Today in God's Word—March 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
March 8, 2 Chronicles 26
He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. - 2 Chronicles 26:5
Like his father Amaziah and his grandfather Joash before him, Uzziah (known as Azariah in 2 Kings) began his reign honoring God and obeying his commands. Despite a good start in his youth, he followed the paths of his ancestors in doing wrong. That cost him his honor and distinction as one of the few good kings of Judah.
In a pattern that has become familiar to us in Chronicles, the author tells his readers about the early days when the king walked in the ways that pleased God, and how he succeeded and prospered as long as he did. Then, the narrative proceeds to the negative side of the king's reign, when some sin leads them away from God. They and their kingdom suffer as a result of the king's apostasy. He dies and is buried. His son succeeds him as king, and the process begins again.
That scenario is quite discouraging. But two things about it should feed our faith and encourage us, despite the tragic ruin of king after king. First, when the king and his people are faithful to God, they are richly blessed. They enjoy success and prosperity, because God keeps his promises. And second, because of the faithfulness of our promise-making, promise-keeping God, the dynasty of the house of David continued. It lasted centuries, but not because those kings were faithful. Most of them were not. No, it lasted because God is faithful, and he fulfilled his promise to David to keep his descendants on the throne of Israel and then Judah through those centuries. It also helps me to know that God's patience and mercy extended the nation's life far beyond what we would expect, given their general state of ungodliness and apostasy.
Like his predecessors, Uzziah won battles and expanded the kingdom's borders and dominance in the years he walked with God. He upgraded and strengthened his army. He took special interest in agriculture, and helped the farmers increase their productivity. As our text says, “As long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper." A few verses later, we saw this related and arresting statement: "And his fame spread, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. But when we was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction." Then Uzziah's story moved from success to decline and ruin, just as his fathers before him had done.
But Uzziah's sin was not like his predecessors' transgressions. He did not turn away from God to serve the pagan deities as they did. Uzziah sinned in prideful presumption, taking it upon himself to go into the temple and offer sacrifices. He did not do this in ignorance; he had been instructed by Zechariah the priest. Uzziah did it in self-centered pride. He did not do it because he lacked priests to make his offerings for him. Azariah and 80 other priests of God followed him into the temple to withstand the king. They knew he was trespassing into territory that God had specifically granted and limited to Aaron and his sons. Other Levites could not offer sacrifices; only Aaron's line could be priests. No Israelite from any other tribe was authorized to do what Uzziah was doing. Not even the king. God stripped the kingdom away from Saul for his disobedience about this very thing. Uzziah knew better.
A few lines back, I said Uzziah's sin was not idolatry. But I suppose it really was. The idol, however, was not one of the Baals, or one of Jeroboam's goat or calf statues. It was prideful worship of self, choosing what he presumed to do above the word of God.
God struck Uzziah with leprosy immediately, while the scepter of incense was in his disobedient hand. He lived out the rest of his life in a leper's quarantine. His son Jotham
represented his father on the throne for years until he was proclaimed king when his father died. Uzziah remained segregated by his leprosy, even in death. He was buried in a field near the kings' tombs, but not among them, because he was a leper.
Let's close this essay with a few more positive words about Uzziah. They will have to come from the early part of his reign. Let's take them from our text verse. First, Uzziah "set himself to seek God." We never accidentally follow after the Lord. It is a process of intentional dedication. Then, Uzziah was teachable. Zechariah the priest, "instructed him in the fear of God." A king had to be brave and strong, but he needed to know a reverent fear for God to remain humble. We're not kings, but we need the same lesson. And remember, “As long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper." There is no advantage or benefit in forsaking God. Satan will tell us how much we're missing by serving God, but he's lying. We find genuine, lasting prosperity by hearing God's word and obeying it.
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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