- This week, the big news has been the passing of Pope Francis. I remember thinking on Easter as he spoke to the masses, “He doesn’t look like he is all there.” I believe the whole world has been watching him slowly fade away with age.
The response to the Pope’s passing has been tremendous with people gathering in Rome from every nation around the globe to pay their respects. We shouldn’t be surprised by the death of the Pope or any person because they are human after all:
- Mortal
- Sinful
- Fallible
I am not attacking the character of the Pope here; I simply want to address the foolishness of trusting the flesh, ours, or others. We each have a sinful and temporary flesh that will fail us at some point (Romans 7:18; 8:3).
One of the things I respected the most about the Pope is his humility and connection to common people. He did not want the extravagant lifestyle of the papacy. He was humble despite being exalted by the church; that is how God’s people are called to live (Hosea 6:8, 1 Peter 5:6). The way to the top is down.
The great DL Moody once said,” One day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody is dead. Don’t believe it. At that moment, I shall be more alive than I am now; I shall have gone up higher.”
What Is Exalted
Exaltation is something most of us desire and aspire to greatness. This is because God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27). The problem is how we achieve greatness isn’t our doing. It is God alone who exalts men and nations (Psalm 75:6-7).
Exalt is defined as, “To raise in rank or power; elevate.” The problem is man’s sinful nature causes us to exalt ourselves just like Satan and a third of the angels in heaven who wanted to be greater than God (Isaiah 14:12-15). Satan deceived the first item by telling him the Tree of Life would make him great like God also (Genesis 3:4-5).
After the fall, God humbled man and all of creation with the curse. Our sinful nature gets the course to greatness backward, we cannot shortcut the process or outwit or time God. That is why the Bible teaches God’s people to humble themselves and let God exalt them in His time and will (Philippians 2:8-9, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about how to be exalted.
Rûm
The ancient world was a fallen and unjust mess, everyone was looking out for themselves and trying to make it to the top of the food chain. The Torah tells us that after the flood, humanity again aspired to be great like God and built a tower to heaven to exalt themselves (Genesis 11:1-32).
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for exalt is rûm and it can also mean, “To rise up, set high, lofty or extol,” depending on the context it is used in.
God humbled the world again and scattered the nations to put them in their proper place. Later God set Israel apart from the fallen world to be His people that He would exalts and make it a great nation if they humble he obeyed Him (Exodus 15:26, Deuteronomy 28:1, 1 Chronicles 14:2, Isaiah 1:19).
Because of God’s faithfulness, Israel often praised God who is exalted over all the world (1 Chronicles 29:11, Nehemiah 9:5, Psalm 57:5; 97:9, Isaiah 6:1). God’s people were taught humility is the path that leads to true greatness, not earthly power and that is where humility is considered one of the greatest Jewish virtues (Proverbs 15:33, Micah 6:8):
- Humility
- Justice
- Truth
- Lovingkindness
- Gratitude
- Patience
- Love
- Longsuffering
Even with all of the teachings of the prophets in the Torah, God’s people still missed the humble King and Savior they had long waited for. God sent Jesus into the world as a humble King to save the world (Romans 15:3, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:5-8).
God’s people wanted an earthly, powerful King to conquer the world and make them great instead of letting God exalt Jesus and them to true greatness. Jesus spent three years teaching His followers to humble themselves so that God could exalt them (Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11; 18:14).
The New Testament writers affirmed that true greatness comes from God who can exalt us in His time and way (Philippians 2:3-11, 1 Peter 5:6, James 4:10).
United States of America
Most Americans believe the United States is the greatest nation on earth. That is a matter of perspective, depending on your values. Many look at wealth as greatness, while others look at accomplishments. Then some think quantitatively and look at growth as greatness.
Regardless of your perspective, the Bible is clear about where greatness comes from for a nation and that is God (Deuteronomy 4: 6-8; 28:1-14, 1 Chronicles 29:11-12, Psalm 145:3.) God alone exalts nations, not political parties or even religion.
America became great because God exalted it. But alas we turn from our sinful ways God will not heal our nation (2 Chronicles 7:14):
- Greed
- Pride
- Deception
- Unloving
As I write this, our president has instigated a trade war with our neighbors and allies around the globe. The big news today is that China has not been in talks with the United States about negotiating tariffs on goods.
The United States is no longer the leader of the free world. We as a “Christian” nation have turned from the basic teachings of Jesus in our pursuit to be great (Luke 9:23; 14:11).
Many have exchanged the goods of God for the goods of the world. The great Charles Spurgeon wrote, “He who learns to die daily while he lives will find it no difficulty to breathe out his soul for the last time.” God’s people need to remember that humility is the way to be rûm!
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