Swimming in Manure

“The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;

    but Moab will be trampled in their land

    as straw is trampled down in the manure.

They will stretch out their hands in it,

    as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim.

God will bring down their pride

    despite the cleverness of their hands.

He will bring down your high fortified walls

    and lay them low;

he will bring them down to the ground,

    to the very dust.”

Isaiah 25:10-12

What a picture scripture paints for us of those whose trust is in their own skills and industriousness and who take great pride in what they have accomplished rather than trusting in the Lord!

Isaiah 25:10-12 speaks of the Moabites swimming in manure and seeing their fortified walls destroyed because of their great pride.

The very things they had trusted in were taken away.

Another place in scripture (Isaiah 64:6) speaks of all of our own righteousness being like blood soaked menstrual rags.

When we, in pride, exalt the works of our own hands over Gods’ work in our lives we are in a very unstable place.

We can accomplish nothing of eternal value apart from God!

Though we think our feats may be great (like the wonderful defensive walls the Moabites trusted in), God can bring them down in a moment.

How much better to trust in God than in our own skill, wisdom and strength!