The title of today’s message is “God opposes the proud”. In the passage that was read this morning a prophecy of the judgment on Babylon is written. Put in one word the reason that Babylon was destroyed was pride. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” “God opposes the proud.” (James 4:6) Babylon was prideful so it was destroyed. In what ways was Babylon prideful? Today I would like to talk about three points of this.

I. Only I am special (Vs. 8,9)
First of all Babylon was prideful saying to herself, “I am, and there is none besides me.” (8) Please look at verses 8 and 9. “Now then, listen, you wanton creature,
lounging in your security
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none beside me,
I will never be a widow
or suffer the loss of children.’
Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.”
“You wanton creature, lounging in your security” (8) is Babylon. They indulged in carnal pleasures and lived in idleness. “Loss of children and widowhood” (9) is a prophecy that Babylon will be destroyed. In the course of time, the Persian King Cyrus came and destroyed them. Babylon that was said to be impregnable will be destroyed in one day. Ｎo one ever thought that that the tall walls surrounding the City could be broken down and so they drank, and indulged in carnal pleasures, living in security. Their problem was that in their hearts they were saying to themselves, “I am, and there is none beside me.” (8) They thought they were special. Even though they weren’t, they assumed they were.
These words, “I am, and there is none beside me” are almost a claim of deity. Please look at Isaiah 46:9. Here it says, “I am God, and there is no other.” This is a declaration of God. In other words, these are the words of God. These words of God are used here by Babylon. In other words, they are saying that they themselves are really God.

Behind Babylon was the presence of Satan. Last week too we saw that if you look at Isaiah 14, Satan said, “I will make myself like the Most High,” (14:14) and was “brought down”. (14:15) He was originally the brightest angel. He was the “morning star” (14:12), Lucifer. This “morning star” (14:12) fell because he said, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will set enthroned on the mount of assembly on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” (14:13, 14) He is stressing himself so he was “brought down”. (14:15)

In the same way “I” is being stressed by God. Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Here God is stressing “I”. I am the one who will rescue you. “I will carry you.” (46:4) “I am he” (46:4) Satan is saying the same thing. In other words, Satan is saying that he is exactly the same as God and is trying to make himself God. Babylon said, “I am, and there is none besides me.” (10) Babylon is self-centered, not God centered.
Self-centeredness is to think that you are absolute. It is to think that you are special. In reality that is the thinking of atheists. Atheists say that there is no God. They can’t believe in God. They believe only in themselves. However, no one other God can say this. Only God is able to exist by himself. God said, “I AM WHO I AM”. (Exodus 3:14) We can’t say this at all. We can’t breathe by ourselves, and we can’t move our heart by ourselves. We are a being that must depend upon the sun, water, food, and etc. which are all outside of ourselves to live. However, God can exist by only himself. Only by himself God can live eternally. Therefore, it is o.k. for God to be God centered. God is the one and only God. He can say, “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (46:9) Babylon stole these words and said them just as they are. That is the problem. How prideful! “A catastrophe …will suddenly come upon” (11) such prideful people. No matter how many sorceresses you go to, no matter how strongly you say magic spells, “A catastrophe …will suddenly come upon” (11) you.
During the American civil war, the Alabama 21st regiment put on the first protective uniform that was developed and triumphantly stood in front of the enemy’s soldiers. They called out to the enemy saying that if they had this type of protective uniforms then they would definitely not die. Just then, a bullet came flying and a soldier fell there. The enemy didn’t shoot at the chest where the soldier was wearing protective clothing, but at his head. The soldier was protected in one place and thought that by doing so that he was completely protected, but unfortunately as a result of his stupidity he lost his life.

To think that you lack nothing and so you don’t seek the Lord is being prideful. It is stupid. The Bible says to always recognize God. Step by step we mustn’t depend upon our knowledge and skills, but we must seek the Lord’s leading. To seek the Lord’s leading means to humble ourselves and put ourselves under God and to follow the Lord’s leading. In the Psalms it says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” (Psalm 127:1) In the end, whether people recognize God or don’t recognize God, God rules over everything. If God doesn’t help then it is meaningless. No matter how much man puts out effort, if God doesn’t do it then it is meaningless. Let’s humble ourselves below God’s hands. If we do that, at just the right time, God will raise us up.

II. No one sees me (Vs. 10 & 11)
Next, please look at verses 10 and 11. Babylon says to themselves, “No one sees me” (10) and trusted in their own wickedness.
“You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’
Your wisdom and knowledge misled you,
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’” (10,11)

