LESSON 20 HUMBLE THYSELF


Humble—To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride of; reduce arrogance and self-dependence; to give a low opinion of ones moral worth; deep sense of one’s own unworthiness in the sight of God; to make meek and submissive to the Divine will.

Humility—In ethics, freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one’s own worth. In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one’s own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the Divine will.

God humbles us through adversity:

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. Deuteronomy 8:2

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:3

Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end. Deuteronomy 8:16

Implicit belief in Christ’s word is true humility, true self-surrender.

God may withhold judgment as we humble ourselves before Him:

Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. 2 Kings 22:19

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

If we sin and humble ourselves, God will forgive:

Notwithstanding 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 Chronicles 32:26

God only saves the humble:

When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and He shall save the humble person. Job 22:29

God does not forget the humble; and will avenge them upon the wicked:

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death. Psalm 9:10–13

Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. Psalm 10:12

God hears the humble:

LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare [establish, render sure,] their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. Psalm 10:17

Characteristic of the humble:

I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. And it will please the Lord better than an ox or a bullock that has horns and hoofs. The humble shall see it and be glad; you who seek God, inquiring for and requiring Him [as your first need] let your hearts revive and live! Psalm 69:30–32 AMP

Our advancement in Christian experience will be characterized by an increasing humility. This is the sure result of an increase in the knowledge of God and His Word. This is not a mere intellectual knowledge; rather it is knowledge that affects heart and mind leading us to follow God's will and Word.

God humbles Himself to even regard us:

Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! Psalm 113:5, 6

Who can be compared with God enthroned on high? Far below Him are the heavens and the earth. Psalm 113:5, 6 TLB

Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Psalm 138:6

For though the Lord is high, yet has He respect to the lowly [bringing them into fellowship with Him]; but the proud and haughty He knows and recognizes [only] at a distance. Psalm 138:6 AMP

Christ humbled Himself to save us:

In His humiliation He was taken away by distressing and oppressive judgment and justice was denied Him [caused to cease]. Who can describe or relate in full the wickedness of His contemporaries (generation)? For His life is taken from the earth and a bloody death inflicted upon Him. Acts 8:33 AMP

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8

Humility comes before honor:

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. Proverbs 15:33

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. Proverbs 18:12

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God that in due time He may exalt you. 1 Peter 5:6 AMP

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Matthew 23:11, 12

Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor. Matthew 23:12 AMP

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:11–14

At the beginning of our Christian life the Holy Spirit convicting our hearts leads us to humble ourselves and acknowledge our sins and need of a Savior. Further with every advance heavenward this humility and self denial is to be renewed.

There will be a continual submission of the heart to God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the soul before Him. This is the result of coming closer to God and understanding His Word and His great love. Only by constant renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we grow in grace and the Christian life.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4

Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4 AMP

The humble simplicity, the self-forgetfulness and the confiding love of a little child are the attributes that heaven values. These are the characteristics of real greatness,which are obtained only by submission to the Lord.

It is better to be poor and humble than rich and haughty:

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:19

It is better to be humble and stay poor than to be one of the arrogant and get a share of their loot. Proverbs 16:19 TEV

Humility brings true greatness:

By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. Proverbs 22:4

Christ taught, that in His kingdom the principle of preference and supremacy has no place. The only greatness is the greatness of humility. The only distinction is found in devotion to God and living God’s love in our treatment of others.

A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Proverbs 29:23

Nothing is more essential to communion with God than the most profound humility. “I dwell,” says the High and Holy One, “with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15). If we live our life eagerly striving to be first, we will be last in the favor of God for we fail to cherish a meek and lowly spirit. Pride of heart and life will cause many to fail in gaining heaven.

God shall humble the wicked in judgment:

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low. Isaiah 2:11, 12

Only the humble have God’s presence:

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15

Contrite—Crushed, to bruise; broken hearted for sin, deeply affected with grief and sorrow for having offended God.

Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. Proverbs 3:34

Though He scoffs at the scoffers and scorns the scorners, yet He gives His underserved favor to the low [in rank], the humble, and the afflicted. Proverbs 3:34 AMP

The wicked refuse to humble themselves in the knowledge of God:

Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled (contrite, penitent, and bruised for their guilt and iniquities) even unto this day, neither have they feared and revered [Me] nor walked in my law or My statutes which I set before you and before your fathers. Jeremiah 44:9, 10, Verse 10 AMP

But when his heart [king Nebuchadnezzar] was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this. Daniel 5:20–22

We are to be humble and walk with God:

Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? …He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:6, 8 (See also Deuteronomy 10:12, 13)

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. Colossians 3:12

Bowels—Figurative, pity, and sympathy: have (be moved by compassion). The interior part of anything.

Humility is an active principle in the life of a Christian, which develops through a growing consciousness of God’s great love, and will show itself in our attitude and the conduct of our life. The truest humility is to receive with a thankful heart any provision God has made in our behalf, and with earnestness live our life in service for Christ.

God gives grace to the humble:

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4:6

But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it). James 4:6 AMP

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)—[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5 AMP
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