Judith 1:12-16: a reflection

12And Nebuchadnezzar was exceedingly angry with all this land, and he swore by his throne and kingdom that he would surely be avenged upon all the coasts of Cilicia, Damascus, and Syria, that he would kill with his sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, the children of Ammon, all Judea, and all who were in Egypt, until you come to the borders of the two seas. 13And he set the battle in array with his army against King Arphaxad in the seventeenth year; and he prevailed in his battle, and turned to flight all the army of Arphaxad, with all his horses and all his chariots. 14He took possession of his cities. He came to Ecbatana and took the towers, plundered its streets, and turned its beauty into shame. 15He took Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau, struck him through with his darts, and utterly destroyed him to this day. 16He returned with them to Nineveh, he and all his company of sundry nations—an exceedingly great multitude of men of war. There he took his ease and banqueted, he and his army, for one hundred twenty days.

The account of Nebuchadnezzar opens with a portrait of raging pride: he was exceedingly angry, and swore by his throne and kingdom that he would surely be avenged upon all who had not submitted to him. He conquers, plunders, destroys, and then takes his ease in triumph, banqueting with his army for many days. Here is the self-exalting pride and rage of a tyrant who will have vengeance and dominance over all, who exalts himself over every people, whose anger must be satisfied by the subjection of all. It is an ugly picture: pride and rage that seek to dominate others, to have their own way over all, exalting self above every other.

Notice the ugliness of the self-exalting pride and rage on display. Nebuchadnezzar's anger demanded vengeance on all who had not submitted; his pride sought to dominate every people, to exalt himself over all. He would have his own way, his own vengeance, his own dominance, and took his ease in triumph over the conquered. This is the ugliness of pride and rage that seek to dominate others, to exalt self above every other, to have their own way at any cost. It is the very opposite of the humility and gentleness God loves; it is the pride that God opposes, the self-exaltation that seeks to dominate rather than to serve. Such pride and rage, however triumphant for a time, are what God opposes and will humble.

That is worth taking to heart, for the pride and rage that seek to dominate others are ugly, and God opposes them. We can, in smaller ways, harbor the same spirit: pride that must have its own way, anger that seeks vengeance and dominance over others, the desire to exalt ourselves over others rather than to serve; but this self-exalting pride is what God opposes, the very opposite of the humility he loves. Do not harbor the pride and rage that seek to dominate others and exalt yourself, for God opposes the proud; humble yourself rather than seeking dominance. Guard against the self-exalting pride and rage that seek to dominate others and have your own way, which God opposes and will humble, as Nebuchadnezzar's raging pride sought vengeance and dominance over all; for God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, and the spirit that seeks to dominate and exalt itself is the opposite of the humility and gentleness he loves.

Lord, the account of Nebuchadnezzar opens with a portrait of raging pride: he was exceedingly angry, and swore by his throne and kingdom that he would surely be avenged upon all who had not submitted to him. He conquers, plunders, destroys, and then takes his ease in triumph. Here is the self-exalting pride and rage of a tyrant who will have vengeance and dominance over all, whose anger must be satisfied by the subjection of all. It is an ugly picture: pride and rage that seek to dominate others, exalting self above every other. Show me the ugliness of the self-exalting pride and rage on display. Nebuchadnezzar's anger demanded vengeance on all who had not submitted; his pride sought to dominate every people, to exalt himself over all. He would have his own way, his own vengeance, his own dominance. This is the ugliness of pride and rage that seek to dominate others, to have their own way at any cost. It is the very opposite of the humility and gentleness you love; it is the pride that you oppose. Take that to my heart, for the pride and rage that seek to dominate others are ugly, and you oppose them. I can, in smaller ways, harbor the same spirit: pride that must have its own way, anger that seeks vengeance and dominance over others, the desire to exalt myself rather than to serve; but this self-exalting pride is what you oppose. Keep me from harboring the pride and rage that seek to dominate others and exalt myself, for you oppose the proud; help me humble myself rather than seeking dominance, Lord, guarding against the self-exalting spirit that Nebuchadnezzar showed, for you give grace to the humble.