DECEIVED BY PRIDE
“The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?” Obadiah 3
Obadiah was declaring God’s message to Edom. The Edomites felt very secure in their mountainous habitation. They believed that they were untouchable, yet God said that He would bring them down. God would reduce them and humiliate them. According to the Bible, they were deceived by their pride, “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.”
Pride can be very deceptive. Like the Edomites, unbelieving individuals and nations tend to be deceived by their pride. They live as though they are invincible, and as if God Himself cannot or will not judge them. However, we should know that this is not true. God will bring every thought and every word into judgment. Our beloved country, in many ways, has been deceived by pride. We have been a mighty nation, a strong nation, and a respected nation. We have defended the cause of freedom on many fronts, we have withstood vicious attacks against our country, and we have assisted in the defeat of tyranny and ruthless, savage, leaders. However, we are not indestructible. There was a day when this country was considered to be “one nation under God,” but few people believe that we as a nation are concerned with God’s will. Our pride is deceiving us. Great nations and powerful empires have come and gone. America cannot ignore God’s commands and expect God’s blessings and protection.
Not only are unbelieving individuals and countries deceived by their pride, Christians can also be deceived by pride. Pride is incredibly deceptive because it appeals to our personal desires and preferences. It is prideful to believe that we should always have our way. Obadiah spoke of “the pride of thine heart.” We all must consistently face the issue of pride in our hearts. That is the seat of pride. Our pride can deceive us about our spiritual condition. Our pride can convince us that things are good spiritually, when in reality, we are far from God’s will. Pride can deceive us into thinking that we can get away with carnal appetites and selfish living, as though God does not see or care. Pride has a way of making us believe that we can function and serve Christ acceptably in the energy of the flesh.
We must take seriously the danger of being DECEIVED BY PRIDE.