What personal pride should we surrender to God, reflecting on Ezekiel 32:22? Setting the Scene “Assyria is there with all her company; her graves are all around her. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.” (Ezekiel 32:22) Assyria had once strutted across the ancient Near East—militarily invincible, culturally admired, economically powerful. Yet Ezekiel pictures that proud empire lying silent among the dead. The graves testify that human greatness collapses before God’s judgment. What a sobering mirror for our own hearts. The Warning in Assyria’s Tomb • Position, success, and reputation cannot shield anyone from God’s searching gaze. • Pride always ends the same way: humiliation and loss (Proverbs 16:18). • If an empire could not dodge accountability, neither can an individual. Identifying Our Own Assyrian Pride Consider areas where self–confidence may have edged out God–dependence: • Achievements – “I built this with my own hands.” • Knowledge – “I know more Bible, theology, or trivia than others.” • Morality – “I don’t fall into the sins that trip up those people.” • Influence – “People listen when I speak; I must be important.” • Appearance or talents – “My gifts set me above the crowd.” Each of these can quietly say what Assyria once shouted: “I am secure; who can bring me down?” (cf. Isaiah 10:12). Pride We Need to Surrender 1. Self-reliance – the conviction that “I can handle this without God.” 2. Spotlight hunger – craving recognition more than God’s approval (Matthew 6:1). 3. Spiritual superiority – measuring worth by comparing with others (Luke 18:11-14). 4. Stubborn opinions – refusing counsel because “I know best” (Proverbs 12:15). 5. Entitlement – presuming God owes us comfort or success (Job 38–40). Practical Steps to Lay Down Pride • Start the day confessing dependence: “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). • Celebrate others’ victories; thank God for their gifts (Romans 12:10). • Serve in hidden places where applause is unlikely (Matthew 6:3-4). • Invite correction—ask a trusted believer, “Where do you see pride in me?” • Memorize and pray James 4:6–7: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.” Encouraging Promises for the Humble • “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6) • “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) • “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) Pride buried Assyria; humility exalts the believer. When we surrender every trace of self-glory to God, we step out of the graveyard and into the life He delights to give. |
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