Uzziah’s Sin and Punishment
Book of 2 Chronicles Chapter 26
(Related Scripture 2 Kings 14:21 through 15:38 and 2 Chronicles 27 through verse 9)
What is Pride? Pride is inordinate and unreasonable self-esteem, attended with insolence and rude treatment of others.
Pride is the high opinion that a poor, little, contracted soul entertains itself.
Pride makes itself known when we praise ourselves, adoring ourselves, attempting to appear before others in a superior light to what we are; contempt and slander of others; envy at the excellence others possess; anxiety to gain applause; distress and rage when slighted; impatience of contradiction, and opposition to God himself.
What is the truth of God?
Pro 29:23 A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Most people see pride as positive and certainly not as sin.
We do need to have strong self-esteem to be successful in this life here on earth.
We must recognize our strengths and skills to be productive in this life.
We should be proud of the abilities God has given us.
This is acceptable pride. This is humble pride.
I am proud that I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior.
I am embarrassed when I fail Him so often because I do not intend to.
Pride becomes sinful when we exalt ourselves above others and think we are better than other people.
As Christians, we may be better off than those who are lost, but we are not better than any other human being, no matter who they are.
Our lesson today is about King Uzziah, King of the Southern Tribe of Judah.
We know that the tribe of Benjamin also remained with Judah.
*2Ch 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.
After the murder of Amaziah, his son Uzziah was chosen by the people to occupy the vacant throne at the age of sixteen; and for the greater part of his reign of fifty-two years, he lived in the fear of God and showed himself a wise, active, and pious ruler.
His father, Amaziah, had been assassinated just as his father, Joash, had been assassinated.
We should also notice that his mother Jecoliah was a Jew, and the wife of King Amaziah.
We will see, as we go through the Books of Kings and Chronicles, that most of the good kings of Judah had Jewish mothers who had raised them with an understanding of the Word of God.
We did not read verse 1, but Uzziah was made king in a special way.
Judah was in turmoil with the assassination of his father and his grandfather, so the people of Judah took a firm stand and made Uzziah king, even though he was only 16.
2Ch 26:1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
We should understand that Amaziah and Joash were kings in the line of David, and any change would have affected the kingly line to Jesus.
God uses the will of the people to make Uzziah King of Judah.
In the Book of Kings, King Uzziah is called King Azariah, but they are the same person.
2Ki 14:21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
Uzziah ruled Judah for 52 years, but God did not give us much information about his good years; he quickly went from his good years to his bad years.
No matter what we did in our best years, people will remember that time when we were not living right, especially if it happened in our later years.
*2Ch 26:4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
2Ch 26:5 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.
King Uzziah followed in the footsteps of his father, King Amaziah, yet like his father, he did not stop the idol worship in the high places.
Remember, it was his father who had regained control of the Edomites, but he had also hired a mercenary army out of Israel that a prophet of God had told him not to use, and Amaziah sent them back, and this caused problems for the king.
He was, and he was later taken captive and held in Samaria. Uzziah was probably made a co-regent at this time. Amaziah was assassinated shortly after he returned to Judah, and his son Uzziah was crowned king.
We do not know for sure who this Zechariah is, but he was certainly a prophet of God and the king’s counselor.
It is written that he had understanding in the visions of God, such as did Daniel.
Dan 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Zechariah was a popular name in Judah.
Not much is known about this Zechariah, but it is obvious that God used this man as a prophet and delivered visions to him, which he relayed to King Uzziah.
We must know that our relationship with God will be based upon our obedience to His Word!
As long as King Uzziah was doing right in the sight of God, he prospered.
Another thing we should notice is that God will use young people in His plans if they follow in His will for them.
Following in the first part of his father Amaziah’s life was a good thing, but it seems that he also followed in the last part of his father Amaziah’s life, which was a bad thing, as he turned away from the Lord.
Zechariah had a special relationship with God, and the right teaching comes from having the right fellowship with God.
One of the things we must learn and then teach our children is to seek God in His Word and then seek God in prayer.
