Pride Goes before the Fall

 

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 14:12 "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! 13 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; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

 

Say the name “Lucifer” and immediately we think of Satan. But the immediate application of this prophecy is leveled at Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. Babylonians worshipped the stars and King Neb had exalted himself as chief of all stars, by dealing God out of his accomplishments!

 

Da 4:30 The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"

 

Look how God dealt with this foolish pride!

 

Da 5:20 "But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.

 

Of course this is the lot of all who would exalt themselves above God and the devil is the first and foremost example. This pride and attempt to exalt oneself over the domain of God was the sin mentioned in the New Testament Book of Jude:  

 

Jude 1:6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

 

They are chained….they can only go as far as God allows! And on Judgement Day, the devil and his rebels will be put away forever, never to disturb the earth again!

 

Jesus called it “the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” and all unbelievers! (Mt 25:41)

 

 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

 

It’s true, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Prov 16:18)

 

It was true for Satan, it was true for King Neb, and it is true for you and I as well, God resists the proud and gives saving grace to the humble, (those who acknowledge His Son as Lord and Savior.) (James 4:6)

 

Just think about that as you “move and have your being” today. Are you living a life submitted to the Lordship of Jesus?  

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.