Grace and Humility

Introduction

In two places that I can think of, scripture explicitly brings together the idea of grace and humility. Grace from God for the humble. The first is in Proverbs:

“He mocks proud mockers

But gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 3: 34

The second is in James, where this verse from Proverbs is quoted:

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud

But gives grace to the humble.””

James 4: 6

I encourage you to pause and read James, and Proverbs 3. This will help give context to our study.

As James was writing he had only the Old Testament as reference. Proverbs would have been written with only part of the Old Testament available, as we can see from this timeline. From this we can see that the Old Testament is speaking clearly of grace. Grace has been God’s design all along.

In this study we are going to look at this idea of grace to the humble, we will trace this through four Old Testament stories.

First let’s start with a working definition of both grace and humility. We can then see how these match up with scripture, and adjust them accordingly.

• Humility: the quality of a modest or low view of one’s importance (Oxford Dictionary)

• Grace: according to Vines it conveys a sense of beauty, pleasure, delight and finding favour. God sees us as beautiful, He finds pleasure and delight in us, and we receive His favour. (Vine W.E. Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1997, p500)

I am not so sure the Oxford Dictionary definition of humility is in line with a biblical understanding of humility. Remember we are God’s creation and He says of His creation it is good, and of mankind it is very good (see Genesis chapter 1). So to think low of ourselves is to think less of God’s creation than we should. However, we should not think too highly of ourselves. Balancing this is hard, but I think of humility as agreeing with what God says about me and how He sees me.

Personal Question

• Give thanks to God for His grace.

• Ask Him to help you grow in humility through this study.

Back to the Beginning

“The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”

Genesis 3: 21

To fully understand the significance of this verse we must look back at the rest of chapter 3.

Genesis 3 tells the story of how mankind was deceived by the snake and disobeyed God. In verse 10 we see the shame and fear that has entered human history.

“He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid””

Genesis 3: 10

Adam and Eve are hiding. There is a sense of them knowing now that they are not good enough to be with God. While we see fear in Adam and Eve as they come before God there is, I believe, a sense of humility for now they are aware of who they are before God. Adam hid because he knew he was not fit to stand before God. He had a God centred view of himself, this is what it means to be humble.

In verses 11-20 we see God’s first response. There is punishment for this sin of disobedience, yet in verse 21 we see an act of sacrifice and grace that covers their shame.

“The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”

Genesis 3: 21

An animal has been sacrificed to cover the sin of Adam and Eve. This is the first instance of that pattern, a pattern we see throughout the Old Testament, a pattern that eventually becomes part of the law of the Israelites. A pattern ultimately replaced by Jesus’ perfect sacrifice.

Personal Question

• Ask God to give you a God centred view of who you are.

• Thank God for His grace at work in your life.

Noah

The story of Noah is well known, but take a moment now to read it in Genesis 6-9. It’s worth having it fresh in your mind as we pick out a few key details in our study on humility and grace.

“This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”

Genesis 6: 9

What a summary of Noah's life. There are three key parts in this description of Noah.

1. He is righteous.

2. He is blameless.

3. He walked with God.

Let’s take a look at each of these in turn. Noah is righteous. So he was a man who was just and lawful, we can see that Noah lived well and, as only God can declare someone righteous, God thought so too.

Next we see what he was like compared to his generation. Noah was blameless among them. The Hebrew word for blameless, ‘ta.mim’, means ‘unblemished’. Noah lived among wicked people (Genesis 6: 5) and was not like them, he was unblemished, innocent, and he had integrity.

Finally we see that Noah “walked with God”. In this context it is not physically walking alongside God as in Genesis 3. Rather, in this context. It is speaking of the manner of Noah’s life. He prioritised God, and followed Him. It is, I think, because of this that Noah was described as righteous and blameless. He had a God centred life.

None of this means Noah led a perfect life, we can see that later in the story (Genesis 9 for example). But God is not looking for perfection, He is looking for those who will be humble before Him and centre their lives around Him.

In the story of Noah we have such a man. The response from God is an act of saving grace.

“So God said to Noah “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark out of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.”

Genesis: 6: 13-14

As God speaks His judgement on mankind, He speaks grace and salvation to Noah and his family.

This message of grace continues in chapters 8 and 9 as God makes His covenant with Noah, a covenant that remains to this day.

“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.”

Genesis 8: 20-21

We see two things here. First, Noah remains God centred. On leaving the ark he gives thanks and praise to God for his salvation. Second, in response to this humility God pours out a promise of grace.

As we read on into chapter 9 we see the account of the covenant between God and man, and the symbol we are all familiar with; the rainbow.

“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign between me and the earth…

…Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

Genesis 9: 12-15, 15

God is serious in this pouring out of grace. There has been grace to save Noah and his family and now a covenant of grace to protect the earth.

