[2CH:26:1-23].
Lesson 321 - Senior
Memory Verse
"If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself" (Galatians 6:3).
Cross References
I Uzziah's Piety and Prosperity
1. Elevated to the throne at a young age, Uzziah, or Azariah, closely followed the man of God, [2CH:26:1-5]; [2KG:15:1-4]; [1KG:2:4]. 2. God prospered Uzziah and Judah as long as Uzziah followed the Lord and obeyed His commandments, [2CH:26:5-15]; [2CH:31:21]; [1SM:12:13-15]; [DEU:29:9]; [1CH:22:11-13]; [PS:1:3].II Uzziah's Pride and Punishment
1. When Uzziah became strong he forgot the commands of God, [2CH:26:15-16]; [DEU:6:10-12]; [DEU:8:10-20]; [PS:62:10]; [PRO:1:32]; [PRO:30:7-9]. 2. Pride and self-sufficiency are damning sins, [2CH:26:16]; [DAN:4:30-32]; [DAN:5:17-24]; [HOS:13:1-8]; [LUK:12:16-21]; [PRO:16:18]; [1JN:2:16]. 3. Feeling that he was strong and sufficient in all things, Uzziah performed the duties of the priests, [2CH:26:16-18]; [PRO:25:14]; [NUM:16:1-35]; [LEV:10:1-11]; [NUM:3:5-10]; [NUM:18:1-7]. 4. Uzziah became angry when reprimanded by God's servant -" another manifestation of his pride "- and was stricken by God, [2CH:26:19]; [2KG:15:5]; [PS:141:5]; [HEB:12:5]; [1PE:2:20]; [EPH:5:21]; [1PE:5:5-6]. 5. Uzziah was trust out of the Temple, [2CH:26:20]. 6. Uzziah carried the evidence of God's displeasure and judgment to his grave; no mention was made of any repentance on his part, [2CH:26:21-23]; [2KG:15:5-7].Notes
Uzziah, the king of Judah, had a good beginning; and he could have had a very good ending if he had continued in the way that brought God's blessing upon him in the beginning of his reign. But Uzziah failed his God and turned from righteousness and holiness to pride and self-sufficiency. He suffered a terrible fate and died under God's judgment for his sin. We are not told the extent of his repentance, or if any repentance was found in his heart, but because of his leprosy he was never able to go to the House of God again and he died without that consolation or encouragement. How pitiful is an individual who has had every advantage in a spiritual way, but forsakes that way of right and chooses instead the way of error! "The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; . . . neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sin-neth" [EZE:33:12]). The sins of the sinner are blotted out when he is justified by the free grace of God; and likewise, the good deeds of the righteous man do not deliver that man if he turns aside from the paths of right into the way of sin. If the righteous "trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it" [EZE:33:13]). These are solemn considerations. They show the vital importance of beginning in the right way and the equally vital requirement of continuing in the right way to the very end.Uzziah the Privileged King of Judah
Uzziah had a privilege that many have not had. He was king and had access to many different opportunities that were either good or evil; and for the first part of his life he acted wisely and followed the counsel of the man of God. "He did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, . . . And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper." The list of his accomplishments is long. Judah was blessed during this portion of his reign. It is said of Uzziah that he was the first to invent machines of war that would cut down the time of besieging walled cities. As a lover of husbandry, the country prospered under his administrations. Uzziah had the privilege of knowing many outstanding men of God other than Zechariah, about whom we know little. Isaiah was a prophet during Uzziah's reign, and it was in the year of Uzziah's death that Isaiah saw the vision of the Triune Godhead that convinced him of his need of entire sanctification. Amos and Hosea prophesied during Uzziah's reign. There were, beyond all doubt, other godly people in the nation who were led to God by these three ministers of righteousness whose combined faith and spiritual grace would naturally have enhanced and blessed the kingdom and the monarch. But the nation did not wholly follow the example of their king or the words of their prophets, and the people continued to burn incense and offer sacrifices on the high places which Uzziah had failed to remove. The nation was divided in their worship, a poor substitute for the theocracy that God desired. Some of the people went to the House of God, while others turned aside to an easier way " the conveniently located substitute house or place of worship that did not require the sacrificial effort on their part as did the long trip to Jerusalem three times a year. Some probably went to the House of God and the high place also, reasoning that if one was good, both would be better. Some, no doubt, went to the House of God only because they knew it was proper to do so and not because there was a genuine spirit of worship in their hearts. But there was always the faithful remnant who worshiped God, and Him alone, because they loved Him and because they desired His way more than anything else. Counterparts of all these classes of people can be found in Christendom today, as well as at any time in the history of the Church. But there is only one way. There is only one God. There is only one salvation. There is only one worship and that is the worship of the true God, which is in spirit and in truth. There