We must trust the written Word of God to be real and to be true, and this we must teach to our children.
I am a firm believer that the very first verse in the Bible is the most important verse in the Bible.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
We will never have the right relationship with God unless we understand that He is our Creator and the Genesis story of our creation is one hundred percent true.
Much of the Church is turning away from different parts of the Scriptures, but we must accept all the Word of God as the truth, or we can trust none of it.
We need God’s help in this wicked and evil world.
*2Ch 26:7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
2Ch 26:8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
Does anyone want to guess why Israel wins so many wars and why they lost a few?
They win when God helps them, and they lose when God does not want them to win.
Who is our greatest threat to safety?
Our enemies who are closest to us!
The Philistines shared a border with Judah, and they were a constant threat to those areas closest to that border.
Those Arabs were probably the descendants of the Ishmaelites and also an enemy of Judah.
Mohammed claims to be a descendant of the Ishmaelite, which would make him a descendant of Abraham. There is no way to connect his bloodline through the intermingling of the Arabic races.
I’m so glad the Bible does not use the word race, and we are all truly born as the descendants of the same man, Adam, who was married to Eve.
God only sees one people. The color of their skin is irrelevant! God looks into the heart!
In typology, the greatest threat to Christianity comes from within the Church, from those whose hearts are far from the truth.
So-called Christians who are not sincere, learn from erroneous teachings and wrong practices, but they can be found out by the truth of the Word of God.
Why would anyone think God would give us an incomplete book or a book full of lies or misunderstanding?
Every false religion who claim Christianity uses the excuse that God has given them some special revelation, but God does not work like that.
Each one of them refuses to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as the third part of the Holy Trinity and the God of the Bible.
Those who do not recognize the Holy Trinity, best said, the Triune God, who is One God, are not part of Christianity and not part of the Church, the Bride of Christ.
Jesus is much more than just some good man.
Jesus is much more than some prophet.
Jesus is the God of the Bible!
God says what He means and God means what He says!
Uzziah found success at war because God helped him.
The Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah so he would not bother them, and Uzziah was a strong king while he was obedient to God.
King Uzziah became so confident in his strength that it began to interfere with his relationship with God because his own pride had come between him and God.
*2Ch 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.
2Ch 26:17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
2Ch 26:18 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.
One of our biggest human mistakes is that we think we are far more important than we really are.
We reach a point where we believe we can accomplish anything if we work hard enough, and that we do not need any help from others.
Uzziah began to believe that he did not need God, the Word of God, His priests, nor God’s prophets.
We must understand that today the New Testament priesthood exists.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
In the Old Testament, it was impossible to combine both offices, for there was a priestly line, the Levites, and a kingly line, the line of David.
There would forever be only one King-Priest, and He would be the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
Today, the entire church functions as a priesthood!
In Israel, only the Levitical line had that privilege.
As the Church Age believers, we can go into the throne room of God at any time of the day through Jesus Christ, our High Priest, who will soon be our King.
In Israel, individual believers could only approach God through a Levitical priest; this included the King.
Jesus Christ is our permanent High Priest and permanent King because He can never die!
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Our Lord Jesus is Holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted into Heaven!
Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
King Uzziah was not the right king to take over the duties of the High Priest, much less any true priest of the Levitical line.
King Uzziah was of the tribe of Judah.
The golden altar of incense represents Jesus Christ as our Mediator!
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Aaron and the Brazen Altar was a type of Christ in His sacrificial role on Mount Calvary.
This Golden Altar of Incense stood squarely in front of the Mercy Seat just outside the Holy of Holies, depicting Jesus Christ interceding at God’s right hand, where He is today interceding on our behalf, on behalf of the true Church.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
There was no way God was going to allow King Uzziah to become a part of the priesthood.
This Golden Altar symbolizes the power of prayer, and it must be through Jesus’s name to get an answer from God the Father.
Those who refuse to claim their prayers in Jesus’s name will not get their prayers answered.
