God WILL Humble the Proud-Isaiah 14:3-32

“Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you. Shining morning star, how you have fallen from the heavens! You destroyer of nations, you have been cut down to the ground” (Isaiah 14:11-12, HCSB).

Is it proud to ask, “Why is America the greatest country in the world?” Jeff Daniels, who portrays news anchor Will McAvoy in the HBO hit series “The Newsroom”, delivered a stunning, hard-hitting, accurate, and intelligent monologue/response when asked why America is the greatest country in the world. It is a sobering outlook on the state of the USA. “The first step in solving any problem is recognizing that there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.”

• Isaiah 13: God WILL End Arrogance.
• Isaiah 14: God WILL Humble the Proud.
• Isaiah 15-16: God Grieves Over the Proud.

Some reflections regarding pride:

• There is not a single day that passes where pride does not rear its ugly head.
• God humbles the proud, not necessarily by actively doing so, but by simply letting one’s pride play itself out.
• Those who have power and authority (real or imagined) are often unable to relinquish it.
• The greater responsibility should always fall on the stronger and on the one with more power and greater authority.
• To pray and demand for what one desires as though it is our right is an act of pride.
• To pray for what we want more than for God himself is to make a mockery out of prayer.
• If your purpose for worshipping God is to get something from God other than God, then you are NOT worshipping God.
• It is good to have (many) days of reckoning and accountability before the final day (Isa 13:6, 9; 17:4, 7, 9).
• God desires that we humbly trust God as Jesus did when the worst possible thing happened to him.

Isaiah 7 records the historical background. King Ahaz was being attacked by Ephraim/Northern Israel and Aram/Syria (Isa 7:1). At this time of crisis Isaiah confronting Ahaz to trust God (Isa 7:4a, 9b, 11). But Ahaz refused to trust God (Isa 7:12). Instead, he decided to trust Assyria with the resulting consequences (ch.7-12). The rest of the first part of Isaiah until chapter 39 will be lessons of trust, beginning with ch. 13-23 which is titled: “Don’t Trust the Nations.” They will be judged and destroyed for their pride and rebellion. Furthermore, some of their people will be among the remnant who will worship your God.

1. God will Restore Israel (14:1-2).
2. A Taunt for the Babylonian King (14:3-23).
3. Introduction to the lament (3-4a).
4. Death of this oppressive king (4b-8).
5. King’s spirit enters into Sheol (9-11).
6. King’s fall from heaven (12-14).
7. King’s humiliation (15-21).
8. God’s judgment of Babylon (14:22-23).
9. God’s Plan to Crush Assyria (14:24-27).
10. God’s plan for Assyria (24-25).
11. God’s plan for all nations (26-27).
12. God’s Plan for Philistia (14:28-32).

“Babylon” is Biblical code-language for the entire social construct of human defiance toward God pushing and shoving its way through the length of human history. It began at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, and it will go on until the second coming of Christ. This world is one vast “Babylon” from Isaiah’s point of view.

Babylon in the Bible typifies humankind’s will to be its own savior. She represents humanity’s bid to organize life and create security and stability by its own resources without reference to God. She is a fitting symbol of the arrogant pomp and power of the world that were/are characteristic of the nations as a whole in their rebellion against God. It is the embodiment of that worldly arrogance that defies God and tramples on others in its lust for power. It lies at the heart of all the horrendous acts of inhumanity which human beings and nations still commit against one another today.

The “taunt” (Isa 14:4) in Isaiah 14:3ff has the form of a funeral lament. But instead of expressing sorrow it communicates profound satisfaction, even delight. It celebrates, in this ironic fashion, the downfall of arrogance and oppression, represented here by the king of Babylon. It moves from the earth (4b-8) to Sheol below — the grave, hell, the abode of the dead (9-11) to heaven above (12-14), momentarily down to Sheol again (15), and finally back to earth (16-21). 14:22-23 is the conclusion; it is a straight-forward judgment oracle that affirms that what is anticipated in the song will indeed take place.

What Happens To You After You Die? (A sermon I preached on Isaiah 14 in Manila in March 2015.)

1. You still exist, even though you have died.
2. You will be in Sheol (Isa 14:9, 11, 15)–the abode of the dead–a place where the soul continues to live on, but without your body which is decaying in the cemetery (Isa 14:18).
3. You are still “you” (Isa 14:9a). You do not cease to be who you are after you die. According to Scripture, after you die you will continue in the same trajectory during your lifetime. You will still be the person you were when you were alive. “Let the one who does wrong [unjust, unrighteous, evildoer, doing harm] continue to do wrong; let the vile [filthy] person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy” (Rev 22:11).
4. You will meet and be with others who are just like you (Isa 14:9b).
5. You will be different, even though you are still you. You will become “weak” (Isa 14:10)–a fraction of yourself–like everyone else in Sheol (Isa 14:9, 11, 15).
6. All your pomp and glory will be no more (Isa 14:11-12).
7. You will no longer be able to oppress others (Isa 14:12b, 16-17, 19-20).
8. You will be brought low, even though all of your life you were trying to:
9. “ascend to heaven,”
10. rise “above the stars” “on the utmost heights” (Isa 14:13),
11. “ascend above the tops of the clouds” (Isa 14:14a),
12. make yourself “like the Most High” (Isa 14:14b; Gen 3:5).
13. You will become like the way you treated people (Isa 14:19).
14. Your children and descendents will not be blessed or remembered (Isa 14:20b-21).

This is scary. All the elements of evil, cruelty, injustice and oppression are still in us. The accounts of how people who were once humble and kind change after they attain wealth, fame, success or power are numerous. I can clearly see in myself how even amy meager degree of success can get to me and to swell my Chinese head. Lord, have mercy! None of us, especially I, can change ourselves. But thank God that by God’s mercy and grace alone, God may transform us from the inside out to be new people (2 Cor 3:18; 5:17).

Practical considerations: What can we do to deal with our ever present pride?

• The gospel should ALWAYS humble you.
• God opposes the proud (Prov 3:34; Jas 4:6).
• Joy is the surest sign of the presence of God. Joy is never experienced when one is proud.
• You do not need to have the last word.
• You do not have to play the game of one-upmanship.
• You CAN let others berate you and chew you out…without retaliating.
• Humbly serve those who can not repay you.
• Humbly embrace those whose pride offends you.
• Humbly learn, study, apply and teach Isaiah.

References:

1. Isaiah Bible Study with John Oswalt – 30 one hour lectures. Delivered at the Francis Asbury Society, 2012. Session7 is on chapters 13-14 on Babylon.
2. Smith, Gary V. Isaiah 1-39. The New American Commentary: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. B & H Publishing Group. Noshville, TN. 2007. 143-149.
3. Motyer, J. Alec. Isaiah. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. IVP. Downers Grove, IL, USA. 1999.
4. Webb, Barry G. The Message of Isaiah: On Eagles’ Wings. The Bible Speaks Today. IVP. Downers Grove, IL, USA. 1997.
5. Kidner, Derek. New Bible Commentary. IVP. Downers Grove, IL, USA. 1994.
6. Ortlund Jr., Raymond C. Isaiah: God Saves Sinners. Preaching The Word. Crossway books. Wheaton, IL, USA. 1995. (Book. 50 audio sermons on Isaiah by Ray Ortlund.)
7. Isaiah – Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae.
8. Isaiah: Title of each chapter and commentary.
9. Isaiah – Matthew Henry.