Topical Encyclopedia Ambition, when misaligned with God's will, can lead to severe consequences as illustrated in various biblical narratives. The Bible provides several examples where unchecked ambition results in divine punishment, serving as a cautionary tale for believers.One of the most prominent examples is the account of Lucifer, whose ambition led to his downfall. Isaiah 14:12-15 describes the fall of Lucifer, who sought to elevate his throne above God’s: "How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit." . Lucifer's ambition to usurp God's authority resulted in his expulsion from heaven and eternal condemnation. Another example is the Tower of Babel, where human ambition sought to reach the heavens and make a name for themselves, defying God's command to fill the earth. Genesis 11:4-9 recounts, "Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.' But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men were building. And the LORD said, 'If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them. Come, let Us go down and confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.' So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city." . The punishment for their ambition was the confusion of languages and the scattering of people across the earth. In the New Testament, the ambition of Ananias and Sapphira to gain status within the early church through deceitful means resulted in immediate divine judgment. Acts 5:1-11 details their story: "Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back part of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!' On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened." . Their ambition to appear more generous than they were led to their deaths, serving as a stark warning to the early church. The Bible also warns against the ambition of leaders who seek power for personal gain rather than serving God and His people. In 2 Samuel 15, Absalom's ambition to usurp his father David's throne led to his eventual demise. His rebellion and desire for power resulted in a tragic end, as described in 2 Samuel 18:9-15, where Absalom is caught by his hair in a tree and killed by Joab and his men. These biblical accounts underscore the dangers of ambition that is not aligned with God's purposes. They serve as reminders that while ambition in itself is not inherently wrong, it must be tempered with humility and submission to God's will to avoid the severe consequences of divine punishment. Torrey's Topical Textbook Proverbs 17:19He loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction. Torrey's Topical Textbook Isaiah 14:12-15 Ezekiel 31:10,11 Obadiah 1:3,4 Library False Ambition Versus Childlikeness. Of the Anger of God and the Punishment of Sins, and a Recital of ... The First Lie. On Heresies. Endurance Away in Paris, a Vast Concourse of People were Assembled Round an ... Accession of Cyrus to the Throne. St. James ii. 10 History and Doctrines of Heresies. The Soul Ought not to be Disquieted, nor Draw Back in the ... Resources What does the Bible say about ambition? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit (Philippians 2:3)? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about envy? | GotQuestions.org Ambition: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Ambition: Connected With: Covetousness Ambition: Connected With: Cruelty Ambition: Connected With: Pride Ambition: Falsely Charged Against Moses Ambition: Korah and his Co-Conspirators Ambition: Leads to Strife and Contention Ambition: Parable of the Thistle, Illustrating Ambition: The Builders of Babel Ambition: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Related Terms |
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