God gives grace to the humble

Pride & Prejudice.

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And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made. – Esther 5:9-14 ESV

The Proverbs of Solomon have a lot to say about pride:

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 ESV

One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. – Proverbs 29:23 ESV

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 ESV

Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. – Proverbs 18:2 ESV

Even James quotes from Proverbs 3:34 when he writes, “But he [God] gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6 ESV).

Here in the story, we are given a photo-realistic image of what a prideful, haughty man looks like. Haman is the epitome of the arrogant, conceited, self-seeking and pride-filled man who lives for nothing more than the vain pursuit of prominence, power and possessions. Haman was a ladder-climbing, boss-flattering, limelight-seeking  opportunist. He was in it for himself. He was obsessed with recognition and rewards, respect and his own reputation. He is the anti-Mordecai. Mordecai seems to remain behind the scenes, adopting his orphaned niece and raising her like his own daughter, discovering the plot against the king’s life and making it known – never expecting a reward for his efforts. But Haman is busy promoting himself and planning what he believes to be his well-deserved rise to fame and fortune.

When Haman left the feast given by Esther for he and the king alone, we are told he “went out that day joyful and glad of heart” (Esther 5:9 ESV). He was ecstatic, thrilled at having been the only one invited to this private party thrown by the queen herself. He was so elated that when he got home, he told his wife and friends all about it. “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king” (Esther 5:12 ESV). He even made it a point to brag to them, recounting “the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king” (Esther 5:11 ESV). This man was insufferable. He was nothing more than an egotistical, self-promoting, pretentious fool. But he was also dangerous because he was godless and wicked. He fits the profile of the wicked described in Psalm 10:

O Lord, why do you stand so far away?

Why do you hide when I am in trouble?

The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.

Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.

For they brag about their evil desires;

they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.

The wicked are too proud to seek God.

They seem to think that God is dead.

Yet they succeed in everything they do.

They do not see your punishment awaiting them.

They sneer at all their enemies.

They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!

We will be free of trouble forever!” – Psalm 10:1-6 NLT

Haman walked out of the queen’s party on cloud nine, but he was quickly brought back to earth when Mordecai refused to bow down before him. One man’s refusal to acknowledge his obvious superiority was enough to throw him into an emotional tailspin. Even after he arrived home and recounted his amazing good fortune at having been the honored guest at the queen’s private banquet, he lamented, “Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 5:13 ESV). This statement, and Haman’s subsequent plot reveal the real issue. Mordecai was more than just a single individual who refused to honor Haman as his superior. He was a Jew and Haman was an Amalakite. These two people groups had a long track record filled with animosity and mutual hatred. Since the days when the Israelites were making their way to the promised land, the Amalakites proved to be their enemies. God even commanded King Saul, the very first king of the Jews, to completely wipe out the Amalakites, but he disobeyed. And since that day, the Amalakites had been a proverbial thorn in the side of the Jews. And now all that long-held tension was going to spill over as the result of a dispute between two men: Haman and Mordecai.

For Haman’s wife and friends, the solution was quite simple. All he had to do was kill Mordecai. Just eliminate the problem. And do it in a way that would send a signal to all the rest of the Jewish population in Susa. So they advised Haman to build a gallows, what was really more of a tall stake or spike on which the body of Mordecai would be hung for all to see. But it was essential that Haman waste no time. He needed to move quickly and build the gallows right away, before the party the next day. That way he could eliminate Mordecai and go feast with Esther and the king unperturbed by his arch-nemesis. And the passage simply tells us, “This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made” (Esther 5:14 ESV).

But this brings us back to Psalm 10. The psalmist writes:

Their helpless victims are crushed;

they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.

The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!

He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!” – Psalm 10:10-11 NLT

Haman believed he could do whatever he wanted to do. His arrogance was so great that he truly thought there would be no repercussions for his actions. He was greater than God. His wealth, power and prominence gave him permission to do whatever he wanted to do. But he was going to be proven sorely mistaken. God was watching. His eyes were not closed. He was seeing everything that was going on. And He was in full control. The wicked believe they can act with impunity. And, too often, the godly wrongly assume the wicked are right. Because that is how it appears. As the psalmist says, “they succeed in everything they do” (Psalm 10:5a NLT). But “They do not see your punishment awaiting them” (Psalm 10:5b NLT). Haman believed he was in control. He thought he had the power and authority to do whatever he wished. But he was wrong, and God was about to show him just how wrong he truly was. Haman was about to learn a painful lesson: “The Lord is king forever and ever!” (Psalm 10:16 NLT).

