Watch for the Exploding Pen

“The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.” (Isa 23:9 AV)

 

We know how this goes.  It happens to us all the time.  The context is the judgment of the LORD on all His enemies.  All His enemies also happen to be Israel’s enemies.  All His enemies also happen to be enemies of the true church.  This passage points not only to the destruction of Babylon and Assyria but is also considered an end-time prophecy.  So, without focusing on the point at hand for us, the first consideration is to realize the world that hates God will increase in pride.  We can see this primarily through the explosion of technology.  Technology is great as long as it is not a means for elevating mankind above God.  Unfortunately, since the building of the tower of Babylon, which used new building techniques and materials, mankind has used technology to do just that.  It is frightening what secular scientists are publicly saying is their motive for advancement in all sorts of scientific research.  In a nutshell, science is trying to solve the problem and consequences of sin through science and not through faith in Jesus Christ.  This results in great pride.  But as we see above, God will mar the stain the pride of those who are exercised thereby.

This event happens to us all.  Some dramatic.  Some sublime.  But this occurs repeatedly throughout our lives.  We buy a new car and the first time a scratch occurs, we are deeply upset or disappointed.  Our child excels in sports or scholastics and our chest puffs out.  Then comes a slump where he cannot seem to succeed on the field or in the classroom.  Our head swells a bit when we purchase our new home.  Then comes reality manifested as a broken water heater or leak in the roof.  What about that new dress or skirt.  We dress up so that people will notice.  It lasts for a while until someone else wears the same outfit or the article of clothing suffers an unfortunate stain.  We take immense pride in our accomplishments, talents, or material gain.  We seek the approval of others.  We want them to notice that new thing.  We want them to see we are successful. We need affirmation from others that we have something or can do something that makes us unique or valuable.  If pride is left uncheck, we take affirmation one step further and begin to look down at others who seem to be less than we.  When it comes to pride which affects the LORD, we elevate ourselves above God’s provision or work in our lives.  We take pride in thinking we are self-determined and self-actuating.  We did this.  We accomplished this.  We matured our talents to the point of grandeur.  It is this pride which God stains.

God takes pride very seriously.  It harms all it touches.  It harms the one guilty of it.  It harms those affected by arrogance.  And most of all, it harms the glory of God.  I have a nice white dinner jacket.  I wear it only once or twice.  I usually wear it in the evening service of Easter.  And I might wear it at the start of spring or summer.  I don’t wear it all that much because it is white.  If anything were to happen to it, there would be no fixing it.  I can only imagine how I would feel if a pen exploded in it.  A totally ruined evening jacket!  Only fit for the dumpster.  My heart would sink a bit.  That is what God does to those things in which we invest so much pride.  Like an expensive new automobile getting totaled while sitting in a parking lot, pride is suddenly and totally abased.  God must do this for the only way mankind can come to God is through humility.  God must stain the pride of mankind because He alone has bragging rights.  He must do this for the sake of His holiness and righteousness.  Watch out, that pen is about to explode!