Jhn_14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
This Golden Altar declares the Victim of Mount Calvary to now be Victor over Satan, over sin, and over sorrow to become King of Kings and Lord of lords.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Again, God could not allow Uzziah or any other King of Judah to come between the High Priest and His duties.
Azariah the High Priest went in after him and took with him eighty valiant priests of the Lord, and they withstood the king.
King Uzziah was supposed to memorize the Word of God, so he knew he was not supposed to be where he was and certainly not to burn incense on this altar.
This is a major sin, and God’s sentence would be harsh.
When we place ourselves on equal standing with the Lord Jesus, we are committing blasphemy.
*2Ch 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.
King Uzziah becomes furious at the priests who stopped him.
He had the censer in his hand and thought he was fixing to do something beautiful because God had blessed him so much.
He feels good about it, but it goes against the Word of God.
Christianity is not about feeling good; it is about obedience!
His thoughts were “how could they have the audacity to stop an man who was so blessed by God”.
I believe this passage is in the Bible to teach us that we cannot twist the Word of God to make it okay to go against what God has said.
It teaches us that we had better take the Word of God literally.
We are to have great faith, but this faith cannot lead us to go our own way; we must go God’s way.
We must be saved by the way God has described to us, and it is by faith in the work the Lord Jesus has done for us to be saved.
The Lord Jesus is the Door to Heaven, and we must go through Him.
Jhn_10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Jhn_10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jhn_10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Up to this point, Uzziah had been a good king and had not committed any major sin against God, but God had to teach King Uzziah a valuable lesson.
We have already talked about leprosy, and it was the dreaded disease in those days.
Leprosy was a foul cutaneous disease, appearing in dry, white, thin, scurfy scabs, attended with violent itching. It sometimes covers the whole body, rarely the face.
God allowed leprosy to be on the forehead of King Uzziah so it could be seen by everyone. He could not hide it.
He had then become unclean, and he would no longer be allowed into the House of God.
It was in King Uzziah’s best interest for him to leave the House of God quickly.
*2Ch 26:20 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.
2Ch 26:21 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.
When we resist the Word of God, we stand on shaky ground.
If we go against our own High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, we may face the wrath of God.
When it is in our mind that we are on equal ground with the Lord Jesus Christ, we are committing a terrible sin.
When our pride tells us that we are God’s greatest servant, we are walking toward the entrance of Hell, and God may never redirect our steps.
We should be very clear: God does not need any of us!
Luk_19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
It would be a sad thing to be replaced by a rock!
King Uzziah was thrown out of the Temple, and he could never enter again because he was considered unclean.
Lev 22:3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.
King Uzziah knew not to retaliate against the priests because he knew it was God who allowed this to happen to him.
Uzziah was afflicted with leprosy because of his sin, and we never read where he ever repented of his sin.
Uzziah was afflicted with leprosy until the day he died, and because of this, he had to live in isolation from the people of Israel and step aside from public ruling.
Lev 13:46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
He could no longer worship in the Temple and had to put his son in charge of the government.
2Ki 15:7 So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
Uzziah had been a good king up until he let pride into his life and thought he could do as he pleased and ignore the Word of God.
Because he was a leper, he could not be buried with kings such as David and was buried in a field that was purchased to bury the bad kings of Judah.
*2Ch 26:22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
2Ch 26:23 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.
What did the Holy Spirit allow Isaiah to write?
Isa 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
On the day that King Uzziah died, one of the greatest prophets of Israel, Isaiah, volunteered to serve the Lord.
Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isa 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Isa 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
The Lord Jesus used many of these same words when He informed Israel that He was the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Pride and self-righteousness are serious sins in the life of any person, but we must learn that these things go against the Word of God.
We are no better than anyone else, no matter what our walk of life in this world.
We should praise God for any skills or any talents He has chosen to give us, but He expects us to use those things in His service.
Being attractive, or talented, or skillful are blessings from God, but we must never demean, degrade, or put down others.
Pro 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Oba 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
The God we serve is serious about the things He has written down for us.
Every single Word!
Amen