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INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PRAYER UNIVERSITY – MIKE BICKLE
JESUS, OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION CLASS

Session 10 The Humility of God
I. THE UNIQUENESS OF GOD’S HUMILITY

A. The concept of a humble God is very unique in the world religions throughout history. As we
understand God’s humility it produces admiration, confidence and inspiration in us. His love and
humility are twin virtues that are expressed together.

B. The only character trait Jesus proclaimed about Himself was His humility (lowliness of heart).
He called His disciples to learn humility from Him. Anyone can grow in meekness, whether rich
or poor, in the palace or the prison, whether treated with honor or continually mistreated.
29
Take My yoke...learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart [humble]… (Mt. 11:29)

C. Jesus didn’t put on humility to just to accomplish a task on earth. Humility it is part of His
eternal nature. He has existed eternally in the form of God as a servant. He did not become
something in the incarnation that He was not already.

D. He declared that a servant is the greatest of all. He will forever be the greatest servant with the
most humility. God relates to us with humility and uses His power with humility as a servant.
28
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve… (Mt. 20:28)
11
But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. (Mt. 23:11)

E. God showed us who He is in His core identity when Jesus took off His robe and girded Himself
with a towel and knelt before sinful men to wash their dirty feet (Jn. 13). The world religions
seek “gods of power.” but Jesus revealed the “kneeling God.” We can only understand the truth
about God and His glory as we see Him “kneeling as a servant” before His broken people.
5
He…began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel… (Jn. 13:5)

F. Even in the millennial kingdom, Jesus will serve those who lived a life of humility and watching.
37
Blessed are those servants whom the Master, when He comes, will find watching…He will
gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. (Lk. 12:37)

G. The nations will see Jesus’ humility in His victorious triumph at His second coming. Jesus will
take over all the nations only on the basis of humility and righteousness (Ps. 45:4). Meekness is
power under control. It restrains the use of power to promote humility and righteousness, etc.
4
In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness…
(Ps. 45:4, NIV)

H. Humility is at the foundation of what God is, does, and blesses forever. Therefore, its supremacy
is inevitable and its formation in the saints is essential. God is attracted to humility as are men
and angels. The beauty of God’s humility is imparted to those who seek it. It beautifies our lives.
4
The LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble… (Ps. 149:4)

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JESUS, OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION CLASS – MIKE BICKLE
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II. HUMILITY OPENLY EXPRESSED IN THE INCARNATION (PHIL. 2:6-9)

A. There is great mystery in reality of the incarnation, or God manifest in the flesh. There are many
truths that must be held in tension without any of us being able to bring them to a resolution.
16
And without controversy [any debate] great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested
in the flesh, justified [vindicated, NIV] in the Spirit [by the resurrection]... (1 Tim. 3:16)

B. Jesus is the premier expression of God’s humility on the earth. His humility was expressed most
when He became a man and died on the cross. It gives us insight into how He carried His heart.
6
Who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery (something to be grasped, NIV) to
be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation (emptied Himself NAS), taking the form
of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a
man [human form, RSV], He humbled Himself…to the point of death… (Phil. 2:6-8)

C. Robbery: Jesus did not consider it robbery to be equal to God in privilege and honor. This is
interpreted by some in one of two ways. First, Jesus did not “take” anything from the Father by
insisting on the privileges equal to God. (These were His by virtue of being God). Second, He
did not “take” anything from Himself by refusing the privileges of being treated as equal to God.
He did not claim His privileges as something the He had to grasp forcibly (robbery).

1. He did not insist on His rights to live free from rejection, pain, and humiliation. When
One has the power to create the universe, why should He ever be hungry or rejected?

2. In denying Himself of His rightful privileges by living as a humble bond servant, He did
not deny His true identity, but was being true to Himself.

D. No reputation: He did not insist on being honored, understood or viewed rightly (v. 7). Jesus
emptied Himself of His reputation in the eyes of man. He embraced a lifestyle where everyone
underestimated Him and His abilities. People never knew how superior His abilities were. When
they saw Him, they saw nothing to distinguish Him. He was content to be seen as an ordinary
man without any special form (status) or comeliness (attractiveness) and without seeking esteem.
2
He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should
desire Him. 3He is despised and rejected by men…and we did not esteem Him. (Isa. 53:2-3)

E. Consider the analogy of being the wealthiest person on earth with billions of dollars without ever
mentioning it or using it for yourself. We would naturally want a few people to know about it
because it would change the way they related to us. Jesus related to people as a humble servant
instead of as a powerful and influential man who was very rich.

F. What does our transcendent God aspire to? He cannot go any higher or get more power or be
greater. He can increase the expression of His love and humility by sharing Himself with those
so much lower and who do not deserve it.

