“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.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” 1 Peter 5:5,6
If someone has a humble home, their home is not fancy or extravagant, it is modest and simple. If someone says, Welcome to my humble abode, they know that their home is not worth anywhere near as much as, say, a mansion or oceanside villa. Their home may be older, needing some repair work in some places and might not be as “energy efficient” in hot or cold weather.
The word “humble” means:
-Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.
-Having a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.
-To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride or arrogance of; to make meek and submissive.
One needs to look no further than the example of Joseph to understand the true definition of humility. Obviously, it wasn’t Joseph’s choice to be sold into slavery, but even though he was a slave, he still was obedient to Potiphar. He submitted himself to Potiphar’s will and commands. It wasn’t Joseph’s choice to be imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, but, once again, he remained humble. And look where he eventually ended up years later! He went from a slave and a prisoner to the second under the pharaoh in all of Egypt! He didn’t lift himself to that position. God lifted him up. He was exalted.
“Exalt” means:
-To honor; to hold in high esteem.
-To raise in rank, status etc., to elevate.
And then you have the complete opposite of Joseph in the very next book, in Exodus, with what happened with Moses and Pharaoh. “Let my people go” was the command that God had Moses give to Pharaoh. Did he listen? No. Pharaoh didn’t submit himself to the word of God, and look at the result of his pride. Not only did Pharaoh lose all of his armies, but he even lost his son. Pharaoh didn’t humble himself before God, and that’s why he he was brought low.
Jesus spoke a parable in Luke 14.
“And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.
When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11
I just understood something today: Jesus came down from Heaven to the Earth, the King coming down to His people. He lived amongst everyday men, showing us what it means to be humble. He suffered persecution by men, and died on the cross, which was the punishment meant for some of the worst criminals.
And then after three days in the tomb, Jesus rose again. After showing Himself to His disciples, Jesus rose up back into Heaven to be back with His Father. Jesus became humble, and then He was exalted back up once again.
If we want to be raised up someday just as Christ was, we need to become humble. A humble man will recognize that they are a sinner, and should cause them to repent and turn away from those sins and ask God for forgiveness.
“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
Get rid of any pride in your life; be filled with humility, and God will exalt you.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 