"Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and show us what will happen. Let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them; or declare for us things to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. Behold, ye are nothing, and your work is nothing; an abomination is he that chooseth you." Isaiah 41:21-24
This passage is said to idolaters in regards to their idols, and you do not have to be a literary critic to hear the sarcasm dripping off of every word. "Oh, please! Please! Show me the future, so I can know that you are a god! Oh, oh, oh! Do good or evil, so that I will not know what to do with myself!" I wonder if God's sense of humor comes as a reaction to our idiotic pride.
That is the trick, though. It is one thing to be punished for your pride, but it is quite another thing to be humiliated for it. When faced with all-consuming pride, God does not only says, "I will punish you for your defiance," but adds, "Your defiance makes me laugh." For the proud, punishment can be endured; indeed, it may even be welcomed, as long as you never bow, for as Satan said in Paradise Lost, "All is not lost; the unconquerable Will, and study of revenge, immortal hate, and courage never to submit or yield: and what is else not to be overcome?"
Humiliation, on the other hand, is pure terror to the proud soul. At least when you are punished there is a recognition that you were able to go higher than should, an affirmative nod that you actually did something to ruffle the feathers of divinity. God, however, makes no such allowances. His punishments are humiliations as well so that the punished will know that not only did they do wrong, but also their wrong accomplished no goal whatsoever. Read Isaiah 14:15-16 and see the end of the proud soul: not only brought to Hell, but also made a laughingstock.
"How sad it must be
To be Your enemy:
No hope of victory,
No dignity in defeat,
Only failure and humility..."
-Jon Vowell
This passage is said to idolaters in regards to their idols, and you do not have to be a literary critic to hear the sarcasm dripping off of every word. "Oh, please! Please! Show me the future, so I can know that you are a god! Oh, oh, oh! Do good or evil, so that I will not know what to do with myself!" I wonder if God's sense of humor comes as a reaction to our idiotic pride.
That is the trick, though. It is one thing to be punished for your pride, but it is quite another thing to be humiliated for it. When faced with all-consuming pride, God does not only says, "I will punish you for your defiance," but adds, "Your defiance makes me laugh." For the proud, punishment can be endured; indeed, it may even be welcomed, as long as you never bow, for as Satan said in Paradise Lost, "All is not lost; the unconquerable Will, and study of revenge, immortal hate, and courage never to submit or yield: and what is else not to be overcome?"
Humiliation, on the other hand, is pure terror to the proud soul. At least when you are punished there is a recognition that you were able to go higher than should, an affirmative nod that you actually did something to ruffle the feathers of divinity. God, however, makes no such allowances. His punishments are humiliations as well so that the punished will know that not only did they do wrong, but also their wrong accomplished no goal whatsoever. Read Isaiah 14:15-16 and see the end of the proud soul: not only brought to Hell, but also made a laughingstock.
"How sad it must be
To be Your enemy:
No hope of victory,
No dignity in defeat,
Only failure and humility..."
-Jon Vowell
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