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G. Jesus expressed the glory of the Father in His humanity. He didn’t lose His identity as God by
becoming human, but rather in it He expressed the truth about the nature of God. God revealed
His glory to Moses as being gracious with great patience and goodness (Ex. 33:18-19; 34:6).

H. The very fact that God loves us and so zealously wants our love is profound humility. We are
rightly fascinated by God’s transcendent power because it is so foreign to us. However, God’s
indescribable love and humility is what produces love and humility in us.
24
Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am… (Jn. 17:24)
21
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne… (Rev. 3:21)

I. Jesus exalted God by openly displaying the kindness of the Father’s story.
6
Made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He
might show the exceeding riches of…His kindness toward us in Christ. (Eph. 2:6-7)

J. The revelation of His glory includes seeing One so high (transcendence) who went so low
(condescension) to bring us so near (redemption) because we are so dear (Bride). The Most
High God went so low because of such great desire for partnership with us. Jesus wants
adoration and gratitude based partnership with Him at the deepest levels imaginable. We are
awestruck by His power, overwhelmed by His humility, and made confident by His love.

K. God’s humility is expressed in all He does especially in exalting weak humans to rule with Him.
5
Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, 6Who humbles Himself to behold the
things that are in the heavens and in the earth? 7He raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts
the needy out of the ash heap, 8that He may seat him with princes… (Ps. 113:5-8)
8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among
princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. (1 Sam. 2:8)

L. He was already so rich and had all authority before the incarnation but He did not have us with
Him (Jn. 17:24). He was so rich and became so poor, so that we can become so rich with Him.
9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes
He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)

M. If Jesus’ core identity was in showing His power, then His incarnation would have been a denial
of His true self. He did not serve to prove something, but to express the truth about Himself. It is
precisely because Jesus is God that He served and gave freely to ungrateful men (Lk. 6:35).
There was nothing un-Godlike about washing the disciples’ feet. He was at home doing this.

N. Jesus is not out to just prove a point about how powerful He is, but to win our hearts for love. He
did not come as the God of jasper like glory (Rev. 4:3), but as a Man who expressed it by the
mystery of humility. The God of glory wants relationship with humans not just to dazzle them.
He can amaze us with a show of power, but can not have relationship with us without humility.
3
And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance… (Rev. 4:3)

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III. JESUS WAS CONTENT TO BE HIDDEN IN GOD’S WILL (ISA. 49)

A. Isaiah gave us prophetic insight into how Jesus viewed His life and ministry in this age. This
passage does not describe Jesus complaining, but it reveals His confidence in God’s evaluation
of His life. Men concluded that Jesus spent His strength in vain because He did not achieve
anything notable in their eyes during His 33 years. However, God saw His life as glorious.
2
In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me…in His quiver He has hidden Me…4I said, “I
have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just
reward is with the Lord… 5I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD… (Isa. 49:2-5)

B. Jesus had confidence that God saw His life as glorious. Before Jesus preached one sermon or
healed one person, the Father was well pleased with His 30 years of humility. During this time
Jesus had not achieved anything notable before men. His strength was spent on nothing outward
that men would celebrate, but on loving and serving His Father and the people.
17
A voice from heaven, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mt. 3:17)

C. Jesus as a servant was to be hidden (v. 2) until the Father’s appointed time to reveal Him to the
nations as the King. Jesus is the servant of the very nations who despised and abhorred Him.
7
Thus says the LORD…to Him [Jesus] whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors,
to the Servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and…worship because the Lord…has chosen You."
(Isa. 49:7)

D. In the Western culture little and humble is seen as negative. Jesus comes to us hidden as an
unknown carpenter in a small town. Humility is not just an admirable character trait, but is who
God is and how He brings transformation to the nations. Many believers only see the God of
power who reigns without seeing that He reigns by power flowing from humility. Thus, they
only seek to grow in power to reign more instead of growing in humility to reign like Jesus.

E. To only use a show of power is “far too weak” of a method to change the nations. The nations
will only be permanently transformed by humans in relationship with Jesus in deep humility.
Only the “power” of God’s humility can produce this. Many ask why doesn’t God speak more
and show more of His power? God’s hiddenness is part of the message that unveils the true
nature of His eternal kingdom. In this hour, God listens more than He speaks to His people, and
waits to be invited by love more than hurries to take over the nations by a show of power.

F. We relate to and gaze on a God who is deeply moved by our love, joy, and responses to Him. He
is the fullness of love and humility—giving more than He receives (Acts 20:35) and rejoicing
with us (Rom. 12:15). Some think of gazing on an unmoved God with a non-relational paradigm.
35
The Lord Jesus…said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

G. God’s resting place will forever be in context a kingdom of people who live in humility.
1
Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool…where is the place of My rest?...2On this one
will I look: on him who is poor [poor in spirit] and of a contrite spirit [humility] … (Isa. 66:1-2)

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