“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor” (1 Peter 5:6 NLT).
The Bible records many instances of hubris, a descriptive word that deserves greater exposure in our contemporary world. One source defines hubris as, “An ancient Greek word meaning pride or arrogance, used particularly to mean the kind of excessive pride or conceit that often brings about someone’s downfall.” (1)
We can find one Biblical example of that attitude in the experience of Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient king of Babylon. The Old Testament book of Daniel tells us, “…as [Nebuchadnezzar] was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, the king exclaimed, ‘Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built by my vast power to be a royal residence and to display my majestic glory?'” (Daniel 4:29-30). That display of hubris earned Nebuchadnezzar a swift rebuke, along with ramifications that lasted until he learned to adopt a more appropriate attitude towards God (see Daniel, chapter four).
King Uzziah of Judah serves as another Biblical illustration. The book of 2 Chronicles tells us. “…when King Uzziah became strong, he grew arrogant, and that led to his downfall. He defied the Lord his God by going into the Temple to burn incense on the altar of incense” (2 Chronicles 26:16 GNT). That decision did not end well for Uzziah.
In the New Testament, we have the experience of King Herod Agrippa I. During an address to a group of people who were seeking to win his favor, Herod’s speech was repeatedly interrupted with cries of, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man” (Acts 12:22 NIV). Herod apparently did not restrain the crowd from expressing those sentiments, nor did he give God the honor He rightfully deserved. That oversight eventually led to his gruesome death as a result.
Even those who strive to honor God can suffer lapses in this area. Judah’s King Hezekiah offers one such example. Hezekiah was a good king who enacted several positive reforms. In fact, 2 Chronicles 31:20 tells us, “Everything Hezekiah did while he was king of Judah, including what he did for the temple in Jerusalem, was right and good. He was a successful king, because he obeyed the Lord God with all his heart” (CEV).
However, there was a point in Hezekiah’s life where we are told, “…Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem” (see 2 Chronicles 32:24-26). These examples should prompt us to remember the message of 1 Peter 5:6, for “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 CSB).
(1) hubris. (n.d.) Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014. (1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014). Retrieved April 9 2024 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/hubris