I WILL BE LIKE GOD
To be like God! How many of us want to be on high, be exalted and praised, be seen, have the light shine upon us and be all we can be? The Fall of Satan is described in Isaiah 14:12-14 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground. You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High."
Satan said these things in his heart. He may not have said them out loud. God looks at the heart. He sees our heart's intentions. Eventually we act out of these heart intentions. Satan said at least five things in his heart:
1. I will ascend into heaven
2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God
3. I will sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north
4. I will ascend above the heights of the the clouds
5. I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH
Lucifer's (Satan) name means light bearer. Here in this passage, he is called son of the morning. He was meant to bear God's light not his own.
Satan used the same deception on Eve that caused his own fall . He whispered "For God know that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one WISE, she took of the fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her and he ate." (Genesis 3:5-6). The fall of humanity too was wanting to be like God in our own arrogant pride.
Proverbs 16:18 says that pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. In 1 John 2:16 we read that "for all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world." A long time ago, in studying the Bible I learned that there was a connect between the fall of humanity and the three temptations in 1 John 2:16.
Lust of the Flesh = good for food
Lust of the Eyes = fruit desirable to the eyes
Pride of Life = to make one wise/be like God
In thinking upon my own pride, I am reminded of the passage in Luke 14:8-11
which says When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Our Proverbs 31 study today is about humility and the fear of the Lord rather than pride. The Proverbs study today focuses on bearing God's light rather than our own light of how good a wife we are or how much we accomplish.
PROVERB 31 STUDY SCRIPTURES
Proverbs 15:33 - The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.
Proverbs 22:4 - By humility and fear of the Lord are riches and honors and life.
OBSERVATIONS
1. The fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of wisdom but also the instruction of wisdom
2. Humility and fear of the Lord comes before riches, honors and life and not the other way around
3. We are to be instructed in wisdom and not seek to be wise in our own ideas or to be wise for wisdom sake.
4. Humility needs to come along wisdom or we may be puffed up with pride.
APPLICATIONS
Our Church has five core values. One of them is Gospel Humility which is defined as "an attitude that causes us to submit to one another and to listen intently to godly counsel. On the one hand, it prompts us to be gentle and forgiving, and to admit when we are wrong. On the other hand it prompts us to walk in spirit led boldness. Gospel humility requires a healthy self assessment. It liberates a person to pursue God's way of living - regardless of the interpretation of others."
Humility is defined as the quality of being modest and respectful. Humility comes from the Latin word humilitas meaning grounded, from the earth, low. It derives from humus which means earth. It is a quality by which a person considering his own defects has a "humble" opinion of self and willingly submits to God and others for God's sake.
The first verse that came to my mind as way of application was Psalm 131: 1 which is "Lord my heart is not haughty nor my eyes lofty Neither do I concern myself with great matters nor with things too profound for me." My prayer is that I can say that. Many times I am trying to figure it all out. I am trying to fix and change everyone and every thing. I have liked being right. I want to be wise. I like to learn but the problem is we should not learn for knowledge or learning sake to have power over others. We are to be wise in the Lord's eyes and for shining His light not our own.
For where envy and self seeking (selfish ambition, pride) exist confusion and every evil thing are there. James 3:16. This verse says every evil thing exists where there is pride. Also in Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom."
As a wife, many times I want to be right. I think of things too lofty for me at times. I think I need to work and fix everything. This many times can cause pressure for my husband instead of a safe haven and peaceful sanctuary. My husband helps me to see, feel, touch, smell and taste the wonderful gifts God gives. He helps me to be grounded on this earth. Many times, I think my way of seeing things is right and that he must be wrong. I failed to see at times that God makes people different and to appreciate the differences that keep me grounded. God is guiding me and teaching me in his Word to humble myself and submit to my husband. It is so precious in the sight of God.
PRAYER
Lord, may I shine your light rather than trying to shine light on myself. Lord, forgive me for trying to be right a lot rather than humble myself in your sight.
I don't want to be wise to have an advantage over others or to lift myself up. Please forgive me for wanting to be you and have your rightful place. May I decrease and you increase. May I always wait on you.
