Pride was the original sin of Satan in Heaven, which led to him being cast out, as recorded in Isaiah 14:12-15, with Lucifer’s five statements of ‘I will’ – reading like ‘famous last words’:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Speaking about the King of Tyre (who represents satan) also tells of how his ‘heart was lifted up’ or, as other versions put it, was ‘very proud’.
Satan appealed to this same pride in our first parents Adam and Eve, by telling Eve in Genesis 3:4 that by eating of the tree she would become like God, knowing good and evil.
The Book of Job is generally considered to be the oldest book in The Bible and in chapter 38 of the book, the character named Elihu, whom God never chastises, speaks about the ways of God with mankind as follows:
14 For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.
15 He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. 16 He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. 17 He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride. 18 He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death.
Hebrews chapter 11 is often called the ‘Hall of Fame’ of the heroes of faith, yet there could be another chapter written about the fall into pride, or ‘Hall of Infamy’ of even some of Israel’s godly kings.
We see evidences of the presence of the sin of pride right throughout the history of these godly Kings of Israel as, for example, in the case of King Uzziah in the book of 2 Chronicles 26:4-7 and vs 16-21 – who began to reign at age 16.
4 And he (Uzziah) did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper……. 7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims……………
16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several (separate) house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD:
We also see the consequences of pride in the case of King Hezekiah, who is also noted to be a godly king.
25 But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the LORD’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his pride, as did the people of Jerusalem. So the LORD’s anger did not fall on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime (New Living Translation)
At the time of the final Judgement of Jerusalem, as described in Ezekiel 7, God explains in detail the nature of Israel’s sin and the imminent Judgement in verse 10. In Ezekiel 7:10, in the midst of a dire warning of coming judgement against Israel, it states:
10 “Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod has blossomed, Pride hath budded.
Or as the New Living Translation vs 10 + 11 puts it:
10 “The day of judgment is here; your destruction awaits! The people’s wickedness and pride have blossomed to full flower. 11 Their violence has grown into a rod that will beat them for their wickedness. None of these proud and wicked people will survive. All their wealth and prestige will be swept away. ”
Again, pride against the Lord’s ways, leading to judgement, is referenced in various places in the book of Psalms, as in Psalm 10:4
‘The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God:
God is not in all his thoughts’.
Asaph, writing in Psalm 73 reflects on this pride and also violence of the ungodly:
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. 6 have Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they more than heart could wish. 8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in both slippery places: thou castest them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Again, the familiar trajectory of such pride and ungodliness leading inevitably to God’s severe judgement.
The Book of Proverbs has numerous references in the KJV to ‘pride’ and ‘proud’.
Consider the following re ‘pride‘:
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.
When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.
By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom.
The mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.
A proud and haughty man-‘scoffer’ is his name. He acts with arrogant pride.
A man’s pride shall bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
and ‘proud‘:
(one of the 7 things that are an abomination to God):
A proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood.
The Lord will destroy the house of the proud, but he will establish the border of the widow.
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; though hand join in hand. he shall not be unpunished.
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked is sin.
Proud and haughty scorner is his name; who dealeth in proud wrath.
He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife, but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.
God’s views about such pride and arrogance are always seen in the context of impending judgement as in Isaiah 13:11
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
It’s worth noting too that ‘darnel’, i.e the ‘tares among the wheat’ that Jesus referred to, in contrast to ripe wheat, stands up very straight and is also black; this seems to be the Lord giving us a spiritual picture of pride and sin in those ‘believers’ unwilling to humble themselves.
When we come to the New Testament to the time of Yeshua, we find that he found the same spiritual pride in the Jews, as shown in his dialogue with them, recorded in the gospel of John chapter 8.
