Humble Yourself Under The Mighty Hand of God
In 1 Pet 5:5-7, Peter told us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. In our relationship with God, he knows whether we are humble or not. Perhaps, we know whether we are humble under his mighty hand. If we don’t know, we can certainly ask him and he will surely show us.
Be Clothed With Humility
Not only are we to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, but we are to also be clothed with humility. That is, we are to be subject one to another. Whether we are subject to one another is as apparent as the clothes we are wearing.
In Jn 13:4, Jesus laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself, when he washed the disciples feet. His humility was evident. By contrast, the Pharisees wore long robes, sat in the chief seats, and wore phylacteries. They expected to be served.
In the Old Testament, men who humbled themselves to God put on sackcloth. Mordecai wore sackcloth after Haman’s decree. The king of Nineveh wore sackcloth after hearing Jonah’s prophecy. The king of Israel wore sackcloth when Jerusalem was besieged by the Syrians and the people were starving. They were clothed with humility.
Be Subject One To Another
When we are subject one to another and clothed with humility we have submitted ourselves to the control of others. We are servants to each other. Jesus said that if you want to be chief, then be a servant, Matt 20:27. One preacher said, “If you truly know God, you will be humble and if you truly know yourself, you cannot be proud.” In Acts 20:19 Paul said that he served the Lord with all humility of mind. In Rom 12:10 Paul wrote that we are to prefer one another. In Eph 4:2 we are to walk with all lowliness… forbearing one another in love.
When we are subject to one another, we are not concerned with how others can help us. Rather, we are concerned with how we can help them. We should ask, “How can I be a blessing to you; what can I do for you? In the body of Christ, every joint supplieth, Eph 4:16; they don’t take. When you have truly humbled yourself, everybody else is preferred to you.
Be Under God’s Mighty Hand
As Peter said, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God.” Under God’s mighty hand:
God Resists The Proud
God resists the proud. To resist is to exert oneself so as to counteract or defeat. So, when you are proud, God is not merely your obstacle; he is your opponent. Jas 4:6 says, “God resisteth the proud.” In Matt 23:12, Jesus said, “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased.” In Ex 10:3, the Lord asked Pharaoh, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Then, God destroyed Egypt because of his pride.
God Gives Grace To The Humble
Truly, God gives grace to the humble. “God … giveth grace to the humble.” There is not one of us who can get along without the grace of God. Jesus said that without me you can do nothing. Paul was weakened in the flesh so that he could be strengthened by the grace of God, 2 Cor 12:7-10. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life, Prov 22:4.
In Lev 26:41, when the children of Israel humble themselves, then the Lord will have mercy on them. According to 1 Ki 21:29, when Ahab humbled himself, God did not bring the evil in his days. In 2 Chr 32:26, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart so that the wrath of the Lord came not in his days. How many times have you heard 2 Chr 7:14, “if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray…?”
God Exalts The Humble In Due Time
God exalts the humble in due time. 1 Pet 5:6 says, “that he may exalt you in due time.” Before honour is humility, Prov 18:12. In Lk 14:11 he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Phil 2:8 Jesus humbled himself and one day he will be highly exalted. Today his name is commonly used as an expletive when men curse. But soon, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Conclusion
Now is not your due time. Now, as the world continues to move further and further from God, we must remain humble under the mighty hand of God. This world considers truth anathema. We stand for the truth. Therefore, the world is going to hate you. This is not the time to be exalted in pride. Stay down; stay humble. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.