Humility and Pride by R. H. Coggeshall

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 25, 1873

Humility and Pride.

By R. H. Coggeshall

Upon the subject of humility, but little is directly written or said by professed Christians at large, of the present day. It is one upon which they do not love to dwell, as it is contrary to the natural, sinful heart. It is the crowning of the Christian graces. Its possession places man in a position to hear and instantly obey the voice of his Creator, and the loss of it, or allowing pride, vain-glory, or self-exaltation, to take its place, has probably shipwrecked the faith of more Christians, and brought the frown of God upon more of his otherwise faithful followers, than any other sin. The Bible contains many promises to those who are of a humble heart. It also furnishes numerous examples of the punishment of those who suffered their pride to increase to that extent that they glorified themselves rather than God.

Notice the case of Moses: For forty years he followed the humble occupation of a shepherd, at the end of which time he was chosen of God as the leader of his peculiar people, to bring them out from under the cruel yoke of Egyptian bondage. We follow him in his humble, upright course, from the time of his leaving his flocks until, in an unguarded moment, while in the act of bringing water from the rock in Kadesh, he allows pride to take the place of his humility, and suffers the consequences. He had given God the glory while obeying his voice in warning Pharaoh of each coming plague, and entreating him to let Israel go. At the Red Sea, when pursued by the Egyptians, and having no visible means of escape, he commands the people to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord; and after their safe passage through the sea, he, with them, sings a song of deliverance to their God. He leads this people in the wilderness for forty years, during which time he is almost continually murmured against, but he maintains his faithful, humble course, is preserved and blessed of God, and accounted the meekest man in all the earth. On their arrival at the wilderness of Zin, they find no water, and call upon Moses to furnish them and their cattle with water to drink. Moses, as was his custom, seeks help from the Lord, and is commanded by him to take his rod and gather the children of Israel together, and before them, to speak unto the rock and it should give forth water. He gathers the people together; but instead of speaking to the rock, as commanded, he smites it twice, after saying to those assembled, “Ye rebels, must we [meaning himself and Aaron] fetch you water out of this rock?” Here he not even mentions the name of the Lord, but takes the honor to himself and Aaron; and further on, we read of their punishment: “Therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”

The next example is that of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In Jer. 27:8, we read that it was the will of God that all nations should serve him; but as this power passed into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands, pride crept into his heart, and we find him in his palace indulging in the following language: “Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?” While the words were in the king’s mouth, there came a voice of reproof from Heaven, and he was driven from among men, and for seven years ate grass as an ox, and his dwelling was with the beasts of the field. This must have been very humiliating to Nebuchadnezzar, but it was not unnecessary, neither was it unprofitable; for at the end of that time his reason returned to him, and he lifted up his eyes to Heaven and blessed the name of the Most High, and praised and honored him. He lived seventeen years after this in the firm belief that those who walk in pride the Lord is able to abase.

We will notice the humiliation of one more proud heart, that of Belshazzar’s. Although his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had left him a striking example of the punishment of human pride, yet at his great feast he praised the gods of gold, of silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone. In that same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s hand and wrote his destiny, and that night was Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, slain.

The apostle says that he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. In the word of God there are many instances in which the truthfulness of these words is verified. We read of Hezekiah, king of Judah, after he had rendered not again unto the Lord according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up; yet “Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.” 2 Chron. 32:26.

“And the word of the Lord came unto Elijah, the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.” 1 Kings 21:28, 29.

Thus we have ensamples written, as Paul says, for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. We see the career of those who went on in pride, and whom the Lord was obliged to humble; and of others who humbled themselves before his mighty hand and received his blessing and approbation. It is for us to choose which course we will pursue. Christ, in talking with his disciples, represents a humble heart as necessary for all those who would enter into his kingdom. Then let us lay hold of it, putting pride far from us, and in due time we shall realize the truthfulness of the psalmist’s words: “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.” Ps. 22:4.

R. H. COGGESHALL.