Introduction
   What does Yahweh think of Pride? The Scriptures are replete with thoughts on the matter. Some areas are very specific. For example, there are seven things Yahweh hates, and one of them is pride as shown by one’s haughty eyes. It is first among the list of seven abominations.
   There are six things which Yahweh hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness [who] utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers, Proverbs 6:16-19. New American Standard Bible used throughout, unless otherwise noted.
   Verse 17 in the King James Version exchanges “a proud look” for “haughty eyes.” And in Proverbs 21:4 of the NASB, “haughty eyes” is equated with “a proud heart;” in the KJV, “a high look” with “a proud heart.”

Satan’s Attributes
   But you said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of Elohim, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High,” Isaiah 14:13–14.
   Following the first abomination of “haughty eyes,” is “a lying tongue.” These are attributes properly belonging to Satan, the devil, who in the beginning lifted himself up in the deception of his pride.
   The father of lies (John 8:44), Satan is like a roaring lion running to and fro, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). And not content, he stands before the Throne as the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10), seeking to frustrate the grace and mercy commended to blood-washed saints.
   The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate, Proverbs 8:13.
   We don’t think of a loving Elohim hating anything. But those things which are set at variance with Him, He hates. And whatever is set at variance with Him, we must hate, too.
   And so, Yahweh is not willing we should be ignorant of Satan’s schemes (2 Cor. 2:11). For they which yield themselves in service to him, devise wickedness and shed innocent blood, causing and spreading strife among peoples everywhere.
   Is it any wonder, that Yahweh hates these things? They embody what Satan is. Yahweh wants us to resist Satan and to completely renounce these seven abominations the devil represents.
   They which fear, honor and respect Yahweh will reject these abominable ways. For he that willfully continues in sin (Heb. 10:26), brings injury and death to himself (Prov. 8:36).
   Opposites do NOT attract in the economies of Yahweh. As in, “the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another” (Gal. 5:17). The Spirit tends toward Life, but the flesh, toward death.
   Both blessings and cursings proceed from Yahweh. The following Scriptures further presents us with the cause and effect of blessings and cursings.
   Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; no one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure. My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with Me; he who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to Me. He who practices deceit shall not dwell within My house; he who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before Me, Psalm 101:5–7.
   Yahweh will tear down the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow. Evil plans are an abomination to Yahweh, but pleasant words are pure. He who profits illicitly troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live. The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. Yahweh is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous, Proverbs 15:25–29.
   You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty, Psalm 18:27.

Kings Not Immune
   Conventional wisdom says, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein – all stood and fell as examples of absolute power corrupting absolutely. Satan’s pride was his own downfall, sometime after he was created. Satan has become the pattern for man’s pride, since the whole world is under his rule.
   In Scripture, we find King Saul starting out humble and good for the position. But then, he sinned and added further transgression to his sin, never properly repenting but instead, wanted to be lifted up in front of the people in 1 Samuel 15:30.
   King Nebuchadnezzar thought he was really something – giving himself out as some great one, even the great power of a mighty one (Acts 8:9–10) – until Yahweh abased him for seven years. Afterwards he seemed to repent and acknowledged Yahweh, exalting and honoring Him in Daniel 4:37, saying,
   Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
   Pride often underlies the motives of men, whether its expression is observable or cloaked with subtlety. James asserts all such boasting in one’s arrogance is evil, and that one does well to accept Yahweh’s will. Moreover, he says, “one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:16–17).
   “I did it my way” – a line from a song made popular by Frank Sinatra decades ago, expresses well the pride many have today. However, its wages are death. We read, Pride [goes] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling, Proverbs 16:18.

