There is something about arrogant and prideful people that is naturally annoying. Their arrogance is often very irritating, and we are repelled by their actions or behaviors. We feel that way about arrogant and prideful people because that’s the way that God feels about them. Few things seem to bug God like arrogance and pride.

Arrogance and pride come because of someone thinking too highly of themselves and then attempting to exalt themselves over others, sometimes even over God. Such is the case of the prophecies that God gives to Isaiah. Israel, Judah and all the other nations that Isaiah speaks prophecies against have all acted arrogantly. Israel has acted as though they are special because God chose them from among all the nations. They allowed this to cause them to act in some very foolish ways, believing that God would protect them no matter what they did.

At other times the nation of Israel acted as though they did not need God. This is also arrogant and prideful. To say that you don’t need God is to attempt to exalt yourself to a position that is equal with Him. That is something that God will not tolerate.

None of us would say these things but it is our actions that tell what is in our hearts. Our actions tell God and the world what we believe and who we are worshipping. When we are exalting ourselves, we are building altars to ourselves and telling God that we don’t need Him.

If we don’t humble ourselves, God will do it for us. God will not tolerate arrogance or pride in His people forever. He will act to break us of those nasty habits. And if necessary, He will break us down until we are literally in the dust on our faces at His feet. He will humble us because He alone deserves exaltation but also because He loves us. When we are arrogant and prideful, we are out of the intimate fellowship God created us to be in.

It is much better to humble ourselves then to wait until God does it. When we wait for God to humble us, it is always so much more painful. It is like your children when they have done something wrong. If they come to us before we come to them, we will usually lessen the consequences we give them. If we must ‘catch them’, the consequences are always more severe. God doesn’t want to spank us, but He will if we won’t do what we need to. Humble yourself before God. His word says that if we do that, He will exalt us. Jesus, help us to humble ourselves and exalt You.

Read: Isaiah 1:1-2:22; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; Psalm 52:1-9; Proverbs 22:26-27