Wearing Humility With Pride.

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So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:1-5 ESV

The above title is meant to create a certain degree of disconnect in your mind when you read it. Is it really possible to wear humility with pride. It would seem contradictory to say that someone is proud of their humility. The two characteristics are anything but complementary. In their very essence, they oppose one another. And that is why Peter is continuing this section on suffering for righteousness’ sake with some very specific words of application regarding the role of humility within the body of Christ. First of all, he addresses the elders or overseers of the church. He qualifies his right to address them based on his own role as an elder and an apostle. As an apostle of Jesus, Peter had been en eye-witness to the sufferings of Jesus, having watched Him endure scourging, mocking, beatings and public scorn during His trials, and the public pain and humiliation of crucifixion. He knew first-hand what suffering for righteousness’ sake looked like. He knew far too well just how costly the kind of humility he was talking could be. He had watched Jesus die, willingly and obediently, fulfilling the will of His Father. But Peter had also been there when Jesus appeared in His resurrected state, and he had heard Jesus say, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:46-48 ESV). And Peter had been an eyewitness to Jesus’ ascension back into heaven. He had been “a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1b ESV). And Peter had heard the angel proclaim, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11 ESV).

So based on his qualifications, Peter addressed the elders by telling them to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you” (1 Peter 5:2 ESV). They were not to do it for money or power. Their role was not to be seen as a status symbol, but as a statement of humility and service. They were to lead by example. Their lives were to be models of righteousness and godly leadership. They were to find their motivation in their future glorification, not any sense of prominence or pride they might find in this life. Peter had remembered well the words of Jesus spoken on the hillside years earlier: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1 ESV). Jesus had gone on to say that if your motivation was to be seen and praised by men, you would have your reward in full: the recognition and praise of men. But elders were to have a higher standard, a loftier goal. And they were to be examples to all those under their care.

Paul had given similar words of admonition to the elders from Ephesus:

You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20:18-24 ESV

He went on to tell them, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28 ESV). They were to see the people of God as belonging to God, having been paid for by the death of Christ. They were simply overseers or caretakers, ultimately answering to God for those He had placed in their care. Like any shepherd, they were to offer protection and provision, care and comfort. Like Jesus, they were to be willing to lay down their lives for the sheep. They were to live in constant recognition that they would one day answer to the Chief Shepherd.

But Peter didn’t just address elders. He went on to deal with those within the congregation who were younger. He encouraged them to live in submission to their elders. That would require humility on their part. Self-autonomy is a part of human nature. We all want to run our own lives and to control our own fates. But within the body of Christ, God has called for order, structure, and a spirit of submission and humility. In fact, Peter went on to speak to everybody in the church, saying, “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another” (1 Peter 5:5 ESV). It is difficult, if not impossible, to lead the prideful and stubborn. Hard-headed sheep require a heavy-handed shepherd. But if we all learn to live humbly and submissively, leadership becomes much easier and following, much more pleasant.

Quoting from the Greek translation of Proverbs 3:34, Peter writes, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James quoted from the same passage when he wrote, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposed the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God” (James 4:6-7 ESV). Ultimately, our submission is to be toward God. As Peter will say in the very next verse in this chapter, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6 ESV). Shepherds are to lead, humbly. The sheep are to follow, humbly. Each is to willingly wait for God to glorify them at the proper time and in according to His divine will. There is no place for pride in the life of the humble.

Isaiah 65-66, Revelation 16

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A Humility of Heart.

Isaiah 65-66, Revelation 16

But this is the one to whom I will look; he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. – Isaiah 66:2 ESV

Israel’s unique position as God’s chosen people should have produced in them a sense of humility and grateful dependence upon Him. Instead, they developed an arrogance and pride that was marked by a sense of entitlement. They saw themselves as spiritually superior to all the other nations, saying, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you” (Isaiah 65:5 ESV). And yet, God viewed them as rebellious, idolatrous, disobedient, and deserving of His wrath. His assessment of them was not good. “…when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in” (Isaiah 65:12 ESV). But amazingly, there were a few who remained faithful and true to God. There was a remnant of Jews who worshiped Him correctly, exhibiting a healthy awe and respect for who He was and all that He had done for them. God refers to the faithful few as His servants. He says they shall eat, while the rest go hungry. They will drink while everyone else thirsts. They will rejoice while the prideful and arrogant are put to shame. They shall sing for gladness of heart while the unfaithful cry out for pain of heart. God describes this faithful remnant as humble and contrite in spirit, having a healthy fear of Him.  

