Genesis 11:4-5
The people said, “let us go up into heaven” God said “let me go down to man.” How typical of our humanity to want to ascend to God’s level. We, both in our actions and in our words, often elevate ourselves to the place of God. Rather than submit our will to his will, and rather than do as wisdom says and acknowledge him in all our ways so that we might receive his direction, we take matters into our own hands as if we are omniscient.
It was the devil that stated,
“I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13-14, ESV)
Lucifer’s sin from the beginning was rebellion, rooted in the desire to be like God. It is no wonder that when this serpent tempted Eve in the Garden, that he would sow seeds of deception, rebellion, and humanism. He focused her attention on the fact that she could be like God, knowing good and evil. When Eve looked at the fruit of the tree, she noticed three things
1. It was good for food
2. It was pleasant to look at
3. It was desired to make her wise like God
The first two were normal human observations, testimonies to the goodness and kindness of God. The third was a seed of doubt placed by a malicious angel bent on perverting God’s beautiful order. It took root in Eve and she was deceived into thinking she had it wrong, and nothing bad would happen to her. Every other tree in the garden was good for food. Every other fruit in the garden was pleasant to the eye. There was only one thing that separated this fruit from all others. There was only one thing that she noticed, that made this fruit stand out, and it appealed to her. She acted on her desire to be like God and ate the fruit.
What was Adam’s reason? We can really only speculate. However, while woman can claim deception, man cannot. Adam knew the commandments of God, and he also knew the consequences. He was tempted, drawn away of his own internal lusts and enticed by the idea of eating something forbidden to him. He placed himself in God’s stead and lived by his own desire instead of Gods.
Now the devil, who rebelled against God in an attempt to exalt himself as God, has succeeded in sowing seeds of humanism in Adam & Eve. They too desired to be like God and it caused the entrance of sin, and the spiritual death of mankind.
Just like our original parents, we have a tendency to exalt ourselves to the place of master of our own lives. God says yield, and we run the light anyway. God says no, and like a toddler testing boundaries, we say “yes!” The world will tell you that you are the master of your own destiny, but what a morbid destiny it is if there is none greater than us directing it!
There is power in submission. Abraham submitted and God revealed himself as Jehovah-Jireh. Gideon submitted and God delivered a nation. David submitted and defeated the giant. Solomon submitted and exposed the house of Eli. Christ submitted and brought salvation for mankind. Peter submitted and ushered in the church age. Paul submitted and brought this truth to the world.
Oh what wonderful things happen when the people of God are fully submitted. Yet we have so many Christians who try to do things their way. According to the Barna research group, more than 80% of professing Christians do not consider God, nor the Bible, when making major life choices. With such a lack of submission, is it any wonder that the church is fighting worldliness and risks becoming impotent?
Christ asked the question “when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8, KJV)”. When even the children of God ignore faith and exalt themselves as Lords over their own lives, where is the hope for faith?
In contrast, God humbled himself when he clothed himself in the likeness of sinful flesh. He came to earth, not as a king, but as a servant. Not only was he mindful of man, but he actually came down to serve the very beings he created. He washed the disciples’ feet in a show of servitude and humility. He gave himself to meeting the needs of the people of earth. He healed the broken hearted, set at liberty those who were bruised. When his people screamed for a king, he refused. When he perceived that they would take him by force and make him king, he retreated alone and humbled himself in prayer. When the time came, he submitted himself to the agony of the cross!
Other gods demand their people die for them. Our Lord came down and died for us. The one who is Lord of all, became servant of all, so that we may know the power of humility and submission.
