The Consequences of Pride - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

He was walking about the royal palace 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?" A voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."
Daniel 4:29-32

The Consequences of Pride
Pride is hateful to God. Indeed, a proud look is the first item on the list of things the Lord hates and that are an abomination to Him. , Isaiah 14:12-14, and 1 Timothy 3:6 show us that Lucifer's fall was occasioned by his pride. The contexts of the first two of these passages make plain that God will deal with Satan and with those angels that followed him in rebellion against God. Hell is prepared for the devil and his angels.

Humility is a virtue that God desires to see in His people. The Lord Jesus invites us to learn of Him. He humbled Himself fully, as we find in Philippians 2:5-8. Telling us that He is meek and lowly of heart, He asks us to learn of Him (Mt. 11:29).

The times of the Gentiles began when God, judging His earthly people, left His temple at Jerusalem, permitting Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Judah, break down Jerusalem's walls, and destroy the temple. Daniel 1-4 shows us God dealing with this vainglorious absolute monarch. He gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream which pictured him as the head of gold of a great image. Finally, after being warned by God in a second dream and still proudly boasting of his achievements, God toppled him from his throne, making him like a beast. Eventually the king looked up and blessed God, giving Him praise and honor. He wrote a remarkable letter about his experience to all people on earth. We know it as Daniel 4.

Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.