Because of our sin we are enemies of God (see Romans 5:10) and we boast in our perceived greatness. “For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 10:3-4). We have rebelled against the worthy one, the one worthy of all glory and honor. Such rebellion is shameful.
Sin brings shame. We feel the shame of our sin so we seek to cover ourselves as Adam and Eve did, believing that we can hide our sin. Yet before a holy God we are exposed and not only do we feel shame, we are put to shame. “The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods” (Psalm 97:6-7). The heavens make clear that God is glorious and yet we have all turned away so that none does good (Psalm 53:1). We have “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:23). All who worship anyone other than God will be put to shame; they will be brought low and rejected by him, pushed out of his presence. “For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them” (Psalm 53:5).
This shaming of the wicked has a purpose; it is not an end in itself. “Let [God’s enemies] be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth” (Psalm 83:17-18). The wicked are shamed so that they might know that only God is worthy of the honor they had sought for themselves. The wrath of God serves the glory of God.
Read the other posts in this series:
Part 1, “Introduction”
Part 2, “What Are Honor and Shame?”
Part 3, “The Honor of Man”
Part 4, “The Shame of Sin”
Part 5, “The Honor of the King (God’s Anointed One)”
Part 6, “Honor Comes through the Shaming of Your Enemies”
Part 7, “Honor, Shame and Salvation”
Part 8, “Honor through the Shame of the Messiah”
Part 9, “We Need More than a Messiah”
