LORD’S DAY, MAY 27
Daniel 8:8-12, 22
Proverbs 16:8-19

“A just weight and balance
are the LORD’S …”

THE GREAT HORN BROKEN

Read Proverbs 16:18-19. How true is God’s unchanging Word.

How easy it is for achievements, talents, gifts, position and acclamation to go to one’s head and corrupt one’s outlook and attitude in life. For one to reach great heights of power and honour and remain humble, uncorrupted and just is certainly a rare virtue which Alexander lacked. His irresistible power (“… there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand” Dan 8:7) caused him to magnify himself (“… the he goat waxed very great…” Dan 8:8) and to be greatly puffed up. This was the beginning of his downfall.

Whitcomb further amplified: “Having carved out an empire of 1.5 million square miles, Alexander provoked many of his Macedonian leaders to rebellion by claiming to be a god, by merging Persian and Greek elements in his army, and by marrying Persian women. ‘His mind full of new projects, Alexander built a fleet to explore the coasts of Arabia and Africa. He sailed up the Tigris to Opis, the ancient Assyrian city where Cyrus the Persian had defeated the Babylonians in 539. … Alexander entered Babylon for the last time in the spring of 323. Worn out by wounds, hardship and overdrinking, he fell ill of a fever. Soon he could neither move nor speak. He was propped up and each officer and soldier filed past. He acknowledged each man with his eyes or a slight movement of his head. Within two days Alexander died. He was not yet thirty-three years old.’”

So, “… the great horn was broken …” (Dan 8:8) and thus ended a meteoric career, now but a page of history. Just think of it, in ten fleeting years he had the whole world literally at his feet but before he could even sit back and savour the fruits of his exploits, Alexander’s life was taken from him.

What do you say to all this? Read God’s Word in James 4:14-15.

THOUGHT: Do I agree with Proverbs 16:32?
PRAYER: Lord, may I humble myself under Thy mighty hand.