Babylon trusted in their own wickedness and said, “No one sees me.” (10) Babylon had become this prideful because they didn’t fear God. Even though they didn’t fear God their wisdom and knowledge increased. This misled them. Proverbs teaches us that fear is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. They didn’t fear the Lord so such wisdom and knowledge misled them.
We do bad things because we think, “No one sees me.” (10) We deceive and steal because we think, “No one sees me.” (10) If someone is looking we can’t do such things. When we think, “No one sees me,” (10) we commit many sins. Babylon thought, “No one sees me.” (10) and did whatever they wanted to do.
However, God sees everything. God who can’t see with his eyes, sees everything concerning you. He is able to see through to the insides of your heart. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7) God knows the thoughts of our hearts. Please open your Bibles to Psalms 94:7 to 11. Here it says, “They say, ‘The LORD does not see;
The God of Jacob pays no heed.
Take heed, you senseless ones among the people;
you fools, when will you become wise?
Does he who implanted the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?
Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does he who teaches man lack knowledge?
The LORD knows the thoughts of man;
he knows that they are futile.”
To think, “There is none besides me” (10) is a huge mistake. The Lord sees everything. The Lord looks out over everything. God sees everything about you. Another way of saying it is that even from before you were born God always looked out over you. Therefore, it is impossible to deceive God. Therefore, we must fear God. Daily fear God, be conscious of God, and honor God. To think, “There is none besides me” (10) is prideful. It is stupid. If we don’t know this, we will meet the disasters of verse 11.
However, in reverse those who fear the Lord will be blessed. Psalms 121:5-8 says, “The LORD watches over you-
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.”
“You” (5) is Israel. They are the people of God that have been redeemed by God so they will not be harmed. Also this is a promise for us Christians who have been redeemed by God. Those who believe in Jesus will never be harmed. That is because Jesus was harmed for us in our place.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18)

Therefore, whoever believes in the Son of God “is not condemned.” (John 3:18) What a blessing! However, even if we are a Christian if in our hearts we think, “I am, and there is none besides me,” (8) then “Disaster will come upon you.” (11) In this case this disaster will be the work of reaping the sin that you sowed. Man must reap what he sows. When you drop a glass on the floor, the glass breaks and what was in the glass goes flying out and the carpet gets dirty. In the same way when a Christian sins, he is affected by his sin. The person may lose his family. He may lose his health. He may lose his name and respect. Like this our sin takes many things from us. Therefore, when we sin the person that suffers the most is the person who sinned himself.
Therefore, so this suffering (disaster) doesn’t happen to us, don’t trust in your wickedness saying, “No one sees me.” (10) Also don’t have prideful thinking like, “I am, and there is none besides me,” (10) We must reap what we sow. We must suffer the “disasters” of the sin we commit. However, God declares, whoever believes in Jesus Christ “is not condemned.” (John 3:17) We suffer from the consequences of our sin, but we will never be condemned or judged. Therefore, we must just fear God, honor God, and follow God.

III. There is not one that can save you. (12-15)
Let’s finish by looking at verses 12-15. “(12) Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. (13) All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions mouth by mouth, let them save you from what is coming upon you. (14) Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by. (15) That is all they are to you –these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you.”
Babylon’s image is pictured here as trying to save themselves just through their own wisdom and knowledge, and through solutions by their own know how instead of being afraid of God. “The magic spells, which you have labored at since childhood.” are the magical practices that existed from a long time ago. The sutra from Buddhism is one of them. Reading sutras might calm you, but it won’t solve the real problem.
What about the counsel that is written in verse 13? There are a lot of counsels around us. Such are counseling, things that are said through TV and magazines, internet, things that other people say, and things that each specialists say. There are a lot of counsels, but do these help you? Unfortunately, even if we listen to that advice, most of the times things said are all different according to what you listen to, and you get confused not knowing what to listen to. There is a TV program called “Nainai answer”. It’s a program where people listen and give advice to one artist’s problem. There’s about 20 experts from different areas there, and they give advices from their own perspective, but there’s so many advices that you don’t know which advice to listen to. There are even times when there are two completely opposite advices. That kind of advice might just wear people out instead of helping them.
Then what about your astrologers, or those stargazers who make predictions mouth by mouth? This represents Babylon’s old astrology. Babylon is the place of origin for astrology. From there it was passed over to Greece, India, and China. Horoscope,
which is one kind of western astrology also started from here. ONMYODO, the way of yin and yang, which also was passed over from China to Japan also started originally in Babylon.
Even nowadays many people rely on these magic spells that have been passed on for many years. There are people who check their fortune-telling of the day through radio, TV, newspaper or magazines. Many people rely on blood type fortune-telling, animal fortune-telling, and things like lucky cards.
I had a meeting with the Baptist church group in Sendai, and in the train coming home, some high school people were talking about fortune-telling. They were saying that fortune-telling is always successful, so that they wanted to go there again.
But these things will not save you. Please look at verse 14.
Here it says, “Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by.”
These magic spells and many sorceries, many counsels and stargazers which have labored during childhood will not save you. Rather, if you continue to rely on these things, it will bring bitter experiences to you. God is a God who judges strictly.
Then what should we do? At the end of Ecclesiastes it says, “(13) Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (14) For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Fear God. Obey God’s commandments. This is all a human being needs to do. God will judge those who think that they are special or those who are arrogant that they think they are more than others. God is a God who judges people who are arrogant, and a God who brings blessings to those who are humble. The only way for us to receive blessings is just to be humble towards God.
In I Corinthians 10:12 it says, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” There are times when we feel like we are standing by ourselves even though it is through God’s grace and blessing that we are able to stand. In the Bible it says that God gives life to each one of us and God is the one who provides everything. Yet, there are times when we have times when we feel like we are doing everything by ourselves. How about you? Everything is through God’s grace. We must not think that we are able to stand through our own power. Of course there might be times when we do things by our own power, but we as Christians should remember that it is all through God’s blessings and grace that we are blessed.
At times when we are able to be so successful in life, that is all because of God’s blessings and grace, and therefore, we need to be careful to be thankful to God and those who support us. God judges people who are arrogant, but brings blessings to those who are humble.