VF: 8 The Requirements of Visionary Faith III

Chapter 8

The Requirements of Visionary Faith III

Examples of Humility

Table of Topics

A) From Pride to Humility: Moses

B) From Humility to Pride: King Saul

C) A Great Example of Humility: John the Baptist

D) The Greatest Example of Humility: Jesus Christ

Extras & Endnotes

Primary Points

• Saul is the premier biblical example of a man who started humble, but became destructively proud when God exalted him.
• Perhaps the greatest biblical example of humility, apart from our perfect Lord, was John the Baptist.

A) From Pride to Humility: Moses

Moses is obviously portrayed in Scripture as a very humble man. In fact, in the face of receiving harsh and false criticism from none other than his own brother and sister Aaron and Miriam, he did not defend himself (Num 12:1-2). It is in this context that we read: “Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the Earth” (Num 12:3). ^[1]

But this was not always the case. At one point in his life we would suggest Moses was more prideful than anyone else on the face of the Earth. We believe this is demonstrated in his first encounter with God.

First of all, Moses knew it was God speaking to him from the burning bush. God revealed to him: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Exod 3:6). But Moses’ pride, self-focus and self-reliance prohibited him from responding to God as his God.

Moses knew the God of the Universe was telling him: “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt” (v. 10). “But Moses said to God, “Who am I”? (v. 11). God had told him who he was. He was the one God had chosen for a mission and Moses repeatedly attempts to refuse God’s command, and convey he knows better than His Maker.

God said He wanted Moses to go and promised him, “I will be with you.” God even divinely predicted/promised, “When you have [actually accomplished what I told you to do and] brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain (v. 12).” For any humble man, knowing that it is God saying these things, they would be enough. Not for Moses. He asks more questions and makes excuses in the face of Almighty God!

God said, “The elders of Israel will listen to you” (v. 18). Moses responds, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me”? God just said they will. Who does this guy think he is?

The One whom Moses knew as the Almighty Ruler of the Universe told Moses to go and speak with the elders of Israel and promised that He would be with him, and Moses responded: “O Lord, I have never been a good speaker, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (4:10).

First of all, we would suggest Moses was lying. “In the past” He had grown up and lived for forty years in the royal family of the most advanced civilization on Earth. Are we to believe he was not taught to speak well? Now he has resorted to more than making excuses, but is even lying to God’s face.

Secondly, it is an arrogant, hypocritical man who would address God as “Lord” throughout this conversation, and yet treat Him like a mere man making suggestions. We are reminded of Christ’s rebuke: “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).

But the pride continues. God reminds Moses of Who made his mouth, promising “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (v. 11). And God repeats, “Now go” (v. 12). And what does Moses say to God? “O Lord, please send someone else to do it” (v. 13).

How many men have received such wonderful and personal revelations and promises from God? How many mere men have had the highest privilege of the Creator of the Universe speaking “face to face” with them? And Moses essentially told God, “leave me alone. I don’t want anything to do with You, and I don’t care a bit about what You want.” We suggest again, when Moses first met God, He was the most proud man on the face of the Earth.

Is it any wonder “the LORD’S anger burned against Moses” (v. 14)? God knew Moses’ responses were not innocent, but insolent. This passage of Scripture is not about a shy, unpretentious man overwhelmed with the presence and call of God. Rather, it is a remarkable story of the humility of God in the face of the most arrogant, unbelieving man.

But God humbled him. He humbled him by showing Moses how powerful God could make him. God humbled him by giving him a love for the people. God humbled him through the experience of leading a whole rebellious, selfish, and arrogant nation through a desert once, and then around in circles in it again for forty years. It took a lot for God to pound the pride out of this man, but in the end it could be said, “Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the Earth” (Num 12:3). Moses would say the divine “pounding” was worth it, and God was glorified by making the most prideful man, the most humble.

 

B) From Humility to Pride: King Saul

While Moses grew from extraordinary pride to extraordinary humility, King Saul is a remarkable example of a man falling from humility into pride. We first encounter him as a grown man engaged in the rather lowly mission of finding his father’s lost donkeys (1 Sam 9:3). And not having much success at that (vs. 4-5). It is his servant who suggests seeking spiritual help from the Prophet Samuel. Saul didn’t even have anything to give “the seer,” prompting his servant to offer to pay for his services (cf. vs. 6-8).

God intended to greatly glorify Saul for His purposes. The Prophet Samuel tells him in their first meeting: “Don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago. They have been found. I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes” (9:20). All Saul wanted from Samuel was help in successfully locating some missing donkeys for his father. God was calling him to be “the focus of all Israel’s hopes” to be delivered from their enemies.