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, “if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered him: ” We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?” 34 Jesus answered them: ” Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
They claimed to have their lineage directly from Abraham, but once Jesus spoke to them of his truth ‘setting them free’, their national pride was threatened; they were triggered emotionally and proceeded to falsely claim that they had never been in bondage to anyone! Had they forgotten the Babylonian captivity or the fact that they were currently under Roman occupation? This is an example of the power of pride, as being able to obscure truth. They had apparently just ‘believed on Him’, yet their offence at Jesus’ words about being made free, soon caused them to reject Him.
Yeshua’s parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in says:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Comparing these 2 men’s prayers it could be said that in the case of the Pharisee, he alone was the subject (a form of ‘I love me, what’s your hobby’), but in the case of the Publican, God was the subject and he simply wanted to be the object of God’s mercy.
It shows the blinding power of pride, where the Pharisee actually ended up praying to Himself rather than to God. After Jesus told this parable, He commented that those who ‘exalt themselves’ would be abased and those who humble themselves would be exalted.
Jesus used this same phrase on another occasion in Luke 14:11 when scripture says he observed the various Pharisees looking to take the best places at the table, so there’s obviously a principle here, which is well-illustrated in the totally differing trajectories of Satan and Jesus. Satan exalted himself and went down and will finally end in the lowest pit, whereas Yeshua did the exact opposite (see Philippians 2), by humbling himself under the will of the father, even to death on the cross.
When Jesus sent out the 72 (seventy -two) and they came back rejoicing that evil spirits were subject to them (and though Jesus’ words can be read on another level too), I believe He was giving them a warning:
18 And he said unto them, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
To me, it seems like he was giving them a warning against getting ‘swelled heads’.
In John Bunyan’s classic story Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian and Hopeful are met on their journey by a character named ‘Flatterer’ who proceeds to ‘lead them down the garden path’ as he tells them how brave and wonderful they are and have been, in facing the previous trials on their Christian pilgrimage. Suddenly, they find themselves in a physical snare, trapped by listening to the subtle words of the one who intends to fill them with pride. An excellent animated version of this film, made in 2019, is available to watch on YouTube. If you Google ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ and go down to ‘Videos’, you will see it come up. It’s also there in several other languages.
Is it any wonder then what Jesus said in Luke 17:10 ? –
10 ‘So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say: “We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”
It’s worth noting too, that pride is found in the list of end-time characteristics listed by St Paul in Romans chapter 1.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful (insolent), proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
And:
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are
good, 4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Both the apostles James and Peter repeat the same warnings about pride in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 when they say:
“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
James links his comments to resisting the devil and submitting to God, while Peter links his comment to believers submitting to one another and being subject to one another.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Pride is pandemic, we’re all in the same soup. Isaiah 53 states ‘we’ve turned every one to his own way’. In a unique way, it’s particularly an end-time sin, even in the church. The Laodicean church, a representation of the church in the end-times was chock-full of pride.:
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Unlike the grandiose self-assessment of this body of believers, Jesus’ assessment was very different.
It has been correctly stated that even though Satan IS the accuser of the brethren, ‘pride is the one sin that satan will never accuse you of’, because he’s so subtle and knows how destructive it is. He, as we have seen, is the father of it, so he doesn’t destroy his own work. If we don’t get rid of it as much as we can, we therefore risk imitating satan rather than Jesus. Could this be the reason that Jesus told those believers (Matthew 7:23) who were apparently doing all the good works in His name:
23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ (you workers of iniquity or lawlessness)
Quote from Thomas Watson: ‘Humility begins with proper self-awareness, that virtue by which man becomes conscious of his own unworthiness. I begin with an honest, unadorned view of ourselves. The first thing an honest person will see in themselves is sin, and therefore the surest mark of true humility is a daily confession of sin.
We should cultivate humility (a willingness to submit to the will of God). Look away from yourselves into the mirror of God’s Word. Ask God to show us our prideful areas and to break our pride. Deep gratitude to God for his love, mercy and grace is also evidence of humility.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowls of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the Elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud and gives grace to the humble.
Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass (a mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.