This week, Ukraine has continued its advance into Russia. As Ukrainians continue to claim Russian villages and set up outposts within Russia, the Russian news media has downplayed Ukraine’s success, yet attempts to blame Western nations for any success Ukraine has had in breaching Russia’s borders.
This week’s Ukrainian offense has been embarrassing for Russian president Putin. Vladimir Putin has been caught off guard by Ukraine due to his own fault.
- Prideful
- Consumed by power
- Dishonest
We shouldn’t be surprised by the shocking situation Putin is in, he has forgotten a spiritual truth, pride always comes before the fall (Proverbs 16:18.) We can see how head knowledge doesn’t result in heart knowledge.
Vladimir Putin began his career as a foreign intelligence officer in the KGB and later resigned to pursue a career in politics, he was elected to his first term as president in 2004, and ever since he has been notorious for his political corruption.
After nearly 20 years on the top of the Russian political mountain, Putin wanted more and in 2022, he launched his invasion of Ukraine. Putin has bought the same lie as the first Adam did in the garden when like Satan he aspired to be higher than God (Genesis 3:1-7.)
Aspire to go higher?
We live in a fallen world where everything has been corrupted by man’s sinful desires. God created man to live in community with Himself (Genesis 1:26-28.) Everything was good, until the once great angel Lucifer, encouraged the first Adam to aspire to be higher than God.
Satan’s own thirst for greatness caused him to deceive a third of the angels in heaven and eventually got them kicked out of heaven because they wanted to be greater than their Creator (Ezekiel 28:12-17.)
Because sin entered the world through the first Adam, man’s heart has become utterly corrupted and it is never satisfied (Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 17:9, Mark 7:21.) Man’s thirst for greatness and success eventually leads to destruction if it isn’t God’s will or way.
As a holy people who are dedicated to God, we are to pursue Him and His greatness, not earthly pleasures or greatness (Jeremiah 29:13, Romans 2:4; 12:2; 16:17-18, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 1 Timothy 6:11; 3:7-8.) The Apostle Paul remembered his Jewish upbringing about how we serve a most high God.
El Elyon
The ancient world was corrupt and full of many other gods that people bowed down to worship. Different nations followed different Gods according to their own corrupt beliefs. We see this in Egypt as God’s people were enslaved to Pharaoh who worshiped his own Gods, Ra and Amun.
Yet, God delivered His people from Egypt and the other gods of this world. That is why the Hebrew God became known as the most high (Exodus 18:11, Psalm 47:9; 83:18, 95:3; 96:4; 97:9) God El Elyon. Elyon is the Hebrew word for most high and it can also mean, “high, highest or uppermost,” depending upon the context the word is used in.
In the ancient world, other nations recognized the divine hand of Israel’s most high God and His attributes.
- Omnipotent
- Omnipresent
- Omniscient
- Eternal
- Perfect
- Holy
- Loving
- Forgiving
The New Testament often describes Jesus as the son of the most high God (Psalm 82:6, Luke 1:32-35, John 1:34, Acts 7:48.) Yet, He didn’t consider Himself equal with God but humbled Himself (Philippians 2:6.)
Jesus’ teachings about greatness were the opposite of this world and even Israel’s (Matthew 18:1-5; 20:26-28; 23:10-8.) Jesus knew how sinful and corrupt man’s heart is (Matthew 15:19.)
The second Adam understood man’s desire for greatness, but He reminded His followers that God’s kingdom is not of this world and God’s people should seek the things of heaven first because this world is temporary (Matthew 6:33-34.) Unfortunately, most people don’t learn how temporary things in this life are until it’s too late.
Matthew Perry
This week news broke about five people being charged in the tragic death of Matthew Perry last year. The irony in this senseless tragedy is the five people charged in conjunction with the actor’s death where people the actor trusted and were responsible for his health.
In the end, they were only concerned about his success and the money they could squeeze out of him. I remember all the buzz about Matthew Perry in the 90s.
During my high school and college years, Perry was all over TV and Hollywood blockbuster movies. The Hollywood A-lister was known for the stunning actresses he dated at the height of his career.
None of which proved to be his soulmate. He achieved his dream and it didn’t satisfy him, years later he shared about his alcohol and drug addictions and how none of his success or women satisfied his corrupt heart.
Like most of us, Mr. Perry learned success and earthly greatness often do more harm than good (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11.)
- Heartache
- Temporary happiness
- Pride
- Greed
The other son of David, Jesus warned His followers about the danger of gaining this whole world (Matthew 16:26.) Unfortunately, most people don’t realize the truth until it’s too late. We were never meant to strive to be great like God.
A.W. Tozer wisely noted, “The greatness of God rouses fear within us, but His goodness encourages us not to be afraid of Him. To fear and not be afraid – that is the paradox of faith.”
Not long before his death, Mr. Perry admitted in an interview that success and earthly greatness don’t satisfy our corrupt hearts. They’ll deceive us every day, just like they did the first Adam. The truth is we must humble ourselves and bow to El Elyon!
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