“Things That Cause Us To Be Prideful”
Text: Isaiah 14:11-15
Introduction:
This morning we want to look at things that cause us to be prideful.
What better person to look at to find our answer than Satan.
We know what caused Satan to fall was his sin of pride.
Satan name before he fell was Lucifer.
Lucifer means light bearer.
Remember, the Bible says about Satan in 2 Cor. 11:14 – “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Lucifer caught a good case of the “I” disease.
We just read about this in Isaiah 14.
He used the personal pronoun “I” five times
“I will ascend into heaven”
“I will exalt my throne above the stars of God”
“I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north”
“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds”
“I will be like the most High”
In Job 41:34, Satan is called “a king over all the children of pride”
In Proverbs 16:18, the Bible warns us about the sin of pride and the only direction that pride will take you is down.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
This is exactly what happen to Satan.
Isaiah 14:11 – “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave”
Isaiah 14:12 – “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground”
Isaiah 14:15 – “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
We need to go to the 28th Chapter of Ezekiel where we find a physical description of Satan to discover what caused him to be prideful.
First let us read down together this passage in Ezekiel 28:11-19.
Let us notice the description of Satan.
V12. – “full of wisdom”
V12 – “perfect in beauty”
V13 – Gives a description of his beauty –
“every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold”
He had more jewelry on him than Liberace ever had.
V13 – Tells us that Satan has great musical ability –
“thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created”
tabrets are small drums – Satan can play musical instruments
pipes – I believe is a reference to voice.
Satan has a beautiful singing voice.
He probably sang Eve love songs in the garden of Eden while he strummed on his guitar.
V14 – Tells us of Satan’s great position and power before the fall.
“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.”
Not only was Satan the anointed cherub but in V16., he is described as the “covering cherub”
Satan had great position and power.
He was over all the other cherbim in the throne room of God.
V15 – Tells us of Satan’s moral character before the fall.
“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created”
Let us summarize how God created Satan and what authority He gave him.
Full of wisdom – Lucifer was probably the most highly intelligent being created by God at the time.
Perfect in Beauty – Not only did Lucifer have brains but he was tall, dark, and handsome.
He was beautiful to look.
No wonder Eve was attracted to him in the garden of Eden.
Great Musical Ability – He could not only play musical instruments but had a beautiful singing voice.
Probably sang most of the solos up in the throne room of God.
He probably was the choir director and organ player in the throne room of God.
Note: This often how Satan will get a foothold in a Bible Believing Church is through the music program.
I have seen this happen time and time again.
Great Position & Power – He was the anointed cherub, the covering cherub in the very throne room of God.
Moral Conduct – No one was better than Lucifer.
“thou wast perfect in thy ways”
The thing that we need to remember and Lucifer forget was that God created Lucifer like He did everything else for His own pleasure.
We are reminded of this in Revelation 4:11 – “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created”
God meant these attributes that he give to Lucifer for good.
However, Lucifer forgot who gave him these attributes.
He got thinking one day.
I am the most beautiful of all.
I am the most wise of all.
No one can sing better than me.
No can play the organ better than me.
I am the most powerful of all the cherubim.
On top of all this there is no one better than I am, because after all didn’t God say, “thou wast perfect in thy ways”
So, who needs God anyway.
I am better than God.
I will replace God.
As a result it is recorded in the scriptures:
Ezekiel 28:17 – “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”
Ezekiel 28:18 – “Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.”
Ezekiel 28:19 – “All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.”
Isaiah 14:13 – “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north.”
Isaiah 14:14 – “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
Isaiah 14:15 – “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
The Bible tells us that Satan’s future is to spend eternity in the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:10, tells us – “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
We need to learn from Lucifer and not catch the “I” disease.
Full of wisdom – intelligence, knowledge can cause a person to prideful.
I.e. Someone with great Bible knowledge can get prideful.
Have the attitude – “Who does the pastor think he is!”
“I know more than he does”
The Bible reminds us in 1 Corinthians 8:1 – “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth”
Use that Bible knowledge for the Lord.
Teach others.
The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2,
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
Perfect in Beauty – Maybe God has blessed you with good looks.
This can cause you to be prideful.
Especially, where our society elavates good looks and being beauty looking which ties into being sexy.
Use your good looks, personality, and charm to attract people to Christ and not yourself.
Tell them about Christ and not yourself.
Great Music Ability – Can cause someone to get puffed up.
Show Business which is the devil business.
Notice it is called “Show” Business.
It man showing off what talents God has given him to bring honor and glory to himself.
Most recording artists got their start in the church but pride and greed got in there.
Instead of working for God they are working for the devil.
Even, most of the so called Christian music is of the devil.
Just look at how most of these so called Christian recording artist are dress, look, and live.
Just like the world.
They called it CCM or Contemporary Christian Music.
All it – Devil music under a disguise or mask.
Someone in the church can become prideful because they have a good singing voice or play an instrument.
Don’t hog the show.
Let some else less talented have a chance.
Great Position – Can cause someone to be prideful.
I can pick on preachers.
Some walk around with the attitude like “I am the man of God”
Oh, go take some humility pills.
People can get so caught with position in the church.
Be it deacon, music director, Sunday School Teacher, Usher, etc.
If you have any position in church or in this life it is because of God and never forget it.
Satan did and you saw what happen to him.
Great Moral Conduct – Satan uses this more than anything else to dupe a person into thinking they are going to heaven when they die.
Most unsaved people today will tell you they are going to heaven based on the fact that they are good person.
I never raped, or murdered anyone.
I never stole anything.
I gave to the church all my life.
Basically, what they are saying is I don’t need Christ to save me.
I can save myself.
The Bible tells us about a good and moral man.
His name was Nicodemus.
He was very religious Jew.
Not just any ordinary Jew but a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews.
Still, Jesus look him straight in the eye and said, “Nick, ye must be born again.”
My friend, don’t let the devil dupe you in thinking your good moral conduct, clean living will get you heaven.
Remember, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
If you are saved don’t ever get prideful about being saved.
Remember, you are nothing more than a sinner saved by the grace of God.
And if you have not fallen into sin it is only be the grace of God.
Paul, the Apostle reminds of this in I Corinthians 15:10
“But by the grace of God I am what I am”
