All human pride will be set aside, and only God will stand above everything else.
“The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.” (v.11) This verse from the prophet Isaiah, who ministered in the kingdom of Judah between around 740 and 681 BC, conveys a striking warning against human arrogance. Isaiah served primarily in Jerusalem, a historic city perched in the hill country of the southern kingdom of Israel, and he spoke during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. In this passage, the “proud look of man” and “loftiness of man” refer to an inflated sense of self-sufficiency or superiority. The prophet asserts that these attitudes will be brought low, meaning they will be reduced to nothing by God’s judgment, and only God will occupy the place of exaltation.
By emphasizing “the LORD alone will be exalted in that day” (v.11), Isaiah highlights that everything in creation—kings, nations, and individuals—must yield to God’s sovereignty. This teaching resonates with later biblical truths that exalt God as the ultimate authority and power. Jesus likewise warns in the New Testament that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). The thread of humility versus pride weaves throughout Scripture, reminding believers to depend fully on God rather than on their own abilities or achievements.
The verse also foreshadows a day of reckoning often described throughout Isaiah’s writings, sometimes called “the Day of the LORD.” On that day, Isaiah states, God’s judgment will expose the emptiness of human pride. When that time comes, humanity’s achievements and boastful claims will fade away in the presence of the Almighty. This sobering message underscores the necessity of humility and the peril of pride in the spiritual life.
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Isaiah 2:11 meaning
“The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.” (v.11) This verse from the prophet Isaiah, who ministered in the kingdom of Judah between around 740 and 681 BC, conveys a striking warning against human arrogance. Isaiah served primarily in Jerusalem, a historic city perched in the hill country of the southern kingdom of Israel, and he spoke during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. In this passage, the “proud look of man” and “loftiness of man” refer to an inflated sense of self-sufficiency or superiority. The prophet asserts that these attitudes will be brought low, meaning they will be reduced to nothing by God’s judgment, and only God will occupy the place of exaltation.
By emphasizing “the LORD alone will be exalted in that day” (v.11), Isaiah highlights that everything in creation—kings, nations, and individuals—must yield to God’s sovereignty. This teaching resonates with later biblical truths that exalt God as the ultimate authority and power. Jesus likewise warns in the New Testament that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). The thread of humility versus pride weaves throughout Scripture, reminding believers to depend fully on God rather than on their own abilities or achievements.
The verse also foreshadows a day of reckoning often described throughout Isaiah’s writings, sometimes called “the Day of the LORD.” On that day, Isaiah states, God’s judgment will expose the emptiness of human pride. When that time comes, humanity’s achievements and boastful claims will fade away in the presence of the Almighty. This sobering message underscores the necessity of humility and the peril of pride in the spiritual life.