Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

The Bible repeatedly stresses the consequences of being puffed up with pride. This is taught through direct statements and through examples of people whose downfall is connected to their pride.

Consider, for instance, the fall of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to become wealthy and powerful from an earthly perspective (Daniel 4:22).

Nebuchadnezzar let his success go to his head, and became arrogant. As “he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon…The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan. 4:29-30).

God answered the king’s arrogance by saying, “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you” (verse 31). Nebuchadnezzar came to realize that “those who walk in pride [God] is able to abase” (verse 37). This is precisely what happened to him.

King Nebuchadnezzar’s descendant Belshazzar was likewise haughty. Belshazzar knew that when Nebuchadnezzar’s “heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne” (Dan. 5:20). Yet, Belshazzar behaved in a way that led Daniel to tell him “You, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart though you knew all this, but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven;” (verses 22-23). Belshazzar’s pride led to his fall (verses 28-31).

Years before, Uzziah was king over Judah. Initially, he “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chron. 26:4). “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense” (verse 16).

Some priests tried to stop Uzziah, but he resisted..“and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord” (verse 19).

Uzziah was a leper until the day he died (verse 21). His pride led to his fall.

The book of Esther details the pride of Haman and his subsequent fall. Obadiah speaks of the Edomites being deceived by pride and the humbling they would face (verses 3-4). Acts 12 speaks of Herod’s self-exaltation, and the drastic fall he faced because of it (verses 21-23).

Scripture makes it clear that God humbles those who are puffed up with pride and refuse to humble themselves (Matt. 23:12; Luke 18:14).

May we heed these warnings and humble ourselves under His mighty hand.