Uzziah: Pride was his downfall

 

Azariah (also known as Uzziah) started well. He is a warning how pride can fell even the most faithful of God's people. 

2 Chronicles 26:3-4 [3]Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.[ 4]He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

Uzziah started young but reign long. He also walked in righteous rule. Not as perfect as David (the standard for righteous leadership) but righteous enough to bring prosperity of God to the country. 

2 Chronicles 26:5 [5]He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him. 

He "continued to seek God" so he is not a casual believer. He has mentor in Zechariah. And this results to prosperity as "God prospered him."

V6-15 showed that his seeking of the Lord results to him becoming strong. He defeated his enemies and made Judah a military power in the region. His army is well-equipped. The morale is high. 

It is when a believer is strong that he's to be more careful. It is when he's strong that pride is likely to take over. Unfortunately Uzziah wasn't careful.

2 Chronicles 26:16 [16]But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

The reason is pride "his heart was so proud." The result is "he acted corruptly," and "he was unfaithful to the Lord His God." How? He usurped the ministry of the priesthood. 

Maybe in his mind he's faithful and who's more qualified to serve in the temple but him? 

Maraming Cristianong may ganitong kaisipan. Dahil sila ay faithful sa isang aspeto ng ministry iniisip nilang pakialaman kahit ang mga ministring they are not gifted. Maybe they think, they're qualified. They forget that gifts determine ministry because gifting is sovereignly determined by the Spirit Himself to edify the Church. 

The worse is when he's corrected, he refused it. God has to directly intervene:

2 Chronicles 26:19-20 [19]But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense.[20]Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the Lord had smitten him.

Because of his pride and desire for visible ministry his end is isolation from everyone and even at death, he's not buried in king's cemetery. 

Pride is a dangerous thing. It can make faithful servants like Uzziah a failure. He started well but ended very badly. 

Manatiling nakapokus sa biyaya. Huwag ninyong hayaang nakawin ng mga huwad na guro ang inyong karapatang mag-isip ng doktrina. 

(Kung gusto ninyo ng karagdagang impormasyon, bisitahin ninyo kami. May pagtitipon kami sa Dahat, kada Linggo, kada 1:00-3:00 pm. Sana manampalataya kayo at kita-kita tayo.

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