Lesson in Humility

Tyre was a city of economic power and pride. It celebrated its beauty and commercial accomplishments, and it became the subject of a prophecy of doom in the biblical book of Ezekiel.

Scholars have argued about the nature of that prophetic literature. The debate is interesting because some of the specific events mentioned in Ezekiel apparently don’t match with a careful study of history. I’m no ancient historian, but I wonder if we can find something helpful in the text if some of the prophesied events didn’t end up actually happening.

Yes. God’s purpose is clear, whether the specific events were intended to be historical predictions or not.

The truth that speaks to me from this text today is that God dislikes what Bible professor Thomas Renz calls “self-centered trade.” We should be careful to avoid excessive pride in our nation’s economic success (or excessive concern over the lack thereof).

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Thomas Renz, “Proclaiming the Future: History and Theology in Prophecies Against Tyre,” Tyndale Bulletin 51:1 (2000), pages 17-58.

(Day 249: Ezekiel 25-27)

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Day 139: Second Chronicles 32-34

Yesterday I met a student writing a thesis in a coffee shop. Beside him sat a book by David deSilva about honor in the New Testament. I hadn’t read it, but the student told me the main idea: that early Christians would have felt shameful not to respond gratefully to what God had done for them.

Now I come to this reading in Second Chronicles. God impressively blesses Hezekiah, whose pride prevents him from responding with gratitude. Then he repents.

Pride leads to other sins and prevents righteousness. It keeps us from pursuing the virtuous character or relationship with God we desire. It leads us to think that life and even faith are primarily about us.

Of course pride can be good, like when I’m proud of a student who learns responsibly or proud of my yet-to-be-born son for kicking the inner wall of his mom’s abdomen. But today’s text speaks of a destructive kind of pride, a self-centered kind.

Our thankful response to God requires repentance, a reversal of destructive pride, a change of action from self-concern to placing others before self, a recognition that we’re part of God’s work that is much bigger than us.

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Day 118: Second Kings 20-22

Good people mess up. It’s a fact of human nature.

Hezekiah is a righteous king; he does a lot of good. He trusts and obeys God, gets rid of idols, and is highly successful in helping his people.

Toward the end of his life, however, he gets a little too arrogant. Some people from Babylon bring gifts to King Hezekiah, who welcomes the visitors, gives them a tour, and shows them everything he has.

We know that God expects people to welcome visitors, and showing them around is fine, but displaying extravagant amounts of expensive treasures is inviting invasion. Was Hezekiah’s talent show a result of his pride or of his naivety?

We need to practice hospitality and other kindnesses, but people don’t necessarily need to know everything about us. We can be open and honest without abandoning wisdom.

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Day 96: Second Samuel 4-7

“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind” (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).

David has a reason to be prideful: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Sam 18:7, 21:11, 29:5).

Although he doesn’t always escape the sin of pride that Lewis says all people experience, David humbles himself before God in today’s reading:

• “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”
• “For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.”
• “How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”

David has come to a major transition. He’s assuming leadership of his nation. And he looks to the Lord for guidance and support.

May we do likewise.

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