“Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.” (Proverbs 16:5 NASB)
In Ezekiel 28:12-19 we read the account of Lucifer’s (Satan’s) fall from grace. Notice in particular verse 17, “Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.” (NLT) His greatest sin was, and still is, pride. It seems that he was the most beautiful and elevated angel that God created. He had it all, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted God’s chair. We will never know the complete story of Lucifer’s fall until the Lord reveals it to us in Heaven, and I believe He will.
Could it be that this same sin is the primary fall of man also? There are many types of sins, but pride just may be the greatest offender against God, and the most difficult to overcome. Of course, we cannot overcome any sin, but with pride in our heart, it will prevent us from even seeking help from the only one Who can remove it from us. It blinds our eyes to our own need of God.
The Bible has much to say about pride. One well known verse that comes to mind is, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 NKJV) This verse reminds me of another, which says, “Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” (Proverbs 23:9)
Those who do not know God, obviously think they are smarter than He. It is beneath them to submit to a holy God, because they think they have everything all figured out. However, God makes it clear throughout His Word, that we must recognize Him as LORD to be accepted by Him. But to call Him LORD would involve submission. So we are back where we started, on the merry-go-round of pride, just digging our heels in ever deeper toward judgment.
Our country could be turned from imminent disaster, if our leaders would just fall on their knees and call Him LORD, but that would mean admitting that their leadership has been flawed and they need a Savior. Sinful hearts could be broken for Christ, if our pastors would just fall on their knees and call Him LORD, but that would be acknowledging their cowardice thus far.
Listen to the pundits on the airwaves. They are filled with so much pride they could blow up an onion sack. Whether they’re standing behind the microphone in Hollywood, the desks of the newscasters, or a lectern in Washington, their boisterous diatribe elevates their own haughtiness and defies the righteousness of Almighty God.
God says that He created the world and all that is therein, but they know better. They’re educated. All the “facts” are on the History channel.
God is not in the heavens either, because the former Russian Premiere, Nikita Khrushchev, said so in 1963. He stated, “Gagarin flew in space and saw no God”. (Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space.) Later in 1963, another Russian astronaut, Valery Bykovsky, said, “no Soviet cosmonaut believed in God and none of them had seen anything to change their minds during their space flights”. Oh yes, I should not forget Carl Sagan or Stephen Hawking, the experts of the second heavens, who would lead us to believe that we are our own gods and are the masters of our universe. So I guess that settles that. I wonder what God thinks about all this? “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” (Psalms 2:4)
So where does this leave the Christian? Our LORD says, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Ephesians 4:14) As a child of God, we have submitted to His Lordship, and should remember that, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
“LORD” is not a hard word to speak for a Christian. We gladly submit to His authority, and willingly submit as His servants. But we need to be wary of the false doctrine all around us from those who do not recognize Him as LORD.
To those without Christ, it is a word they refuse to utter. They can profane His name, but never their tongues by uttering such a word as LORD to the Creator God. They can use His name in profanity, mock His “idea” of creation, exalt themselves in their own cockiness, but never bend the knee of humility and swallow the pride that damns their souls.
The LORD says to the humble of heart, “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.” (Isaiah 57:15 NLT)
He says to those who refuse to call him LORD, “But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt. There is no peace for the wicked, says my God.” (Isaiah 57:20-21 NLT)
May I offer this warning? We may either recognize Him as LORD now, by the mercy of the cross of Jesus or, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:22-23)
One way or the other we will recognize Him as LORD. For one, He will be “the LORD of mercy”. For another, He will be “the LORD of justice”.
Which will it be for you?
Grant Phillips