Pride~

October 8, 2020 – Debbie Graham
Isaiah 13-17
Pride

Focus Verses
Isaiah 14:12-15 ““How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.”

Do you ever think more highly of yourself than you ought?  It could be that you went to college and got outstanding grades, graduated with honors, received a title with that degree, and then thought you were smarter and more worthy than others.  Maybe it was getting a promotion at work that came with a prestigious title.  Perhaps your natural beauty and intelligence elevates your thoughts about yourself to a level that you think you are deserved honor and praise.  That is the path that Lucifer took.

We read in the Bible that Lucifer was full of wisdom and perfect in beauty (Ezekiel 28:12).  He let that go to his head and proclaimed that he would be equal to his creator.  Lucifer does not say he would be greater than God, or be God, he says he will make himself “LIKE the Most High” (emphasis mine).  We read the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis and see that he also used those words to deceive Eve into eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. 

It is good for us to strive to be holy as the Bible tells us in 1 Peter, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16).  We are not to strive to be like God in the sense that we expect people to worship us as they worship Him.  We need to strive to be like Him with all humility knowing that He is the creator and we are the created.  

The focus verses today tell of the fall of Lucifer.  His pride was what made him think he was as great as he thought he was.  It was also his pride that was his destruction.  “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Proverbs 16:18-19).  We read in Revelation of the final destruction of him.  “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

Writing about this reminded me about a joke I once heard.  Scientists told God that they didn’t need Him anymore because they could just make man on their own.  God said, this will be worth seeing, go ahead.  As soon as they reached down and picked up some dirt, God quickly stopped them and said, get your own dirt.  Lol.  The proud man thinking that he can be like the Most High and create like He did. 

Prayer
Lord God, please help me to always be humble and recognize You as the author, creator, and only One to be praised.  Let me not exalt myself or any other created being above You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.