Occasionally a provocation uttered by an Old Testament prophet proves too good not to discuss. Like how Isaiah taunted the king of Babylon:

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers.

A mattress of maggots with a blanket of worms. So much for the glory of Babylon. Isaiah reminded powerful rulers of the Lord’s disdain for pride and arrogance. Sheol represents the grave, and forms the final resting place of vanity and hubris. It’s quite the picture, the trappings of court rotting away in the dirt. Such is the final result of all who seek glory at the expense of the Lord.

How do I apply this teaching to my life? To start, I ask the Holy Spirit to point out areas of pride (or vainglory to use an older term) that move me away from God. Where do I place myself above others? In what areas might I need a dose of humility? Then I reflect on the end result of life. I too will end up in the grave, with the worms who consume both my mortal flesh and my self-centered ways. No one remembers the king of Babylon anymore, nor will they long remember me and you. We all disappear.

The Lord, however, never forgets. My soul, if placed under his care and in the hand of his instruction, will find a better home than a moldering bed of worms.

Isaiah 14:11

Photo by Morten Jakob Pedersen