The big news this week has been President Trump’s ongoing tariff war with China and other nations. President Trump is hell-bent on earthly greatness in a temporary kingdom that will not last no matter what he or any politician does. God’s people are called to be different and know true greatness isn’t like this world’s greatness:
- Winning
- Power
- Selfish
- Prideful
One of the most basic warnings to God’s people is not to covet or keep wanting more (Exodus 20:17.) As we pursue more earthly greatness we get further away from God and closer to Satan and this world (Genesis 3:6).
The pursuit of more and earthly greatness leads to pride, and pride comes from the world, not God (1 John 2:16.) The pride of this life does not compare to eternity in Heaven with God.
What Is Pride
We’ve all heard about pride and how it leads to destruction (Proverbs 16:18-33.) Pride is defined as, “Reasonable self-esteem; confidence and satisfaction in oneself.” It makes us look at ourselves more than we look at and care about others.
Pride is like sweet poison, it makes us happy while it destroys us from the inside. Earthly greatness can easily lead to pride because it focuses on the temporary instead of the eternal things of God. God’s people cannot follow God and be prideful, because God hates pride and opposes the proud (Proverbs 6:19, James 4:6).
The late pastor and author Andrew Murray wrote over 100 years ago, “Pride must die in you or nothing of Heaven can live in you.” That is why the Bible has much to teach us about pride and the ways of this world.
Satan’s pride caused him to chase greatness and got him and a third of the angels kicked out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15.) When we pursue earthly greatness it leads to pride, that is why we must humble ourselves and let God exalt us (James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6).
When pride sets in, we are no longer serving God, but our selfish flesh and hearts (Proverbs 29:23, Luke 1:51). God’s people must avoid selfish ambition and pride (Romans 12:3, 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Galatians 5:19-21, Philippians 2:3, 1 Peter 5:5). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about pride in the ways of this world.
Gā’ôn
The ancient world was selfish and full of pride, the rulers and nations thought to be the greatest people on the earth and their pursuit corrupted the world and almost caused God to destroy it (Genesis 6:5).
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for pride is gā’ôn and it can also mean, “Excellency, majesty, arrogance, or exaltation,” depending on the context it is used in. It is easy to see the pursuit of earthly greatness can lead to pride in any of us, not just the lost.
God’s people are set apart from the world to be different and God promised He will be the one to make them great (Leviticus 20:26, Deuteronomy 14:20. God repeatedly warned His people about pride and how it destroys (1 Samuel 16:7, Psalm 10:2; 31:23, Proverbs 8:13; 11:2; 26:12, Isaiah 2:12).
However, God’s people rejected Him as their King and judge and sought earthly greatness. They pleaded with God to give them an earthly king to make them into a great nation instead (1 Samuel 10:17-19, Hosea 13: 10-11).
Many of the kings God allowed Israel to have became prideful and led God’s people away from Him. Below is a list of some of the kings who became prideful and did evil in the sight of God:
- Saul
- Jeroboam
- Jehoram
- Uzziah
- Masseh
- Ahab
- Elah
- Zimri
- Omri
- Ahaziah
Israel’s pursuit of earthly greatness caused them to reject the Messiah when He came as a humble King and not a powerful earthly king they wanted. God’s people’s pride had blinded them to God’s ways and will.
Jesus reminded and warned His followers that pride and all evil come from our corrupt hearts (Jeremiah 17:9, Mark 7:21-23). Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His day about their pride and spiritual blindness because they trusted in themselves and their knowledge instead of God (Matthew 15:14; John 9:39-41).
Our Lord told a parable to warn us about pride and trusting in ourselves (Luke 18:9). The pursuit of earthly greatness and power will result in pride that causes us to fall, not become great (Proverbs 16:18, 1 John 2:16).
- Russia
In other big news this week, Russia has continued its pursuit of controlling Ukraine and not honoring his own cease-fire. President Putin’s thirst for Ukraine has blinded him to the damage he is doing to his own country.
President Trump even met with President Zelensky during the Pope’s funeral in Rome this weekend to discuss a possible peace deal between the two countries. President Trump himself has even rallied against Putin and Russia. Jesus emphasized that evil cannot drive out evil, only good can (Mark 3:25):
- Love
- Patience
- Humility
- Justice
God’s people’s ways and virtues cannot be the same as the world’s virtues. We are commanded to call evil for what it is and not just “moral” issues we disagree with (Romans 12:9, 1 Timothy 4:1, Hebrews 5:14).
The Bible warns us that in the last days, God’s people will once again become prideful (2 Timothy 3:2). When we care more for ourselves and our selfish wants than caring for others, like Russia we are victims of our own gā’ôn!
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