Jewish tradition has some pretty strong opinions on that. And, spoiler alert: it doesn't end well.

Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrash (interpretive stories) on the Book of Exodus, dives deep into this very idea. It identifies four historical figures who, in their arrogance, essentially declared themselves divine. And each one faced a rather humbling comeuppance.

First up is Ḥiram, the King of Tyre. Ezekiel 28:2 quotes him as saying, "I am a god." Not a great move. According to Ezekiel 28:17, his pride led to his downfall: "Your heart was elevated because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness; I have cast you to the ground." Ouch.

Then there's Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king. He takes it a step further, proclaiming in Isaiah 14:14: "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High." The nerve! God's response? According to Isaiah 14:15, "Yet you shall be brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit." And as if that weren't enough, Daniel 4:30 tells us he was driven into the wilderness, forced to eat grass like an animal! Midrash Rabbah even suggests the animals abused him there, referencing Habakkuk 2:17 by drawing a parallel to the prohibition against intermarriage in Deuteronomy 7:3. However, even in his madness, Daniel 4:31 says that Nebuchadnezzar eventually acknowledged God and regained his understanding. Talk about a humbling experience!

Of course, we can't forget Pharaoh. He boasts in Ezekiel 29:3, "My river is mine, and I have made it for myself." This declaration of self-sufficiency, of denying God's role in even the natural world, sealed his fate. Jeremiah 44:30 foretells his demise at the hands of his enemies. The Midrash connects Pharaoh's downfall with a loss of power and status, comparing him to a woman whose hair is loosened in humiliation, referencing Numbers 5:18 and Isaiah 19:16.

Finally, there's Yoash, King of Judah. After the death of Yehoyada, as we read in II Chronicles 24:17, the princes of Judah prostrated themselves before him, effectively treating him as a deity. The Midrash suggests that they convinced him he was divine because he emerged unharmed from the Holy of Holies after seven years. Big mistake. II Chronicles 24:23-25 details how he was attacked by the Aramean army, suffered great diseases, and was denied burial in the royal tombs. The Midrash cleverly interprets the word "shefatim" (judgments) in II Chronicles 24:24 as "shefutim" (exposed), drawing a parallel to Ezekiel 23:10, emphasizing the public shame and humiliation he suffered.

So, what's the takeaway here? Why does God react so strongly to these displays of hubris? Well, Shemot Rabbah suggests it's about setting the record straight. As Ecclesiastes 5:7 puts it, "For one higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they." There's always someone—or rather, Some One—above. God tells Moses, "See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh," to demonstrate that even those who believe themselves to be all-powerful are ultimately subject to a higher authority.

The Midrash emphasizes that God sees and judges the haughty, rendering them despicable in the eyes of the world. Rabbi Berekhya points out that while God's eyes range over the entire earth (Zechariah 4:10), He particularly focuses on those who elevate themselves, ensuring their downfall. Like Sennacherib, whose army was famously decimated by an angel in II Kings 19:35.

Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi offers a powerful image: If someone studies Torah in private, God will make them known to the people. But if someone engages in idol worship in secret, God will also make them known. As Jeremiah 23:24 asks, "Can a man hide himself in secret places and I will not see him?"

Ultimately, this passage from Shemot Rabbah is a potent reminder that true power and authority belong to God alone. Attempts to usurp that power, to declare oneself divine, are not only futile but ultimately lead to humiliation and destruction. It's a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and the importance of recognizing our place in the grand scheme of things. So, maybe next time you're feeling a little too good about yourself, remember Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar – it might just save you from a similar fate.