Pride Comes Before A Fall

Interestingly, God tells us four times in the Bible that He is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end.  This term is only found in the book of Revelation.    It is also interesting that God refers to Himself as the Alpha and the Omega twice in the first chapter of Revelation and twice in the last.   Scriptures mention this principle of the first and last several times and in many different ways.  Israel was the first to receive the gospel and is prophesied to be the last spiritual harvest reaped before Christ returns.  (Romans 11:25)   The contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam (Jesus) is made in I Corinthians 15.  Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)   Many other examples of this principle can be found in both Old and New Testaments.

This is why it is important to recognize the first sin committed in the universe.  It will also be the last sin that greatly manifests before the end of this age.  We might think that the first sin committed happened in the Garden of Eden when Eve disobeyed God by tasting the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The first sin actually happened before Eve’s transgression.   It is recorded in I Timothy 3:6, ….lest being puffed up with pride he falls into the same condemnation as the devil.    Pride is the first recorded sin.  In Isaiah 14:11 it reads, Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the sound of your stringed instruments;…  The word “pomp” is associated with pride, arrogance, and haughtiness. 

Characteristics of ungodly people in the last days are found in II Timothy 3:2-4:  Among the negative adjectives we see words that include lovers of themselves, boasters, proud, headstrong, and haughty.  These are all associated with pride.  This clearly reveals that the first sin of pride will be largely manifest in the last days.  One of the problems with pride is that it is not always easy to discern or detect in ourselves.  Perhaps this spiritual barometer will help to more readily identify this subtle sin which is so rampantly manifesting all around us.

·       What is your reaction to trouble?  Our response to trouble should be humility and gratitude.  Pride is evident when on the front end of trouble there was fear and at the end, what sounded like gratitude was relief.  Fear can sound like humility because it has brokenness in it.  Relief can sound like gratitude.  I saw this play out as a youngster when a family in our church suffered a fire that destroyed their house.  They had been nominal Christians who came to church occasionally and tried to live the life of getting the best of both worlds, even if it meant compromising to the flesh.  When their home was reduced to ashes our church rallied around them,  They raised money, donated clothing and food, provided meals, and were there to counsel and comfort them with God’s wisdom and love.  They began coming to church regularly and often testified of how relieved they were that they were reached out to so tremendously.  Within a year their house was restored and refurnished.  They moved back into their home and within two months they were rarely seen in church.  Old habits reappeared and their spiritual state returned to what it had been before the fire happened.  Their fear had been replaced by relief but true humility and gratitude were never attained.

·      How do you handle blessings?   Blessings often come on the tail end of trials.  If we look at Job at the end of his suffering we may think that what mattered was the restoration of all his stuff.  God paid back double in livestock, buildings, wealth, and crops after he experienced great destruction.  But if you could ask Job what the greatest treasure he gained from his calamity he would surely say, “I had seen and experienced God’s hand of provision, protection, and blessing but now I have seen His face.”  (Job 42:5)  We tend to think that the news story is our healing or deliverance whereas the real story was meant to be our learning. 

·      What is your response to fear?  When the flesh and pride are in control fear says, “Oh no, I’m scared and in trouble and things aren’t going to work out right.”  Humility says, “Lord, I need Your help and I trust You.”

The spirit of fear is attached to pride which is why fear must be dealt with and resisted.  I John 4:18 tells us that it is God’s perfect love that cast out fear.  When fear is vanquished, pride is vanquished. We can then manifest God’s love to others.  This love is defined in I Corinthians 13:4-8-  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.