Isaiah 5:21

SELF-CONCEIT

Isaiah 5:21. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.

Self-conceit.

I. Its signs: dogmatism; contempt of others; scepticism.

II. Its causes: ignorance [667] vanity.

[667] The truest characters of ignorance

Are vanity, and pride, and arrogance;
As blind men use to bear their noses higher
Than those that have their eyes and sight entire.

—Butler.

By ignorance is pride increased;
Those most assume who know the least:
Their own self-balance gives them weight,
But every other finds them light.
—Gay.

III. Its folly: it makes a man ridiculous; leads him into error.

IV. Its offensiveness to God; in spirit—principle—action. V. Its certain humiliation.—J. Lyth, D.D.

INTELLECTUAL PRIDE

Isaiah 5:21. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.

Woe to the intellectually proud. I. To the self-conceited sceptic, who sits in judgment upon the Word of God, and condemns it [670] II. To the self-conceited enthusiast, who substitutes his own fancies for Divine truth. III. To the self-conceited Pharisee, who trusts in his own works. IV. To the self-conceited sinner, who despises instruction. V. Woe! for they shall all perish.—J. Lyth, D.D.

[670] The denial of anything does not falsify it. If a man has swallowed poison, his adopting an opinion that it cannot kill him, contributes nothing to his safety; and it is awful to stand and see his conviction and his death arriving together. Your denying a resurrection, will not hide you for ever in the grave. Your disbelieving a day of retribution, will not keep you from appearing before God. “Their judgment,” says the apostle, “now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not:” while they reason, it rolls on; every argument brings it one distance nearer.—Jay.