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11Chronicles Chapter 26
Uzziah Reigns in Judah
Joash was only 7 years old when he
began his reign. His son Amaziah was 25 when he began his reign and
now Uzziah was 16. I can just imagine getting a president of the
United States at these young ages. They would have to have more
wisdom than Solomon. Uzziah was also called Azariah.
This was a port that was in Edom that
they had lost control of but he recovered it and restored it. It was
later taken again by the king of Syria.
- 2Chronicles 26:3
Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he
reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also
was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
- 4 And he did that
which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that
his father Amaziah did.
- 5 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.
This young man did what was right in
the sight of the Lord at first. As long as he sought the Lord and
didn't trust in his own strength or become lifted up in pride, he
was a good king. We all need to be careful of this when our business
prospers or our ministry. We must stay humble and recognize our need
for the Lord at all times.
- 2Chronicles 26:6 And
he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down
the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of
Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the
Philistines.
- 7 And God helped him
against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in
Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
- 8 And the Ammonites
gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the
entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
The Ammonites gave him gifts when
before they were enemies of Judah and Israel. Some commentators say
this was a yearly tribute sort of like a tax.
- 2Chronicles 26:9
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate,
and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and
fortified them.
- 10 Also he built
towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much
cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen
also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he
loved husbandry.
- 11 Moreover Uzziah
had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands,
according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel
the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah,
one of the king's captains.
- 12 The whole number
of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two
thousand and six hundred.
- 13 And under their
hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and
five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king
against the enemy.
- 14 And Uzziah
prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears,
and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast
stones.
- 15 And he made in
Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers
and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal.
And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped,
till he was strong.
God blesses mightily the kings that sought
Him and did that which was right. He built a great army and towers
for defense against any enemy. He was prepared for any attack from
other nations. He He had good vinedressers and seemed to care a lot
for the vintages. He was armed and ready but as we shall see, the
proverb, pride goes before a fall comes into play when he is lifted
up in pride. That happened to King Nebuchadnezzar in the days of
Daniel during the Babylonian captivity.
Uzziah's Pride and Punishment
- 2Chronicles 26:16
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his
destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and
went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar
of incense.
- 17 And Azariah the
priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the
LORD, that were valiant men:
- 18 And they
withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth
not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the
priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense:
go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall
it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
They were still under the law of Moses
which forbade any but consecrated priests to burn incense to the
Lord. He thought he was so great and blessed by God that he could
just go in and offer incense himself. King Saul did something
similar when he was tired of waiting for Samuel and offered
sacrifices himself. This story is in 1 Samuel chapter 13.
- 1Samuel 13:13
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not
kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded
thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon
Israel for ever.
- 14 But now thy
kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after
his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain
over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD
commanded thee.
Saul became jealous of David and did
much evil after this happened. Another thing we must guard against
is jealousy and hate. It will ruin us.
Through Jesus Christ by faith we can
come boldly to the throne of grace without priests or prophets but
before Christ we see that God is so holy that to enter His presence
had to be done properly by consecrated priests or prophets in the
case of Samuel. Thankfully when Jesus sacrificed Himself by His
death on the cross for our sins, we who believe have an open door to
seek God as individuals and also as a congregation among many
worshippers of God. Jesus bridged that gap and opened that
door. He reconciled fallen man back to God. Of course this only
applies to those that receive this free gift paid for by His death
and fulfilled perfectly and completely by His resurrection.
- 2Chronicles 26:19
Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn
incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy
even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of
the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
- 20 And Azariah the
chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold,
he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from
thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had
smitten him.
- 21 And Uzziah the
king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a
several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house
of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house,
judging the people of the land.
- 22 Now the rest of
the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the
son of Amoz, write.
- 23 So Uzziah slept
with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the
field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said,
He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
I'm wondering if Uzziah would have
repented right away instead of getting angry at the priests
whether he would have been forgiven and not have become a leper.
They had to live separately from anyone else if they got that
disease. Leprosy was a disease that had many restrictions on those
that had it. He couldn't even be buried with the other kings. He
reigned the longest of any of the kings of Israel and Judah except
Manasseh. Many of them reigned about 40 years but 51 years was his
reign. Jotham his son reigned next but had to start early before his
father died because of his father being sick with Lebrosy. DC
11
Chronicles Chapter 27
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