Self-exaltation is an excessively intensified sense of well-being, power, or importance, often manifesting as self-tribute, self-praise, self-honoring, self-glorifying, and self-worshipping. It places oneself above God, setting oneself up as an idol and prioritizing personal importance over divine authority. Satan exemplifies this sin as the archetype of the self-exalted being, having attempted to usurp God's throne. Nebuchadnezzar mirrored this by praising himself for building great Babylon through his own might and for his own majesty. The man of sin, the Antichrist, will embody this same spirit of pride as the most self-exalted human being. This sin arises from self-deception, where one believes oneself to be greater than reality permits. Satan, the father of pride, fosters this deception, and human nature perpetuates it once pride takes hold. Ironically, the pursuit of personal glory through self-exaltation ultimately leads to shame rather than honor. God eventually strips away the physical accomplishments of the self-exalted, bringing condemnation, debasement, degradation, and humiliation as their true reward. Those who glory in themselves often find no one else acknowledges their perceived achievements, likely because no truly glorious deeds were accomplished. The opposite of self-exaltation is humility, a trait God commends and promises to exalt in due time. Jesus Christ exemplifies this humility, having relinquished inexpressible glory to take on the humble form of humanity and perform the lowliest services. He consented to be without distinction or honor, willing to be despised and disregarded. By laying aside His former rank and dignity, He became as nothing, yet now He is exalted above all. His example guides us to overcome self-exaltation and cultivate the true, ultimately exalting trait of humility.

A basic spiritual principle addresses the celebration of birthdays, highlighting the issue of self-glorification. Human beings often redirect credit and glory to themselves, which is a form of idolatry. We have been called to worship the Creator, but those who remain carnal worship the creation. At birthday parties, gift-giving shifts honor to an undeserving recipient rather than to God, who deserves all praise and thankfulness for His wonderful creations and gifts. Satan uses this practice to diminish God's greatness and worthiness, promoting a selfish way of life. Celebrating birthdays also fosters wrong attitudes such as pride and self-centeredness. Satan, the seducer, misleads man through these subtle methods, encouraging self-exaltation over humility. Jesus Christ taught that whoever exalts himself will be abased, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Pride and humility cannot coexist, and Satan uses pride to combat humility. A birthday party places all attention on one individual, bestowing praise, honor, and gifts, which boosts self-esteem and can lead a young child to expect or demand such attention, potentially evolving into self-centeredness with grave consequences. A true Christian remains God-centered, giving honor to Him rather than to oneself. Everything we do should bring dignity, honor, glory, praise, and worship to the great and almighty God of the universe. If any action, including birthday celebrations, fails this test, it should be avoided.

God is far more concerned with the development of spiritual character within us and our being born into His Kingdom than with celebrating our physical birth. It is evident that He does not want His people to mimic the world in a self-serving and greedy approach, which includes how one treats the anniversary of one's birth. A birthday celebration with its usual trappings, such as inviting guests, giving elaborate gifts, baking and decorating a cake, and lighting candles, tends to accentuate flattery and vanity, fostering an I-me-my attitude and a get rather than give way of life. Vanity and glorifying the self are condemned in God's Word.

Pride, often seen as self-glorification, carries a destructive weight that even ancient Greek and Roman cultures recognized as hubris, a dangerous overestimation of one's own abilities leading to a break from reality. These societies observed through their tragedies that such pride offends higher powers and ultimately destroys the individual. Similarly, when individuals or entire societies become consumed with personal adequacy, power, prestige, and vanity, they fall into narcissism, a self-destructive pattern noted even by secular observers. Pride teeters on the edge of being humbled, and if not addressed, it will inevitably be brought low. To avoid such a fall, one must constantly monitor motivations, judging thoughts and actions to prevent a harsh correction from above. The call to humble oneself before the Lord is clear, with the promise that He will lift up those who do so. True exaltation comes only at the appointed time, by the hand of God, not through self or human acclaim.

Pride, as revealed in Ezekiel 28:17, began with satan, whose heart was lifted up because of his beauty, leading to his pride. In Job 41:34, God describes satan as the king over all the children of pride, using Leviathan as a type of the devil. This pride drove satan into war with God, as seen in Isaiah 14:12-14, and he has passed this destructive trait to his followers, causing division and conflict among them as their father does. Pride is a root that bears many evil fruits, often called the father of all sin. As long as pride remains, it can spring forth in harmful conduct. Psalm 10:4 captures pride's essence, showing that the wicked, in their proud countenance, do not seek God, with their thoughts centered on the greatness of man rather than acknowledging a higher power to whom they are accountable. In practical terms, as seen in Psalm 10:2, the proud persecute the poor, disregarding the needs and comforts of others in pursuit of personal desires, running over people without esteem for their interests or happiness. Pride also manifests through the tongue, as noted in Psalm 59:12, where proud individuals curse, lie, and offend, leaving others emotionally abused through abrupt, harsh, or overbearing speech. Isaiah 9:8-9 equates pride with arrogance, showing that where pride exists, arrogance is also present, further hindering unity. Additionally, Isaiah 16:6 links pride with wrath, a combination that fuels conflict, as the wrath of Moab exemplifies excessive and unjustified anger. Isaiah 28 connects pride with substance abuse, noting that it turns one away from God to focus on the self, often driving families apart. Proverbs 21:4 illustrates pride's ability to bear sin, likening it to plowing that prepares the ground for evil produce or a lamp that guides into sin. Obadiah 3 reveals pride's deceptive power, as it led Edom to believe in their self-sufficiency and invincibility due to their high stronghold, only to be brought down by the LORD. This deception is especially grave in relation to God, convincing the proud they need no higher power, a belief that severely threatens unity with Him.