He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. The waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left. (Psalm 106:10-11)

In the previous devotion, we highlighted the distinction between the faithfulness of God and the faithlessness of His people. Furthermore, in spite of our failures, God saves us from our enemies so that “He might make His mighty power known” to us and to our adversaries. This truth is reaffirmed in the verses above, calling special attention to how God saved Israel by leading them through the waters of the sea, and then drowning their enemies so that “not one of them was left.” Based on that statement, it seems to me that we should consider that this might include Pharaoh as well. Was it not he who resisted the will of God with stubbornness and pride thus bringing his people to utter destruction?

There are those who believe that Pharaoh was actually spared the death his army suffered so that he would be compelled to return to Egypt and bear witness to God’s supreme power. It could be argued that this public humiliation would have been a worse fate than death. Nevertheless, whether he survived or not, because he resisted the will of God, his power was completely destroyed and never regained its former glory — and why? He would not humble himself before the Almighty.

Now, juxtapose Pharaoh’s response to God’s will with that of the king of Nineveh. When Jonah warned the people of Nineveh to repent lest their city be overthrown, the king heard the warning and “arose from his throne, laid aside his robe, and covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes” (Jonah 3:6). He called a fast and decreed that the citizens of that city should turn away from their evil. Consequently, God relented and did not destroy the city or the people.

Pride is a terrible thing if for no other reason that it seduces a person into thinking they are above the law of God, and if above the law of God, then superior to God Himself. But as we see, pride not only hastens the destruction of that person but has the potential to bring hardship upon others who are connected to that belligerent person. On the other hand, look at what one person’s humility and repentance can do for them and for others — it touches the heart of God and results in life. As God’s people, there is no scenario or situation in which we should feel justified to embrace pride. To the contrary, our response to every situation should be with humility and contrition because we know our Father in Heaven will take note and will uphold us. As it is written, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10).

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill