09 - God ExaltsThe Humble and Cast the Proud Aside

Chapter 9 God Exalts The Humble and Cast the Proud Aside “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10) RSV

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” (1 Peter 5:6-9)

If, in the mind of God, Paul did not fit these two verses, who did? Furthermore, why did God assure Paul that he would come to visions and revelations if at anytime he had become puffed up? Would not his proud state defeat his confidence?

Paul actually epitomized true humility. These verses directly tell us it is God’s will to promote, advance and exalt the humble. So then, why have man among us draw conclusions inconsistent with these truths if not by unknown persuasion of the devil? Those who think among us that God did not want Paul exalted are not speaking consistently with the scriptures. By way of the revelations, God exalted Paul just as He did: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Daniel, David etc…

Those who presumptuously claim and now maintain that Paul’s thorn was to keep him humble also seem to succumb to other “wiles of the devil”. Particularly the fatalistic idea that assumes God ordains everything that happens and that Satan is nothing more than God’s servant rather than His adversary. If you do not believe Satan is the one battling us in our “fight the good fight of faith”, consider what Peter taught to see that Satan is at war with Gods servants.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith,” ( 1 Peter 5:9) The Greek root word that directly translates “exalted”, is [hupsoo]. It can also be translated “to elevate”. The same form of the word is used in (Ephesians 3:18) where Paul mentioned comprehending the depth and “height” of God. Other occasions include James 1:9 where it is written: “Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted”. We do not try to interpret this “let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is self exalted”. The brother of low degree is the humble or humiliated brother who by faith knows he is about to be exalted (vaulted) by God.

“The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.” (Acts 13:17)

God exalted the people of Israel from that low, humiliating state of slavery. Paul of course was speaking of the time when God first exalted Moses from his own low estate, to deliver Israel. Moses had spent the last 40 years of his life as a lowly Shepard in the land of Midian. How was Moses exalted? Like Paul, by visions and revelations. Moses first heard and saw God’s power at the burning bush. From that moment, God exalted a humble Shepard to be type of the Messiah using constant miracles. Sadly, Paul went on to acknowledge that the people did not behave well and suffered for 40 years for their unfaithful manners. (Acts 13:18)

Another excellent example for understanding how God promises to exalt the humble are found in the teaching of Jesus himself.

“For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:11 & Matthew 23:12) This certainly confirms that God’s business is to exalt the humble person. But it is also important to note that the Greek word [hupoo] is used in two contrasting applications here. Once in a bad sense, and once in a good sense. In the bad sense, Jesus used the Greek personal pronoun [heautou] which means “himself” independent of the Greek word [hupoo] which means exalted. He did not use the phrase [huperairomai] to imply exalting oneself.

Paul’s Humility

“For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above (over) that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above     measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.”

(2 Corinthians 12:6-7)

Once again, in the very context of Paul’s reference to the thorn he does not indicate any sign of having trouble with pride. Note three things here:

God Hates Pride

Revelation brings wisdom not pride. When pride comes the revelations will stops for God will not encourage pride, arrogance and a haughty spirit.

“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13 KJV) Pride is everything God is not. It brings men to shame and reduces their wisdom.

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2) Pride results in terrible things and they all lead to a mans destruction.

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Paul told the Romans to “let God be true and everyman a liar”. He obviously knew that some people would overlook the many things God said. Man, in his pride assumes many things. Eventually pride will attempt to fit the scriptures into it’s depraved interpretations. Much in scripture alerts us of how God responds to the proud and to the humble. Yet, with all these precepts, pride either refuses to accept what God said. Pride moves men to their own “smooth” explanations of how God looks at things.

Paul said he would come to more visions and revelations. Why? Because he planned to remain humble. He was not falling into pride by the revelations for if that became the case, the revelations would stop. God entrusted Paul with superior insight because of his humility. God gives revelation to exalt the humble, while He resists the proud and gives them nothing. In matters of life and death, doctrine, as well as in every accusation, God said we must have two or three witnesses. (Deuteronomy 17:6, Hebrews 10:28, 1 Timothy 5:19). In the very letter to the Corinthians and particularly his closing remarks, Paul made this comment about sound doctrine.

“This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (2 Corinthians 13:1)

There is not one other place in scripture that confirms or establishes the notion that Paul was lifted up with pride when God gave him any vision or revelation. On each account, Paul was more humbled. Consider how Paul conducted himself when people claimed he was a god to best illustrate this fact.

“And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple     from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. . . Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and     preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:” (Acts 14:8-15)