Humility

[Guest asduke]

2 Chronicles 7:14 is a verse that many link to revival. It states that we need to humble ourselves. How do we do this? Any examples from scripture would be helpful also.

[Leonard]

Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Many times in Scripture it relates that one individual or another (or sometimes the whole community) 'humbled himself, putting on sackcloth and ashes.' Hmmmm. Looks like God appreciates outward symbols, as well as inward work!

With a blessing,

Leonard, a sinner

[Russell]

Hi asduke,

I posted a response to this question on the topic of pride...which is the opposite of humility...the response is below...it covers your subject well...hope it helps.

In regards to what the Bible calls pride...can I give you another angle to think of it.

This word pride and it's meaning from a Biblical viewpoint is pivotal in our Christian walk.

To understand it ..it would be best to understand what is the opposite of pride. The opposite is humility. Now if you look at these two words you begin to get an idea of what each stands for.

Human pride is stubborness...being hardhearted...unteachable...unwilling to listen...not willing to admit one's fault...not wanting to say sorry.

An Example

Provbers 13;10 "Pride only breeds quarrels...but wisdom is found in those who take advice"

Notice the opposite to pride here are those who take advice...so likewise HUMILITY is being teachable....listening to correction/advice...a willingness to say sorry for one's mistakes...not thinking too highly of one's self...it is Christ working thru us that elevates us closer to God.

Now if you read thru the Bible and take notice of these two opposites you will find them almost on every page ...not in word as such but in meaning...this seems incredible but when you realise how significant this sin of pride is and in fact it was this very trait that led to Adam's fall from grace...we get a glimse of how serious this sin is ...for from it comes all other sinning...it is the foundational sin in our human nature that separates us from God.

The trick is to identify it in ourselves...if you can do this and deal with it before it consumes you...you are a very fortunate person.

Now if you go to Proverbs and read Chapter 1, 2 & 3...you will get a glimse of humility (the wise) and the proud (foolish) .

Compare yourself and ask yourself which am I...and continue to do so on every thought...for we are admonished in the New Testament to bring all thoughts unto the subjection of Christ.

Blessings

[Adstar]

Hello asduke

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Being humble is a state of self awareness. People who know themselves are humble because they know how faulty and unworthy they are.

All praise The Ancient Of Days

[traveller]

I am reminded of Rizpah.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

13 "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,

14 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

For background, Saul killed a bunch of the Gibeonite, that Joshua had promised to not harm, ever. So, during King David's reign, there came to be a famine in the land. It had not rained for 3 years. When David went to the Lord for answers, he was told that it was because Saul broke the covenant concerning the Gibeonites. As per custom, David offered recompense to the gibeonites, by exectuing 7 descendants of Saul. Of the men chosen, 5 were sons of Rizpah, daughter to Saul by one of his concubines. Also, know that to leave a body out in the elements was considered a curse. (Deut. 21:23) To do so meant the victim was a criminal and brought shame to the family, and were shunned.

2 Samuel 21:10-14

10 Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.

11 And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

12 Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa.

13 So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged.

14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God heeded the prayer for the land.

Rizpah, however, went against the grain. She knew her sons were innocent of wrong doing, and took her sackcloth and went up the hill where the bodies were left hanging and sat there for 6 months. She kept the wild animals from eating the bodies. She humbled herself before God.

Word got back to King David about her vigil, and he had a softening of his heart. He collected the bones of once annointed King Saul, and his son Jonathan, and gathered together all the bones from the 7 exectued men, and properly buried them in Saul's father's tomb.

One woman, who reacted to tragedy and injustice with humility, gained the notice of the king, who in turn, also reacted with humility by giving honor to the man that had tried to kill him. After all, this was Israels first king, appointed by God.

AND THEN God healed their land.

[Anonymous]

Excellent Trav! That reference indeed, is a good example of humbling ourselves before the Lord.

God loves persistence in heart filled with humility! When we call on him to fulfill his promises, doing it in truth, while humbling ourselves before him, he is anxious and faithful to be proven true to his word!

[Leonard]

I don't know what to do. I'm really flummoxed: I COVET MY NEIGHBOR'S HUMILITY!!!

[traveller]

Leonard? You lost me.

[Leonard]

"THOU SHALT NOT COVET.......ANYTHING THAT IS THY NEIGHBOR'S"---God

[traveller]

Leonard, do you not think that you are humble?