Mixed into this story, in chapter 9, are a couple of points that sound very familiar, when we remember the creation story.

• 9: 1 - “Be fruitful and increase in number”, see Genesis 2: 28

• 9: 3 - “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you”, see Genesis 2: 29-30, here God extends that provision.

What we see here is God, after the flood, restoring the original commission of humanity - to multiply and rule over the earth. God is doing this as an act of grace.

Personal Question

• Praise God for this covenant promise to all generations.

• As you read the story of Noah what strikes you most about Noahs’ heart and God’s response?

Moses and the Israelites in the desert

There are, throughout the exodus story, so many examples of God pouring out grace on His chosen people. When we look at those we wonder why. The Israelites grumble and complain and disobey, then God acts in grace. Why is this God’s response? I think there are two reasons, first God is good, God is love, and God is gracious. Second, the people have Moses seeking God, pleading for them, and living a God centred life.

For this study we are going to focus on the incident with the golden calf. But I encourage you to read the whole story and, as you do, be on the lookout for God’s grace at work.

We pick up the story in Exodus 32, God has given the law to the Israelites, and Moses is meeting with God on Mount Sinai. Before we dive into this story I just want to point out that in giving the law God is bringing freedom to His people. He is saying here is the best way to live, do this and I will be with you. The sacrifices included in the law are there so the people may remain in relationship with God. It is God’s grace opening up a way for mankind to be with Him. You read this in Exodus 19 - 30.

What happens next is well known, but let’s take a fresh look at it.

“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.””

Exodus 32: 1

How quickly the people forget God and all He has done. How easily they put up false gods. It is only in chapter 20 that the ten commandments are given, the first of which is to have no other gods. Notice too, one of the criteria of this false god is that it will go before them. This is what God has been doing day and night as a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. They seem so quick to trade the real God for a counterfeit.

This may seem so silly to us, and really it is, but I wonder if we do something similar. I suspect we don’t make golden statues to worship, but we do allow other things to become a god in our lives and to take the place of God. These may be seemingly good, or even Godly things. Our work, our relationships, our church and role there, there are many examples. No matter how good it may be, God alone is to be our God. If, or when, we do this we are just like the Israelites. We are taking something of God’s provision to us, like the gold and jewellery the Israelites melted down, and making it into an idol that takes the place of God.

““I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.””

Exodus 32: 9-10

God’s response is just. The people have turned away from Him and broken rule number one. What we see next, and what we see throughout the story of Moses leading the Israelites, is an intercessor standing in the gap. Moses’ response here is a foreshadowing of Jesus, he seeks God for mercy and grace. Moses humbles himself before God (23: 11-13). This exchange is before Moses sees the golden calf and hears for himself the claim of accidental creation (verse 24).

The focus of this study moves us now to chapter 33 and 34 where God, in his grace, gives the law on tablets of stone once more. I encourage you to read chapter 33 now. In it you will see Moses wanting always to be with the Lord, to have the Lord with him. This is a sign of his humility before God.

“Then Mosses said to him, “if your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”

Exodus 33: 15

Moses (verses 12-17) is keen to be with God and for God to be with the people, that others may know they are chosen. That they are different, set apart for God.

This desire to be with God is a significant part of what it means to be truly humble. Once again we see the result is an act of grace from God, first in 33: 17 as God agrees to go with Moses and the people, then in 34:1 as God provides two new stone tablets.

“The LORD said to Moses, “chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.”

Exodus 34: 1

God wants to give this law to the people, He wants to go with them. These are acts of extreme grace. They are both about God providing a way to keep the relationship open. All the laws, rules, restrictions, sacrifices, and requirements given to Israel are about making a way for an unholy people to be with the Holy God. They are a covenant of grace.

Personal Question

• Thank God for his grace that has always been making a way for a relationship with Him.

• Commit again to following Him and going where He calls you.

Jonah - a parable of grace

The book of Jonah, among the twelve minor prophets, is an interesting read. I recommend you take the time to read it, it’s pretty short and having the full story fresh in your mind will help with this brief study.

As a book of prophecy it is so different from the other eleven minor prophets, in fact there is only really one prophetic utterance:

“On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.””

Jonah 3: 4

The claim that this book is a parable rather than history is further supported by the narrative style.

“The story is full of humour and irony which supports the idea that it is a parable rather than a historical story.”

(Goldingay, J. The Bible For Everyone, 2018, p874)

None of this, interesting though it is, reduces the importance of the book, or detracts from the lessons we can learn about humility and grace.

The story starts with God calling Jonah, God has seen the wickedness of Nineveh and has decided to act, and Jonah is His chosen prophet. If this were a historical account Jonah is the most peculiar of the prophets - first he disobeys and then he complains of success, more on that as we go.