Saul’s humble beginnings are again reflected in his response to Samuel’s words: “’But I am only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe. Why are you talking like this to me?’” (v. 21). Later, when his uncle asked him what Samuel the Prophet had said to him, “Saul replied, ‘He assured us that the donkeys had been found.’ But Saul did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about his kingship” (10:16).

Saul’s humble view of himself is once again reflected when Samuel calls a meeting of all Israel to anoint Saul as king:

When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel together, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was chosen. Finally Saul son of Kish was chosen.

But when they looked for Saul they could not find him. So they asked the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” (10:20-22)

Saul had no desire for the spotlight and was very reluctant to put himself in front of people.

Even after Saul’s annointing as King, we read: “Some trouble-makers said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent” (10:27). A proud man who had just become king would have killed such people.

Later, after his first amazing victory over the Ammonites which resulted in the wonderful rescue of the whole town of Jabesh Gilead (11:1-11) we read: “The people then said to Samuel, ‘Who was it that asked, “Should Saul reign over us?” Bring these men to us and we will put them to death.’ But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel” (11:12). Not only did he treat his enemies with grace, but fully gave God the credit for the victory.

Finally, after his annointing as King, we read: “Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen” (11:5), apparently going back to simply working as a farmer for his father. He did not set himself up in a palace, ordering servants around, and living off of others. He continued to work as a simple farmer.

We hardly ever see Saul in this way. Because he became one of the most arrogant and shallow people in Scripture, we have forgotten that he began as a very shy, simple, and unpretentious man. God had indeed found a humble man. A man who did not think too highly of himself. How wonderful it would have been for him and his nation if his “success” had not made him otherwise. Far too many men want God to glorify them, with no idea how dangerous that can be.

The glory of the mission and responsibility God called Saul to was too much for him. His inward character and relationship with God was too shallow. He gained far too much of his sense of significance and security in his position rather than in his heavenly Father who had so graciously given him such an amazing opportunity. Pride is so incredibly sinister. It sneaks up on us, and before we know it, we are focused on ourselves, instead of God.

Of course, we know Saul’s humility, and therefore God’s favor, did not last long. Not long after his victory and the praise of the people, Saul was feeling confident in his own wisdom, even if it violated the word of God (cf. 13:5-14; 15:9).

After another gracious victory from God, we read that, “the men of Israel were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food” (14:24). Now the focus was on him, not God. And his pride and foolish effort to unnecessarily control his men almost cost his son Jonathan his life (14:38-45), and did cost Saul a great deal of embarrassment and the respect of his men.

When “Samuel . . . went to meet Saul . . . he was told, ‘Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor’” (v. 12). How quickly pride can take us to the most demeaning places.

Likewise, we later read that when David was praised by the people for his victories:

Saul was very angry and this refrain greatly offended him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom? ” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. (1 Sam 18:8-9)

If there are two things that reveal a lack of humility it is anger and jealousy. Saul’s lack of identity in God made him unable to handle or even celebrate the success of another. Saul obviously had no legitimate reason to be angry or jealous toward David.

On the other hand, David had many reasons to be both regarding Saul. It is, in fact probable, that it was in reference to his struggles with Saul that David wrote Psalm 37 including the first verse: “Do not burn with anger because of evildoers; or be jealous of those who do wrong” (Ps 37:1).^[2] And David was a good example of this, which is one of many reasons he was also a tremendous example of humility.

Anger is a great danger to those pursuing a visionary faith. Often our specific desires and plans for ministry are prompted by some evil or wrong we observe that needs to be righted. Like Saul, something or someone may even be bringing considerable pain and hurt to the people of God. And while it is proper and even necessary to be burdened and motivated by such a need, we should “not burn with anger because of evildoers.” We must even forgive those committing the wrong and give them over to God.

This is what David did. He never took revenge on Saul even when he had the opportunity, but let God deal with him. David said to Saul after secretly cutting off a corner of his robe and having a great opportunity to end all the grief Saul was bringing into his life and the nation:

I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. (1 Sam 24:11-12)

That is a humble man. A man who trusts God and does not unnecessarily take matters into his own hands. David did not let anger be a motivation for his pursuit of becoming king.

Anger is not a power of the Spirit which we need to accomplish our visionary faith. We read in James, “The anger of humns does not accomplish the righteousness of God” (1:20) or anything else God-glorifying. Accordingly, David writes later in the Psalm:

Do not burn with anger when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not burn with anger—it leads only to evil. (vs. 7-8)

Jealousy is another great danger. Why would we “be jealous of those who do wrong” (v. 1)? Because they appear to “succeed in their ways” (cf. v. 7). For example, false teachers and false evangelists are extremely popular and prosperous in our present world- the temptation is to burn with anger against them and even envy how many people they are influencing and hurting. But as the Psalm reminds us repeatedly, God will judge such men, both in this life and the next (cf. vs. 2, 9-10).

