Day 3 – God is Humble

The book of Hebrews identified Jesus as the exact likeness of God so when we want to learn about God we can and need to look at Jesus.

Hebrews 1:3

He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. ESV

One of the principle attributes of Jesus is that He is humble.

Matthew 11:29

Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest ( relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. [Jeremiah 6:16.]

HUMILITY defined:

Humility is a freedom from arrogance. The Greek philosophers despised humility because it implied inadequacy, lack of dignity, and worthlessness to them. This is not the meaning of humility as defined in the Bible and it is not the definition of humility that can be attributed to God.

Jesus is the supreme example of humility (Matt 11:29; Mark 10:45; John 13:4-17; Phil 2:5-8), and He is completely adequate, moreover He is of infinite dignity and worth. Biblical humility is not a belittling of oneself (Matt 6:16-18; Rom 12:3), but an exalting or praising of others.

A humble person, then, focuses more on God and others than on himself. The humility of God is the attribute of God that compels Him to bend low in kindness, redeem us, and come to serve us.

Psalm 113:5-6

Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth? NKJV

Philippians 2:5-11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ESV

It is a "great paradox in Christianity that it makes humility the avenue to glory.”

As Jesus was exalted to prominence because of His humility, so does God exult us when we adopt the attitude of humility. We were created in the image of God and a significant part of His image and likeness is to be and become a truly humble people. Putting on the cloak of humility honors God and it is the pathway to power in His kingdom

Psalm 138:6

For though the Lord is high, yet has He respect to the lowly [bringing them into fellowship with Him]; but the proud and haughty He knows and recognizes [only] at a distance. AMP

James 4:10

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. ESV

1 Peter 5:5-8

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ESV

Humility is a state of mind well pleasing to God

1 Peter 3:3-5

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. ESV

Humility preserves the soul in tranquility

Psalm 69:32-34

When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him, ESV

Humility is the way to honor

Proverbs 16:18-19

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the meek and poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. AMP

The greatest promises are made to the humble

Psalm 147:6

The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. ESV

Isaiah 57:15

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. ESV

Isaiah 66:2

All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord.

But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. ESV

Discussion Questions

Day 3 – God is Humble