The definition of a halo is:
a disk or circle of light shown surrounding or above the
head of a saint or
holy person to represent their holiness.
Pride is not always bad. For
example, parents are proud of their children, certainly that would be okay. But
when pride gets in the way of us and a holy God, we have a problem. Here are
just a few examples.
·
Adding our works
to God’s grace is pride.
·
Looking down our
nose at others is pride.
·
To say “I no
longer sin,” is pride and simply not true.
The Bible has much to say
about pride and it isn’t good. Following are just a FEW verses as an example:
“Pride goes before
destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
“The wicked are too proud to
seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.” (Psalm 10:4)
“Pride ends in humiliation, while
humility brings honor.” (Proverbs 29:23)
“Sodom’s sins were pride,
gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.”
(Ezekiel 16:49)
“For the world offers only a craving
for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our
achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this
world.” (1 John 2:16)
Pride festered in Satan until
it consumed him to the point of actually rebelling against Almighty God, his
Creator. Pride incubated itself within him until it corrupted his thoughts into
thinking he could actually overpower God and take His place. God reveals to us
through the prophet Isaiah Satan’s thoughts.
“You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the
heavens;
I will raise my throne above
the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the
mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
I will ascend above the tops
of the clouds;
I will make myself like the
Most High.”
(Isaiah 14:13-14)
When you think about it, this
is a tragedy of tragedies. Satan probably lost more from his pride than we can
imagine. What has he gained? He has gained nothing, and lost everything. Notice
in these verses his place of honor originally.
“The word of the LORD came to
me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him:
‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “ ‘You were the seal of perfection, full
of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every
precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and
jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were
made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed
as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day
you were created till wickedness was found in you.” (Ezekiel 28:11-15)
He started out so well, but
got too big for his britches. He started at the highest level any creature
could be given and will end lower than any creature will fall. Notice in these
verses the result of his pride.
“Through your widespread
trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace
from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the
fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you
corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I
made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you
have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it
consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who
were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come
to a horrible end and will be no more.’ ” (Ezekiel 28:16-19)
I read these verses and think
how much God blessed the Star of the Morning (as he was originally called). He
held the greatest position in Heaven over all the other angels. He was blessed
by God with untold beauty and unmatchable wisdom. Man pictures him as a red
epidermis pitch-fork carrying evil monster, but he is actually God’s most
beautiful of creatures. His beauty and wisdom would overpower us, but behind that
is a black heart, corrupted and overflowing with pride and hate.
No wonder it is so easy for
us to fall to his deceptions. No wonder it is so easy for that same pride to
enter man. We listened to him in the Garden and that same seed of pride was
sown within each of us. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, may have been the
first to succumb to his lies, but that seed sown within them was passed on to
each of us. Today, mankind is still rebelling against his creator because of
the pride of Satan that is in each of us.
What parent has never heard
of the “terrible twos?” That sweet little innocent child really starts showing
the rebellion that is seeded within him/her. And then they eventually become
teenagers, and the “terrible twos” raises its head again. Isn’t this true of
every one of us though? And where does all of this rebellion come from?
Obviously, it comes from pride. Satan allowed pride to overwhelm him and he
rebelled against God. We rebel against God for the same reason; i.e. pride.
Don’t think so? Answer this.
God made salvation real simple. He said if we will put our faith in His Son, He
will save us by His grace. But what does man invariably do? We add something to
it. We think God must have slipped up, but we can fix it. We have a better plan.
In other words, we are smarter than God. Satan thought he was smarter than God
and look where he is now, and especially where he will be when he is thrown
into the Lake of Fire.
God has given man rules to
follow for us to have a pleasant life. Parents do the same with their children.
However, here comes pride again. The child that breaks their parents rules are
no different than any of us who break God’s rules. Our pride says, “He doesn’t
know what He is talking about. This is my life. He is holding me back.”
As I type these words while
discussing pride, another comes to mind; i.e. stupid. Older adults will often
look back on their life and say, “Stupid,” referring to themselves. If we have
gotten to this point, we have grown up somewhat and realize that our pride has
been our downfall. Regardless of how stupid we can be as human beings,
thankfully we have a God who has made provision through His Son Jesus to
forgive us and provide us with His righteousness. Through Him and Him only we
can be placed higher than the angels. Satan and those angels who rebelled with
him do not have this privilege, but we do.
I’m sure someone is going to
ask, “Why can’t God forgive Satan and those angels that rebelled with him?” All
I can do is give you my opinion. All the angels have been in the very presence
of God. They have seen Him face to face and enjoyed all that Heaven has to
offer. The “after-life” is no mystery to them. God, Heaven and all that God has
created is no mystery to them. Nothing has been hidden. On the other hand, we
are in the dark (so to speak). However, we are in the light when we believe
what God has revealed to us by His Word, the Bible. We accept by faith. The
angels know by experience. We can be offered forgiveness because we have never
experienced anything beyond this life. It is all 100% by faith that we believe
and accept God. As little as we know, beyond what God has told us, some of us
still choose to believe God and live for Him. Even though we know nothing,
compared to the angels, some of us still believe. Those who believe are saved
by grace, the grace made possible by the death, burial and resurrection of
Jesus Christ. Our faith in Him provides forgiveness. The angels have no excuse.
In Proverbs 6:16-19 God
informs us of seven sins He hates most. They are an abomination unto Him.
Notice that the very first one that is mentioned is pride.
Pride is a destroyer and an
ugly sin. Some Christians walk around like they have a halo on their head while
they look down on others, perhaps less fortunate. Those who chose to “lord” it
over others are found everywhere; the home, the church, the job, the school,
you name it. These people are indulging in the same sin that was Satan’s ruin.
Those who do not know Jesus as Savior will be judged just as surely as Satan
will be judged. We who are believers will be taken to the wood shed if we don’t
knock that halo off our head and show the love of Christ we are supposed to
have in our heart.
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