But we can even struggle more with envying good men. Some men were jealous of the Apostle Paul prompting him to write that some: “preach Christ out of jealousy and to cause division” (Phil 1:15). Perhaps we see another servant of God speak powerfully or write popularly. Their churches and ministries seem to grow much faster and bigger than our own. And to make matters harder, you believe some of their teaching, writing, or practices are wrong, unbiblical, and even damaging to God’s people. When we observe someone who has been greatly successful in accomplishing the very ministry or visionary faith we are pursuing, envy is a powerful and destructive temptation. “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones” (Prov 14:30).

“Envy” is one of those “evils” that “come from inside a person and make them unclean” (Mark 7:22-23) and is the reason behind the commandment:

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Exod 20:17) Including their ministry.

We are warned against the power of envy in Proverbs 27:4: “Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” We are warned of its sinfulness in James:

If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (Jms 3:14-16)

Accordingly, jealousy and envy are included is several NT lists of gross sin (cf. Mark 7:21-23; Rom 1:28-31; 13:13; 2 Cor 12:20; 1 Tim 6:3-5; Tit 3:3-4; 1 Pet 2:1), including one of the “obvious” “acts of the sinful nature” (Gal 5:19-20). God hates jealousy. When Miriam and Aaron became jealous against Moses, “The anger of the LORD burned against them” (Num 12:9). Their envy was such a “disgrace,” that God commanded concerning Miriam: “Confine her outside the camp for seven days” (v. 14). And God may discipline us for our jealousy as well.

Do not let Solomon’s commentary be true of you: “I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Eccl 4:4). Is envy your motivation in ministry? Then you are not humble and God will not bless you. “Love . . . does not envy” (1 Cor 13:4), and love, not envy, must be our motivation for ministry. And it is those temptations to jealousy that will especially test our humility, and for which we must cling to the wonderful promises regarding humility shared below.

Petty, proud people cannot enjoy the success of others, even when it benefits themselves! Do we see how quickly Saul’s whole focus became himself, instead of His God or God’s people?

All of this prompted the sad response of the God Who had chosen Him: “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My instructions” (15:11). Pride not only hurts us and those around us, it hurts God. God took this personally.

We read God’s sad commentary on this man’s life, and what pride does to men:

Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night: “Tell me,” Saul replied.

“Although you were once small in your own eyes [even humble], you still became the head of the tribes of Israel. The LORD anointed you king over Israel. ¹⁸ And He sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ ¹⁹ Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you take the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?”

“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. ²¹ The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” (15:17-21)

God had commanded Saul: “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys’” (15:3). Saul obviously disobeyed. Pride distorts a man’s reverence for God. Proud leaders will always minimize their sin, deceiving themselves into thinking that the accomplishment of the mission (as they see it) justifies compromise, and that they are somehow above God’s commands because they are accomplishing God’s work.

We’ll say it again. As we will discuss further below, God desires purity more than “progress.” Accordingly:

Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying His voice? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.” (15:22-23)

When Saul finally admits his sin, he explains, “I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them” (v. 24). What he was afraid of losing was the false sense of significance he received from the praise and popularity of the people. This becomes evident when he says to Samuel: “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God” (v. 30). The people no longer belong to God, but are Saul’s people. And God is no longer Saul’s God, but Samuel’s God.

God’s sad commentary on the life of this leader concludes with: “Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD was grieved that He had made Saul king over Israel” (v. 35). And so were the people of Israel who had suffered greatly under Saul, as did Jonathan his own honorable son, and of course David, who became Saul’s greatest enemy, when all David wanted was to be Saul’s greatest servant. And all of this because a humble man could not stay humble when God tried to use and bless him for the sake of others. As Solomon wrote: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18).

And here we must ask ourselves if our own sense of significance is too dependent on the success of our visionary faith? Will we become proud, petty, and paranoid if our human plans to obey God’s commands fail or need to change? How important is the opinion of others to us?

The Apostle John describes some men who loved their position more than their God when he writes:

Many even among the leaders believed in Him [Jesus]. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. (John 12:43; cf. 5:44)

Let that never, ever be true of us. Such a sinister need for the praise of people will destroy us and our ministry- the devil will make sure of it.

Likewise, the Apostle Paul warned that you really cannot serve God if your sense of significance and security are dependent on the opinions of other people. This would seem to be precisely what motivated the false teachers in Galatia who were preaching “a different gospel” (1:6) in order to avoid “the offense of the cross” (5:11). To the contrary, the Apostle wrote: “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal 1:10; cf. 1 Cor 4:3-5; 1 Thess 2:4). And neither could we.

