“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
Pride is a death sentence. The proud person is so driven to prove themselves that they will stubbornly hold to a course that leads to their undoing. The mania of pride is just as foolish as that of any passion, such as anger or lust. Pride truly causes the loss of one’s better judgment.
We may ask how Satan can keep going when the writing is on the wall? Why doesn’t he surrender? His pride keeps him from humbling himself. He refuses to give God the satisfaction of winning. Pride underlies strife. “He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife …” (Proverbs 28:25) Lucifer fell in love with himself. He must be right. He must prove God wrong. A humble acknowledgment of his error is out of the question.
In the book of Job, allusion is made to Satan in the character of Leviathan. “He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.” (Job 41:34) What do the proud have in common with their “father?” Hardness of heart. “His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.” (Job 41:24)
There is no hope for Satan. His doom is certain because his pride will not permit him to change his course. He would rather spend eternity in flames than say he was wrong and God was right. There is yet hope for men though, even those who were once Leviathan’s children. But pride must give way to humility. And when it does, there will come the honor that was so desperately sought.
“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.” (Proverbs 18:12)