is only one group that will be gathered by the Lord when He comes, and that group is made of those who have made a covenant with Him by sacrifice. Uzziah "was marvellously helped, till he was strong." The Apostle wrote: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" [2CO:12:9-10]). So long as Uzziah depended upon God, he was helped by God. And so long as he was helped by God he had great strength. But often others do as Uzziah did. It is easy, after God has helped us and given us a measure of strength in one way or another, for us to get our eyes off the Giver and look at the strength, or the accomplishments, or at the blessings we have received. This we must never do if we want to retain the favour and blessing of God. We must always keep our eyes on the Giver. We must not allow ourselves to look at our skills, our accomplishments, our attainments, or our gifts. Some not only look at these things but even dare to boast of them, which is infinitely worse than merely seeing them. The godly man will not allow himself even to see these things unless he looks at them for the sole purpose of letting God be glorified through them. Jesus said: "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do" [LUK:17:10]). Paul the Apostle wrote, "Our sufficiency is of God" [2CO:3:5]). It is also written: "Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" [MAT:23:12]), to which we can add the searching question from Scripture: "Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" [1CO:4:7]).The Consequences of Sin
The next step that Uzziah took was one that he would never have thought of taking at an earlier date when his heart was humble toward God. Sin is not entered into in all its terribleness at the very beginning. There is a start, and that start may appear to be very innocent. In Uzziah's case, perhaps it was not noticed by anyone. The Bible says: "His heart was lifted up." Perhaps he went on in the same way, in the same outward attitudes, in the same system of worship, with the same associates and companions, as before. But there was a change: "His heart was lifted up." How subtle are the works of Satan, designed and perpetrated by him for the destruction of God's servants. Like the bite of a poisonous serpent, they may be difficult to see on the outside, but the poison is implanted within and its deadly work is going on. A bit of flattery received and treasured, a little self-praise silently allowed within one's own secret thoughts, a feeling that he is the one who can do best the duty before him, a lack of consideration of the abilities or accomplishments of others; any of these can be an anchor-stone which, if sent on its way, can release a whole avalanche of infamy and spiritual destruction where once there was a peaceful and prosperous condition. Every Christian would do well to examine his own heart, over and over, for any evidences or inclinations of this serious condition. Above all, the Christian's heart must not be lifted up. He must be humble in every way; but, especially, he must be humble in heart. Outward humility is valueless if one's heart is lifted up. And one's outward attitude will be right if his heart is truly humble.Presumption the Result of Pride
Uzziah entered the sanctuary of God, setting aside the ordinances and ordained men of God, to burn incense on the altar of God. This was a serious sin. The Law of Moses decreed that those who committed it should be put to death, but since Uzziah was the titular head of Judah there was no one to order the supreme penalty upon him. The priest of God, however, withstood the king, exercising his full right before God; and when the judgment of God fell, thoroughly vindicating the priest of God, the whole assembly of priests evicted Uzziah from the holy precincts. In fact, when Uzziah saw the leprosy that God had instantly sent upon him he was glad to go out of the House of God. The leprosy came, not in the early stages of the disease, but in one of the advanced stages. Uzziah knew that no leper had any right in the Temple. He knew also that no unordained person had any right there, especially to burn incense. He had violated God's ordinance and holy restrictions and had felt sudden judgment come upon him. He did not want to see further judgment come upon him by a further disregard of God's law. In other instances when man set aside God's law in this matter, sudden judgment also came from God. Man did not have to raise his hand to defend God in the matter. Man had only to proclaim the law and will of God. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were swallowed alive by the earth because they attempted to set aside God's ordinances and ordained servant. Two sons of Aaron, themselves appointed to the priestly office, disregarded the ordinance of God and were slain by the Lord [LEV:10:1]). We can see by these instances the seriousness of not walking in all the commandments of God, and the futility of attempting to set aside the plan of God for our own way that might be more pleasing to our lifted-up heart. Sudden judgment can come from God upon any violator of His commandments. We see here, in addition, the terrible consequences of so-called small transgressions, or indulgences, that may be concealed in the heart, which, if allowed to continue, will lead to greater sins and eventually to complete rebellion against God.