Pride Before a Fall

Pride Before A Fall

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Every great power and civilisation in history has risen, and then fallen again. Many disappeared for ever. Where now are the Persians and the Medes? How about the Greeks, or the Romans? What happened to the Spanish, French, and British empires – or even the Chinese dynasties? Where then are the great and notorious individuals of the past – where are their legacies? Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, even Stalin and Lenin? Whatever happened to their legacies.

Many, thank God, took their legacies to the grave with them. Others have stayed to influence to a greater or lesser degree. But what was the final factor in their decline and their final fall – either to a new conqueror, or into  simply fatal decline? As the Word of God puts it - “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18  Their regimes became corrupt. So corrupt in fact, that the corruption finally undermined their whole standing and they became almost a laughing stock – except nobody was very amused at all.

So, why do I remind you of history? History itself shows that we learn nothing from history. It’s as if each generation believes that it is better or greater or more powerful than those who preceded them. As they slid slowly into decline, they tried to corrupt their way out of it in order to restore the power and status they believed they once had. So it is here in the West today. America and Europe are becoming so corrupt, openly corrupt, that they are about to fall. When that finally happens, as happen it will if we ignore it for long enough, we come to the prophecies of Armageddon and the end of the world. Certainly the end of civilisation as we know it today in 2012.

If ever there was a moment in time for the wonderful promise of 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 This is that moment. “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,  if my people, who are called by my name, will 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.  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” 

This is a moment in history that we Christians surely cannot ignore. We can no longer bury our heads in the sand and hope that the nightmare will go away. We can no longer say, “Well, it’s not my job.”. We can no longer try to deny or ignore the problems. Society is falling apart around us and, if things continue in this way, then we will be at the mercy of the pariahs and control freaks who really do want to ‘rule the world’.

Yet, as Jesus promised in Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Yes, Jesus is with us until the ‘end of the age’. Whether or not you believe in the Rapture is immaterial.  God’s Word promises that Jesus is with us until the very end – of everything. Therefore, this promise in 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 is for us – TODAY. God’s eyes and ears will be open and attentive to our prayers, and He will hear our prayers, and He will heal our land.

This is one moment in history that the Church cannot afford to get it wrong. The Lord Himself is calling us to repentance; to turn from our sins of both commission and omission, and to yield our all to the mercy of our Father in heaven. Whether or not you believe Jesus will return soon or not, surely this is the hour of repentance and of turning back to God. Surely this is the moment for Him to see our repentant hearts, to hear our cries for mercy, and to heal our lands.

It really is up to us. Are you prepared to cry out to Him? God is watching, listening, and above all, He is waiting.