you are a church member, a public servant or a politician, try your best to avoid praising mortal man, for whatsoever their accomplishments might be, because doing so lays the foundation for one of satan’s most successful and favorite snares which he sets for the feet of the unwary.
And who knows, you might just cause him or her to do something really stupid. And, if it is the case that persons currently crave praise and admiration, God is calling us as individuals and a nation to repent. Let it never be said, that it was not safe for God to bless us. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 8: 10 When thou hast eaten and are full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
There are two excerpts from the pen of inspiration that are now warranted, for we seem to be trapped in a vortex of praise and flattery on and individual and national level. Observe carefully the following, and let’s not be hearers only, but doers of the word. Let’s read:
[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 161] We need to shun everything that would encourage pride and self-sufficiency; therefore, we should beware of giving or receiving flattery or praise. It is Satan’s work to flatter. He deals in flattery as well as in accusing and condemnation. Thus, he seeks to work the ruin of the soul.
Those who give praise to men are used by Satan as his agents. Let the workers for Christ direct every word of praise away from themselves. Let self be put out of sight. Christ alone is to be exalted. “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,” let every eye be directed, and praise from every heart ascend.
[Conflict & Courage pp 212] The custom of offering praise to men is one that results in great evil. One praises another, and thus men are led to feel that glory and honor belong to them. When you exalt man, you lay a snare for his soul, and do just as Satan would have you.... God alone is worthy to be glorified.
As was stated before, the Lord is getting ready to do great things through His people, and for His people. Some who will be alive during earth’s final crisis will be endowed with gifts of healing, and others will be given major victories, with close encounters with God, like the Mt. Carmel kind.
It becomes all the more important that we cultivate a humble and teachable spirit, trusting entirely in God, and waiting at His gates to be directed in all of our decisions. This is a call to prayer and deep soul searching, to see if there are any vestiges of pride in us, and if so, God call on us to confess and repent.
We therefore end with two passages of Scripture that will help us to keep Christ ever before our faces and God will forgive and forget, if we be willing to renounce pride in all of its various forms. Let’s read:
Revelation 4: 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Micah 6: 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
God Bless!