Ezekiel 28-31
Devotion by Rebecca Dauksas (South Carolina)
God is once again reaching out to the nations. He is sending messages through the prophet Ezekiel. He wants them to know that “He is the LORD their God.” Yet, they have fallen into the trap of pride. We see this in the way the ruler of Tyre is described in Ezekiel 28:2. In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.” When we are prideful we may elevate ourselves over God. Our self-importance becomes inflated. Self-sufficiency guides our behavior rather than a dependance on God’s grace and strength. Our pride can also blind us to the value of others. We may forget that human beings are created in the image of God and therefore have invaluable worth. God’s children, His image bearers, live lives that show love for God and others. Our worth is found in the LORD. A righteous understanding of the love that God demonstrates to the world (John 3:16) is a source of self-esteem and should produce grateful hearts in us.
Unfortunately, the nations being addressed by Ezekiel have adopted selfish prideful ideas and behaviors. They rely on their natural resources, militaries, trading abilities, treasuries, allies, …but God is sending a message through Ezekiel. Many times God states to these countries, “then they will know that I am the Lord.” These countries needed to acknowledge that God is above all and truly know Him. That should be one of our daily goals, too. We love You Lord! You are the LORD our God!
Reflection Questions
- Where else in Scripture do you find God warning about pride? Why does God dislike human pride?
- What do you see as the dangers of pride? In what ways have you seen prideful attitudes come between you and God?
- The world often tells us to take pride in ourselves, our family, what we have accomplished, etc.. How might you reply?
Seek Grow Love 