SPECIAL TOPIC: LIFTED UP

This VERB (BDB 146, KB 170, Qal PERFECT) can have two senses.

  1. positive
    1. God, Isa. 5:16
    2. Messiah, Isa. 52:13
    3. God's ways, Isa. 55:9
    4. God's true followers, 2 Chr. 17:6
  2. negative
    1. 2 Chr. 26:16; 32:25
    2. Ps. 131:1 (the psalmist asserts he is not)
    3. Pro. 18:12
    4. Isa. 3:16
    5. Jer. 13:15
    6. Ezek. 16:50; 28:2,5,17
    7. Zeph. 3:11
  3. the NOUN is also used of haughty people
    1. 2 Chr. 32:26
    2. Ps. 10:4
    3. Pro. 16:18
    4. Jer. 48:29
  4. as is the ADJECTIVE
    1. 1 Sam. 2:3
    2. Ps. 101:5; 138:6
    3. Pro. 16:5
    4. Eccl. 7:8
    5. Isa. 5:15
The major problem of mankind (and some angels) is pride (cf. Ezek. 16:49; 24:21; 27:3; 28:2-6,9,17; Gen. 3:5; Isa. 10:12; 14:13,14; 23:8-12; 25:11-12; Jer. 48:29-30; Daniel 2-4, esp. 4:29-30; Zeph. 2:8-11; 3:11; I Tim. 3:6). Notice the Proverbs that deal with this sin: Pro. 11:2; 13:10; 16:18; 29:23.
I think pride, arrogance, and self-centeredness are the epitome of the attitude of independence and self-achievement, which characterizes the fall of Genesis 3 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FALL). Salvation is a restoration of the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27) from the original creation. Intimate fellowship with God, for which humans were created, is possible again, even now in a fallen world. The evidence that salvation/conversion has occurred is that the new creation is selfless, not self-centered. Selflessness is analogous to Christlikeness, which is God's irreducible will for every Christian!

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