Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)
Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
The Hebrew word for pride in this verse is "gaon". The "gaon" was the most excellent leader and interpreter of the Jewish law. The gaons were the most respected of Jewish scholars and were regarded as the authority on all things Torah. The use it here, in this proverb and in this way, is to show that having excellence in life is not the fault, but rather taking credit for it and laying claim to it as a self-acheivement. The second line is synonymous with the first line. The haughty spirit correlates with our word pride in the first line. Solomon is telling us that excellence with a haughty spirit (one of arrogance and self-promotioin) is a spirit that will put you on the stumbling road. When we are the best at something we ought not to fear. But, when we claim being the best based upon our own achievements and attainments and we fail to give credit to God and others we will immediately fall onto a slippery slope. Consider Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, Benhadad and Herod. All were leaders who claimed their power and achievement were their own, when in reality God puts up on and sets down another. Even believers can fall into this trap. Think of David, Hezekiah, Rehoboam, Jeraboam, and, even, Solomon, who all fell into sin because of their pride. Pride comes first and then destruction. Paul warned us that when we place confidence in the flesh we will soon fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). Pride is the ultimate sin that offends God. Satan told Eve if she ate the fruit it would make her wise, like God. He appealed to her pride. We think highly about ourselves. Jesus taught us that the road to honor comes from humility. If it is the highway of pride it leads us to the town of destruction.
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