How Art Thou Fallen
In the manual: Come, Follow Me lesson 39, “A Marvellous Work and a Wonder,” on Gospel Library
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Isaiah wrote a song for the day the proud king of Babylon would fall. In it, people stare at the fallen king and ask, “Is this the man that made the earth to tremble?”
Read Together
Babylon was one of the greatest cities in the world, and chapter 13 says it would one day stand empty. Today it is a field of ruins in Iraq. In chapter 14, Isaiah’s words reach past the king to Lucifer, the angel who rebelled against God and was cast out (Doctrine and Covenants 76:25–26).
3And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
What It Teaches
Count how many times Lucifer says “I will” in verses 13 and 14. There are five. He wanted to climb above the stars of God and sit where God sits. Verse 15 answers all five, and he goes down to the pit.
The Book of Moses tells what Lucifer was after. In the council in heaven, Satan asked the Father to give him his honor. Jesus Christ said the Father’s will should be done and the glory should be the Father’s forever (Moses 4:1–2). He kept to that all the way to Gethsemane, where he prayed, “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).
President Ezra Taft Benson taught that pride pits our will against God’s. “When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of ‘my will and not thine be done.’”
President Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” General conference, April 1989
Verse 3 holds a promise for everyone that pride has hurt. The Lord will give “rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear.” Babylon’s pride came down, and with the Lord’s help ours can too.
Talk About It
Pride says “I will” in small ways, like refusing to say sorry or needing to win every argument. Where do you notice it in yourself, and what would “not my will, but thine” look like there?
Take to Church
Lucifer said “I will” and fell. Jesus Christ said “not my will, but thine,” and the Father raised him up.