Consequences of Pride in the Bible
Examples of Pride in the Bible
In 2 Kings 14:21 and 2 Kings 15:4-7 (paralleled in 2 Chronicles 26:16-23), we read about Uzziah also known as Azariah, who provides us an example of pride in the Bible.
Uzziah (aka Azariah) had a lot of success/victories and his fame spread. It eventually got to his head because the bible says that “when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction.” 2 Chronicles 26:16, NKJV. He exemplifies Proverbs 16:18 (pride comes before a fall).
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“The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15, NKJV.
What does the Bible say about pride?
What does God say about pride?
The bible has a lot to say about pride. Here are some bible verses about pride:
- Proverbs 11:2, ESV, says “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”
- Proverbs 29:23, ESV, “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.”
- Proverbs 16:18, ESV, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
- Proverbs 8:13, ESV, “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”
- James 4:6, ESV, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Psalm 10:4, ESV, “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
What causes pride according to the Bible?
When we lose focus on God and focus on self (like what happened with Satan and Uzziah), we start to show symptoms of pride (as we see in the Bible).
Bible characters who struggled with pride
First prideful being in the Bible is satan. Another proud king in the bible is Nebuchadnezzar. Remember King Saul who hated listening to the people shouting about David’s victories?
In the book of Esther, Haman is another bible character who struggled with pride. The Pharisees did too! For a deeper bible study on pride and other proud kings in the bible, see this study: https://bit.ly/3RlywmE
In the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, pride leads to the people’s desire to build a tower to reach the heavens and make a name for themselves. God ultimately thwarts their plans and scatters them, showing that pride leads to disobedience to God.
What is the punishment for pride in the Bible?
Pride leads to our own destruction (see Prov. 8:13), which is our own punishment. It also keeps us from God (Psalm 10:4), which I believe is a punishment for us as well.
As we can see pride has a lot of negative consequences. It can cause us to overestimate our abilities and underestimate the potential consequences of our actions.
It can prevent us from seeking help and guidance from others.
Pride can cause us to think highly of ourselves and look down on others, leading to conflict and broken relationships.
Humility allows us to be open to learning and growing, while pride can cause us to think we already know everything and refuse to seek wisdom from others.
Ultimately, the Bible teaches us that pride can have negative consequences on both a personal, relational, and spiritual level. It can lead to destruction, conflict, and disobedience.
The good news is that through humility and surrender to God, we can find grace and wisdom. It is important to remember to keep our pride in check and seek to cultivate humility in our lives.
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