What does this passage reveal about God?

God prefers humility over the act of sacrifice. He desires relationship over religion. For the majority of the Israelites, the sacrificial system had deteriorated into little more than a means of appeasing God and attempting to curry favor from Him. It had become self-centered and selfishly motivated. Rather than a means of worshiping God for who He was, men had made it little more than a ritual designed to get what they wanted from God. The whole sacrificial system had been intended to remind men of their dependence upon God. They stood as sinful and guilty before a holy and righteous God. They could not come into His presence because of their sinfulness. So they were required to offer Him sacrifices as a means of worshiping Him for who He was – holy, unapproachable, mighty, just, righteous, and worthy of all honor. God reminded Isaiah, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?” (Isaiah 66:1 ESV). God didn’t need a temple in which to dwell. Even Solomon recognized that the temple he built was insufficient to house the glory of God. “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27 ESV). But the temple was designed as a place to which men could come in humility, obedience and repentance – acknowledging their sin and their need for God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.

What does this passage reveal about man?

God’s grace is reserved for the humble. James would remind us, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 ESV). “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:10 ESV). There is a real sense in which humility is a non-negotiable necessity for experiencing the blessings of God. Humility is a recognition that we can do nothing for God and we deserve nothing from God. It is a realization of our desperate need as we stand in the shadow of His glory. There were those Jews who worshiped God for His sake, while others did so for their own benefit. When we make worship man-centered and self-focused, we replace humility with pride and His glory with our own. Pride is one of the most powerful forces in the life of a man. It appears to be self-preserving and protective, but it is really destructive in nature. It sets self up as the center of the universe, in place of God. It attempts to make man like God, and relegates God to little more than a glorified life coach or cosmic genie in a bottle. Man begins to believe that God exists for his benefit. But God made man to bring Him glory. But mankind has made a habit of glorifying itself. Even the Israelites, the people of God, believed that they were the point of the story. They wrongly assumed that they were the focus of God’s attention and the center of the universe. Rather than live in humble awe and wonder at the very thought that the God of the universe would choose to have a relationship with them, they wrongly assumed that they somehow deserved God’s favor and were guaranteed His blessings, regardless of how they lived their lives.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

In the end, God gets the glory. Literally, when the end of times comes, it will be God and God alone who gets the glory for what happens. He will send back His Son, not because anyone deserves it, but because God has had it planned all along. Even during the Great Tribulation, God will redeem a remnant of Jews, bringing them to a saving knowledge of Jesus, the Messiah. Again, not because they deserve it. But because God, in His infinite grace and mercy, has predetermined it. God will save and vindicate Israel, but not so they can revel in the experience and pridefully gloat over their enemies. No God will redeem Israel because He has promised to do so, and His fulfillment of His promises will bring glory to Himself. Twice at the end of chapter 66, God states that in the end times, the nations “shall come and shall see my glory” (Isaiah 66:18 ESV). “…and I will send survivors to the nations…that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations” (Isaiah 66:19 ESV). Ultimately, it is going to be about God’s glory. His redemption of man is all about His glory. His restoration of the nation of Israel will bring Him glory. His judgment of sinful man will bring Him glory. Humility is the recognition of His glory and the staggering realization of our own inability to measure up to His righteous, holy standards. Humility is man’s way of stating his dependence upon God and His divine plan for our redemption and the creation’s restoration. It is a recognition that God alone can restore this sin-ravaged world. It is to acknowledge, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” (Revelation 16:7 ESV). Our humility brings God glory. Our willful dependence upon Him is a form or worship of Him. As we allow God to work through us, it brings Him glory. When we attempt to do things for God, we inevitably rob glory from God. But humility recognizes the truth behind Christ’s words, “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 ESV) and “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26 ESV).

Father, humility comes hard. It is not natural for us as human beings. Our sin natures make it next to impossible to walk humbly before our God. We live with our eyes focused on ourselves. We think the universe revolves around us. We even think You exist for us. But I want to walk before You humbly and dependently, recognizing my need for You and living my life to bring You glory instead of myself. Thank You for reminding me that I exist for Your glory and not the other way around. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org