What other scriptures warn against pride and turning away from God? Jeremiah’s Ruined Belt: A Picture of Pride “So I went to the Euphrates and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined; it was of no use at all.” (Jeremiah 13:7) Jeremiah’s object lesson shows that when God’s people refuse to cling to Him, pride renders them spiritually useless—just like the ruined linen belt. Echoes of Warning in the Wisdom Literature • Proverbs 16:18 — “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” • Proverbs 11:2 — “When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.” • Proverbs 29:23 — “A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” • Psalm 10:4 — “In his pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” • Job 22:29 — “For when they are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the downcast.” Prophetic Voices Sound the Same Alarm • Isaiah 2:11–12 — “The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.” • Obadiah 1:3–4 — “The pride of your heart has deceived you… Though you soar like the eagle… from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD.” • Hosea 13:6 — “When they were satisfied, they became proud; therefore they forgot Me.” • Zephaniah 2:10 — “This they shall have in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the LORD of Hosts.” Historical Narratives God Recorded for Us • Deuteronomy 8:11-14 — Moses warns that prosperity can lift the heart in pride and cause forgetfulness of God. • 2 Chronicles 26:16 — “After Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” • Daniel 4:30-37 — Nebuchadnezzar’s boastful words brought immediate judgment until he “lifted [his] eyes to heaven” and praised the Most High. • 2 Chronicles 32:25-26 — Hezekiah’s proud refusal to return gratitude almost brought wrath, yet he humbled himself and God relented. New Testament Exhortations to Stay Low before the Lord • Matthew 23:12 — “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” • 1 Corinthians 10:12 — “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.” • James 4:6 — “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” • 1 Peter 5:5 — “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” • Revelation 3:17-19 — The self-assured church in Laodicea hears, “You say, ‘I am rich… I do not need a thing,’ but you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” The Way Back: Humility Restores Usefulness Scripture consistently pairs warnings against pride with promises to the humble. When God’s people repent—acknowledging their need and depending wholly on Him—He cleanses, restores, and once again uses them for His glory. The ruined belt becomes a vivid reminder: cling to the Lord, and He makes life purposeful; loosen the grip in pride, and usefulness unravels. |
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