Worldly Ways vs. Yahweh’s Ways
   For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and [also] its lusts; but the one who does the will of Elohim lives forever, 1 John 2:16–17.
   And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest, Ephesians 2:1–3.
   Dead in sin, walking in the world and of the lusts of the world. But the love of Yahweh opened our eyes, and we repented of these things. And now, we are no longer children of disobedience, but rather of obedience.
   We can clearly distinguish one who is of the world from one who is not of the world, having separated themselves from the world. We are no longer to be setting our minds on the things that are on earth (Col. 3:2) pursuing the world’s pleasures but rather, seeking the things above. Those things of Yahweh, and of the coming Kingdom of heaven (Col. 3:1).
   At this moment, Satan is the mighty one of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) and was our mighty one, too. But we’ve been called out of darkness and into the presence of Yahweh, through Yahshua the Messiah, the Light (1 Pet. 2:9). We serve a different Master now.
   Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the Word of Elohim, but by the manifestation of Truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of Elohim. And even if our evangel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the elohim of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the Light of the Evangel of the esteem of Messiah, Who is the Image of Elohim, 2 Corinthians 4:1–4.
   It’s really remarkable when we think about what has happened to us -- where we were, headed toward perdition and where we are now, heirs of an imperishable and undefiled Kingdom (1 Pet. 1:4).
   Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal, 2 Corinthians 4:16–18.

The Flesh vs. The Spirit
   The spiritual is emphasized now more than the physical. We look through spiritual eyes now, much more than when we used to just look through our physical eyes.
   Yet, we are still physical and still have this struggle with the flesh and sometimes, if we are honest, we falter.
   James understood this and addressed it.
   What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; [so] you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; [so] you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend [it] on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward Elohim? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us?” James 4:1–5.
   What James writes here, may be hard for some to receive.
   Nevertheless, all Scripture is written for our instruction (Rom. 15:4) and the examples it provides (1 Cor. 10:11) helps us.
   King David’s pride moved him to commit murder to cover up his adulterous lust for a subordinate’s wife (2 Sam. 11). Yet, when he was confronted by the prophet Nathan, “You are the man” (2 Sam. 12:7), he immediately confessed and repented of his sin.
   King Saul, on the other hand, when demanded of Samuel the reason for his transgression, neither confessed nor repented of his pride but sought instead, to lay its responsibility upon the people (1 Sam. 15:20).
   We pray for better things among ourselves.
   For He gives aa greater grace. Therefore [it] says, “ELOHIM IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Submit therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to Elohim and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of Yahweh, and He will exalt you, James 4:6–10.
   The message is, in humility, we resist Satan who is full of pride.
   Yahshua the Messiah, Who came to serve and not be served (Matt. 20:28) taught that the rewards are not for the proud, but for the humble:

      • Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
      • Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
      • Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
      • Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
      • Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
      • Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see Elohim.
      • Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of Elohim.
      • Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
      • Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

   Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you, Matthew 5:3–12.
   In speaking to the sons of Zebedee, who wanted to sit on each side of Yahshua in His Reign, the Master reproved them for their wrong attitude/spirit.
   Yahshua called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and [their] great men exercise authority over them. It is not [to be] this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many,” Matthew 20:25–28.
   So, not only did Yahshua come to serve and not be served, but He came to give His life for many.
   Therefore if there is any encouragement in Messiah, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not [merely] look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Messiah Yahshua, who, although He existed in the form of Elohim, did not regard equality with Elohim a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, [and] being made in the likeness of men, Philippians 2:1–7.
   “… Being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” speaks of how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Psa. 133:1). We are to be perfectly joined together in the same mind, speech, and judgment (1 Cor. 1:10). Has this happened yet? We look forward to being united more fully and completely, when Yahshua returns. But, we strive for the perfection even now.
   This is the will of Yahshua for His Body, and He Himself became that example for us,
   Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a torture stake. For this reason also, Elohim highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the Name which is above every name, so that at the Name of Yahshua EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Yahshua Messiah is Master, to the esteem of Elohim the Father, Philippians 2:8–11.
   We also, as we humble ourselves and are persecuted for righteousness sake, shall be exalted at the appointed time and rewarded for the deeds done in these bodies.
   So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is Elohim Who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of Elohim above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Philippians 2:12–15.
   We teach and live Yahshua’s example. We are abstaining from sin, honoring the Heavenly Father by doing His will just as the Savior did.
   Considering pride, manifested by the deeds of the flesh (Gal. 5:19) and the death it brings, why would one not choose LIFE obtained by doing good, with humility and walking in Yahweh’s Spirit? For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Messiah Yahshua have put to death the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another, Galatians 5:22–26. The things opposite to pride, are the things of LIFE.