C) A Great Example of Humility: John the Baptist

Perhaps the greatest biblical example of humility, apart from our perfect Lord, was John the Baptist. Jesus Himself said he was “more than a Prophet” (Matt 11:9). John held the same extremely rare distinction of actually having had his ministry prophesied about in the OT, Jesus saying, “This is the one who it is written about: ‘I will send My messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you’” (v. 10). Accordingly, Jesus went on to say: “I tell you the truth: Of all humans there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (vs. 11, 13-14). No higher praise could be given a mere mortal, especially considering Who said it.

And yet we see John resist the temptation to glorify himself throughout his ministry. Luke records that there were, “crowds coming out to be baptized by him” (3:7). He was so popular that, “the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was” (John 1:19). He was so powerful that, “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ” (Luke 3:15). That is the kind of ministry some men dream of.

But what was John’s response?:

He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ. . . . [There] is . . . one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”(John 1:19-20, 26)

Earlier he had proclaimed: “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me’” (John 1:15; cf. v. 30). While many popular ministers seem to exalt themselves more than Christ, John did not.

And he understood the limits of his God-given role:

Jesus and His disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them, and baptized people. ²³ Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. ²⁴ (This was before John was put in prison.)

²⁵ An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. ²⁶ They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” (John 3:22-26)

Likewise, we later read, “Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John” (John 4:1). Many ministers would become jealous in such circumstances. Not John:

To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from Heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of Him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. (John 3:27-30)

John understood that our ministries are given to us by God and that to a large measure, the fruit of them depends on God. And he had a very good understanding of his ministry as one who points people to Christ, not one who accepts the adulation of Christ. And of course, John’s statement that “He must become greater; I must become less” needs to be the daily confession of every servant of Christ.

D) The Greatest Example of Humility: Christ

Christ, of course is our supreme example of humility. As the ancient Christian song ^[3] reminds us:

Jesus Christ existed in the form of God and did not think that equality with God was something to be grasped. Instead He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming the likeness of humans, and appearing as a man. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil 2:6-8)

In the Incarnation to save us, Christ descended from the highest position in the Universe to the lowest in the Universe. Goodness, “God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us” (2 Cor 5:21). The Son of God became sin. For us. That is the greatest possible humiliation.

Along these lines, C. S. Lewis wrote:

In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; down further still to the very roots and seabed of the Nature He had created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him.

One may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death-like region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to color and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover.

He and it are both colored now that they have come up into the light: down below, where it lay colorless in the dark, he lost his color too. ^[4]

Christ had an accurate and healthy understanding of how great He was. But with that knowledge He humbled Himself to be what people needed Him to be. Likewise, we are royalty in the Kingdom of God and will be for all eternity. But we choose to be the servant of all because that is what people need us to be.

Extras & Endnotes

Devotion to Dad

Our Father in Heaven, we are thankful for the examples of pride and humility that You give us in Scripture. We want to avoid the pitfalls of Saul’s life and embrace the humility of John the Baptist. Again, all because we want to glorify You.

Gauging Our Grasp

1. What are some statements and actions of Saul that revealed his pride? What would tempt you to do similar things?

 

1. What are some statements and actions of John the Baptist that revealed his humility? Are there areas of your life that you need to do the same?

Recommended Reading

Perilous Pursuits, Joseph Stowell. A good book on the pursuit of significance apart from our relationship with God.

Ordering Your Private World, William McDonald. In a beginning chapter the author provides a very insightful contrast between being called to ministry by God, and being driven to ministry by our flesh, using John the Baptist and Saul as examples of each respectively.

Publications & Particulars

1. Many are somewhat surprised to see this statement of Moses, assuming he wrote it about himself and therefore acting in contradiction to it. It is possible that Moses wrote it, and that it is actually a demonstration of his great humility as many commentators suggest (Calvin, Barnes, Keil and Delitzsch). However, most modern, evangelical OT scholars recognize some editorial work from the scribes who copied and distributed the OT, and this would seem to be a good example. Note that many of those scribes were known to be Prophets themselves, and so even their editorial work was divine revelation. ↑

2. The word “fret” (NIV, NASB) or “worry” (NLT) is not the best translation of charah. Normally “fret” is understood to mean “worry” but that does not seem to be David’s intended meaning here. Literally charah means to burn, particularly with anger. Keil and Delitzsch define its use here as: “to get into a glow . . . the incontrollable heat of impetuous zeal which would gladly call down fire from heaven.” Barnes writes: “The Hebrew word here means properly to burn, to be kindled, to be inflamed, and is often applied to anger, as if under its influence we become ‘heated’.” ↑

3. Virtually all NT scholars recognize Philippians 2:5-11 as a song that the early churches would have set music to and sung in their services. See Peter O’Brien, The Epistle to the Philippians (NIGTC) (Eerdmans, 1991], 186 ff.) ↑

4. C. S. Lewis, Miracles: A Preliminary Study (Macmillan, 1947), 135. ↑