The Prophetic Prelude Of Evil

By Charles H. Spurgeon
 

'Before destruction the heart of man is haughty.'
Proverbs 18:12

     It is an old and common saying, that 'coming events cast their
shadows before them; 'the wise man teaches us that a
haughty heart is the prophetic prelude of evil. Pride is as safely
the sign of destruction as the change of mercury in the
weather-glass is the sign of rain; and far more infallibly so than
that --- when men have ridden the high horse, destruction has
always overtaken them.

     Let David's aching heart show that there is an eclipse of a
man's glory when he dotes upon his own greatness. 2 Sam. 24:10.

    See Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty builder of Babylon, creeping
on the earth, devouring grass like oxen, until his nails had grown
like bird's claws, and his hair like eagle's feathers.  Dan. 4:33. 
Pride made the boaster a beast, as once before it made an
angel a devil.

     God hates high looks, and never fails to bring them down. 
All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts.  O Christian,
is thine heart haughty?  For pride can get into the Christian's
heart as well as into the sinner's; it can delude him into
dreaming that he is 'rich and increased in goods, and hath
need of nothing.' Art thou glorying in thy graces or thy talents?
   Art thou proud of thyself, that thou hast had holy frames and
sweet experiences?
 

     Mark thee, reader, there is a destruction coming to thee also.
 Thy flaunting poppies of self-conceit will be pulled up by the
roots, thy mushroom graces will wither in the burning heat,
and thy self-sufficiency shall become as straw for the dunghill.
 If we forget to live at the foot of the cross in deepest lowliness
of spirit, God will not forget to make us smart under His rod.

     A destruction will come to thee, O unduly exalted believer,
the destruction of thy joys and of thy comforts, though there
can be no destruction of thy soul. Wherefore, 'He that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord.'

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Yours in Christ,
Paul N. F