BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS PROUD (EZEKIEL 28:1-19)

REFLECTION The theme for our reflection is “because your heart is proud.” Tyre was one of the ancient cities on the Phoenician coast, founded even before the Israelites occupied the land of Canaan. The name Tyre signifies “a rock” an apt description for the rocky coastal fortress. Tyre flourished as a maritime city and a…

Jean-Paul Agidi

Jun 27, 2022

2–3 minutes

REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “because your heart is proud.” Tyre was one of the ancient cities on the Phoenician coast, founded even before the Israelites occupied the land of Canaan. The name Tyre signifies “a rock” an apt description for the rocky coastal fortress. Tyre flourished as a maritime city and a busy centre for commercial trade. The Tyre had a close alliance or ties with Israel and therefore had an influence on some of the people in terms of paganism and cultural infiltration. Isaiah prophesied the future judgement and destruction of Tyre and the Prince of Tyre who was the human King. (Ezekiel 28:1-10) The same predicament will befall the King of Tyre who was Satan. (Ezekiel 28:11-19)

It is a sin for a human being to think and act like a god or rub shoulders with God. To think or believe one’s self to be a god is the greatest act of pride and this incurs the wrath of God. “Because your heart is proud…therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god, therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor. They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas. Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who kill you, though you are but a man, and no god, in the hands of those who slay you? You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 28:2,6-10). In other words, God will punish the sin of pride by striping all that makes us proud and render worthless if we refuse to acknowledge His sovereignty.

The key lesson we learn from today’s reflection is “Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). Let us humble ourselves before God and be careful not to allow our intelligence, academic achievements, wealth and power or position in life to deceive us into thinking that we are self-made or demi-gods who are untouchable. When the Devil placed the temptation of pride before Jesus when he “… took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’ (Luke 4:5-8). Jesus’ example teaches us to remain humble as children and servants of God. (Philippians 2:5-11) Beloved in the Lord, let us humble ourselves before God no matter the position, power and wealth acquired in life, for we are mere mortals saved by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Shalom

PRAYER

Almighty God, humble us through the study of your Word and may we always possess the humility of Christ in us. Amen.