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

Jonah 1: 2

God is making a move fuelled by His mercy. At first reading this sounds more like a proclamation of judgement, but Jonah’s response is verse 2 shows there is mercy in God’s action. To understand this we must ask why does Jonah run away?

“In the years after the Exile there grew up in Israel a spirit of bitterness and vengefulness toward other lands. The nation had endured so much at the hands of enemies that there was little inclination to keep alive the vision of Israel as God’s servant through whom redemptive truth would one day reach all men (Isaiah 42: 1, 6)”

(The Interpreter’s Bible vol 6, 1978, p872)

This historical context helps us understand Jonah’s reaction as the main character in this parable. Further, after he obeys, his grumbling supports this.

“But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and astounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity”

Jonah 4: 1-2

Jonah did not want Nineveh saved. This is why he ran away. He did not want God, in His grace, to save another people for he was bitter towards other nations. In this parable the action and prayers of Jonah are the lesson that is being taught to Israel, and now to us - God wants to save all, and He wants to use us in that mission. We must not let hatred or fear creep in and rob us of that joy.

Let us look at what happens to Jonah in this parable and we shall see humility and grace at work.

Having received his commission from God Jonah simply runs away. I’m sure this is a familiar feeling for many of us. God may ask us to do something that seems too big, too dangerous, or that, like Jonah, we disagree with. We too may want to run away. This response is one that puts Jonah at the centre of Jonah’s world not God. As we read chapter 1, complete with Jonah sleeping through the storm we come to the first point of humility.

“Pick me up and throw me into the sea”, he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Jonah 1: 12

Here we see Jonah start to reorient his world around God once more. Most significantly, given the historical context, is that Jonah gives his life to save Gentile sailors.

God’s grace steps in here and saves Jonah.

“But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”

Jonah 1: 17

Chapter two continues the process of Jonah humbling himself before God, and God pouring out His grace. For me the key part of Jonah’s prayer in 2: 2-9 comes in verses 7-9.

““When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.”

Jonah 2: 7-9

Jonah remembers God, he remembers that salvation is from God and it is therefore up to God who He saves. Thankfully for Jonah, God saves him and gives him a second chance, Jonah 2: 10-3: 2. In this we see Jonah humbling himself before God and God pouring out His grace.

As we consider what happens in Nineveh we must conclude that God’s initial call of Jonah was an act of grace and mercy toward an undeserving city. When Jonah finally obeys we get to the prophecy.

“On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.””

Jonah 3: 4

In Hebrew this prophecy is only five words long, and it is not very clear. It contains no call to action, it contains no clear consequence. Yet it is effective. Nineveh repents, the king, the people, even the livestock (3: 7-9). The word we have as “overturned” is “ha.phakh” in Hebrew which can mean overthrown or transformed. This vagueness in Jonah’s proclamation is interesting as God fulfils this prophecy. The people are transformed and, like the sailors in chapter 1, are drawn to worship more than Jonah is. God’s response is one of grace.

“When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion on them and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.”

Jonah 3: 10

What we have seen in these first three chapters is a God of grace acting to save, and people becoming humble before Him. The sailors and the Ninevites re-centre their lives around God; this is what it means to be humble. As they do this they enter into the grace of God.

Personal Question

• Thank God for His grace, by which you are saved.

• Take time to re-centre around Him, allowing God to be your centre and your focus in all things.

Our Call

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land”

2 Chronicles 7: 14

The pattern we have talked about is made clear here once again. God is calling His people to humility. In Hebrew the word for “humble” is “ka.na” which has a sense of bringing yourself into subjection. We are God’s subjects. Being humble is primarily acknowledging this and bringing our lives in line with God and having Him as our centre. The whole passage, 7: 11-22, is God outlining to Solomon and to Israel the promise of His grace to those who live for Him. In this He is saying “that even if you turn away, there is always a way back, turn to me and I am here”.

Jesus also explains this in the parable of the prodigal son, in Luke 15: 11-32. The father longs for the son to return, but the son has to turn around and come back. In this parable Jesus is saying that God’s grace and mercy are there when you turn to Him as the younger son does. In the older son is a warning - don’t do the work begrudgingly, out of duty, or to earn favour. The Father desires relationship, and relationship is available.

Our call is to be those who are humble - keeping God at the centre of our lives and as our primary focus. God pours out his grace as we come to Him, allowing us this wonderful relationship with Him, a relationship He has desired since creation, and one He has been working to restore ever since the fall.

Personal Question

• Think about the areas of life where perhaps God is not your focus.

• Give thanks for His grace and commit all of your life to Him, making Him your primary focus again.