A destined time of reckoning awaits, a moment when all human illusions of power, status, and arrogance will completely dissolve before the sheer greatness of God's revelation. This appointed time is prepared in advance for God to reveal Himself, judge the world, and repay every person according to their actions [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
Opinions differ on when this reckoning takes place. One perspective suggests it is not necessarily reserved for the end of days. Instead, it occurs throughout history whenever God delivers judgment upon a nation or an individual. An example of this is the humbling of the arrogant among the Israelites during the wartime eras of Kings Ahaz and Hezekiah [שד״ל]. Conversely, another viewpoint identifies this as the ultimate, final day of judgment at the end of history. During this monumental time, accompanied by the miracle of the resurrection of the dead, all of humanity will finally recognize God's absolute kingship. People will abandon their idols and stop trusting in the power of mortal leaders, understanding that God alone is the true ruler [אברבנאל].
Regardless of the exact timing, the judgment targets specific types of arrogance, dividing the proud into distinct categories. The first group consists of those who genuinely hold high status and authority, or those whose pride is entirely public and obvious to everyone around them [מלבי״ם, חומת אנך, אברבנאל].
The second category presents a fascinating contrast regarding those associated with lowliness. One approach understands this as a description of a person's actual social standing or outward behavior, which contradicts their internal arrogance. This includes people of low social status who secretly harbor intense pride in their hearts [מלבי״ם]. It also points to hypocrites who put on a public display of extreme humility, yet remain full of arrogance behind closed doors. God knows the deepest secrets of the heart, and He despises both the openly proud and the secretly arrogant, ensuring both face their due punishment [חומת אנך, אברבנאל]. Another perspective views this description not as a separate group of people, but as the inevitable outcome of the judgment itself. According to this understanding, it is a divine decree that every arrogant and powerful individual will ultimately be brought down and forced into complete submission [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, שד״ל].