humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that he exalts you in the honorable time - 1 Peter 5:6
Jesus said "whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). "For whoever humbles himself like as this child he exists great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4). Humility exists a great virtue in heaven. In fact Paul writes Jesus "although he was in the form of God, did not regard equality as God to be eagerly grasping rather he emptied himself taking on the form, born in the likeness of man and found in the form like as a man" (Philippians 2:5-7). How do we become great in the kingdom of heaven? We humble ourselves. How do we humble ourselves?
Your attitude be the same as Christ Jesus although he was in the form of God... he emptied himself... - Philippians 2:5-6
We are to have the attitude and mind of Christ Jesus, it is something we can set our minds upon. But I think humility is much like repentance, it is of the will of God (2 Corinthians 7:10). Truly, accepting the word of God in humility and meekness will change us, as it is the word of God that transforms and renews our mind to be like as Christ. Are we then humbled under the mighty hand of God as his elect so that he is glorified in us or do we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God? or both? Let's look at this interesting scripture, about the Exodus.
How long will you refused to submit before me, let my people go so that they may serve me - Exodus 10:3
The phrase "submit before me" is also translated as "humble yourself before me." When Pharaoh refused to submit God said, "but since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!" (Exodus 4:23). Pharaoh did not humble himself, but we also read this astounding scripture, "Yahweh instructed Moses, 'when you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go'" (Exodus 4:21). Several times in the scriptures it says God harden Pharaoh's heart so he would not let his people go. God exalted Pharaoh and hardened his heart so to display his glory.
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Yahweh. - Exodus 14:4
God had exalted Pharaoh and now he had humbled him, so that His glory and power, would be exalted among the people. How could God harden someone's heart and they perish? And does not this imply if he can harden a heart he can also make a heart soft? Surely, this we pray for, soft hearts of good soil. But does this not seem unjust, he would harden the hearts of some? Paul addresses the issue in Romans, when he speaks of the elect, he calls them children of the promise. This is what the promise states;
For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden - Romans 9:17
The humbling of our hearts is very dependent on a merciful and compassionate God. And upon grace, that the elect are chosen by grace. To the children of the promise are given an inheritance, these are heirs of Abraham, both Jews and Gentiles. For the promise also states, "Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls..." (Romans 9:11-13). Before they were born, before they had done anything to deserve mercy and love, God chose Jacob. The promise also stated to Abraham, that he would have a son through Sarah (Romans 9:9). And we know that the promise is according to grace through faith. As the faith of Abraham states that when he was 100 years old and Sarah was barren he did not judge according to his unbelief but was strengthened in faith until he was fully convinced that what God said he would do (Romans 4:19-25). It is an amazing story of how God chose Abraham and Israel.
* And a reminder of how we humble ourselves, in meekness submitting to the word of God, our living hope, and that which strengthens our faith to the point we are fully convinced of God's word.
just as he chose us in him before creating the world to be holy and blameless in his presence, in love, he predestined us for adoption as his own through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he highly favored us in the beloved - Ephesians 4:6
In God's elect, the promise is seen, as we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:13-14). Predestined for adoption, by a Spirit of adoption whom cries out Abba Father and testifies inwardly we are his children. This is how we know we are of the elect, "he chose us in him" and "he predestined us for adoption as his own." And we know that it is "according to the good pleasure of his will" and "to the praise of his glorious grace" and that we are blessed beyond all measure in that we can say "he highly favored us in the beloved." This gives us insight into Paul writes in Romans 9, God has compassion upon whom he has compassion. To be enlightened in understanding as to who we are as His elect, changes how we think.
For if God did not spare the natural branches perhaps he will not spare either. Consider therefore the kindness and severity of God, severity to the fallen, now, kindness to you if then continuing of kindness otherwise you too will be cut off (Romans 11:21)
Is not such a statement humbling? Oh Lord we pray may you who began a good work in us continue it to the day of Christ, keep us, lay hold of us, glorify us, Amen. God has mercy and compassion to whom he wills. He is the potter and we are the clay, "certainly the thing molded can not say to the one molding it, why have you made me like this? Has not the potter the right to make from the same lump of clay some pottery for honor and others for dishonor?" (Romans 9;19-21). It is like the story of the Exodus, he exalted and hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he became an object of his wrath, so to make known His glory to the objects of mercy, to the ones he prepared beforehand for glory, even us who he has called... (Romans 9:23-24). It is both a terrifying and humbling thing to fall into the hands of a living God.
What then do we say, is not this unjust on God's part? No, for he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion' - Romans 9:14-15
People stumble over the stumbling stone, as they were destined. How God shows mercy and compassion to his children states how he exercises grace or favor towards them. God is rich in mercy through his great love, "to demonstrate in the ages to come the incomparable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5-8). This understanding of growing in grace and knowledge of Jesus or learning Christ doesn't make us boastful and prideful, but humbles us. As we understand how we can not boast in ourselves but in Christ alone. As Isaiah stated if the Lord had not prepared for himself a remnant we would all have become like Sodom and Gomorrah (Romans 9:27-29). Even today there is a remnant chosen by grace. It is for His glory, since God chose the elect to be holy and blameless in his presence, in love, He is very jealous of his own, that we exist vessels of honor, giving glory to him by what is done in this body. In this way we are humbled under his mighty hand so that we become partakers of his divine nature to display his honor and glory.
