Don't Do It Like Pharaoh

Deep in the forest, there rose a tree, unlike any other tree. It towered above them all, touching the clouds. It's sturdy branches and thick boughs of vibrant, green leaves cast a lovely shade for all who sought refuge under it. The trunk was dark and lovely, and as strong as any boulder. The tree was fed by the deep river around the tree. All the birds of the heavens sought to make their nests among it's branches. Many a creature would make it's home under the tree and give birth to their young. The roots of this tree went deep, all the way to the underground springs. This tree could not be moved. It had no equal- not even in God's garden! Indeed, this tree was majestic.

Then the Lord God spoke from Heaven, "Because it towered high and set its top among the clouds, and its heart was proud of its height, I will give it into the hand of a mighty one of the nations. He shall surely deal with it as its wickedness deserves. I have cast it out. Foreigners, the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broke in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it." (Ezekiel 31:10b-12)

This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God...

A growl escaped Pharaoh's lips, as he spit on the letter sent to him by Ezekiel, son of Buzi. An Israelite. Ha! They certainly won't defeat me. No one will defeat me! My kingdom will stand forever. A smile played on Pharaoh's lips as he tossed the crumpled letter to the ground. Let the nations try. With that last thought, Pharaoh walked away from Ezekiel's letter. His warning, and his last chance.

Based on Ezekiel 31.

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom their is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17

Pride will destroy us. It really is that simple. All our perfect gifts come from our Father above. Our strengths and talents. Our junk. Our homes and cars. Our jobs. They are from God. If we sit here thinking that its all in our own strength, then we are going to be chopped down. 

Get this, "Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, declares the Lord God." Ezekiel 29:19-20

I doubt Nebuchadnezzar was saved at this point in his life, but God still used him to do His will. But not only that: God gave him the land of Egypt, and all the other kingdoms that Nebuchadnezzar had defeated! But in Daniel 4 we see Nebuchadnezzar fall into the same "How great am I?" attitude.

Thank God for all His perfect blessings in your life! Don't forget. Don't praise yourself. Pride leads to some very bad destruction. 

It really is that simple.