2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 26: Uzziah's strength and his pride

Begin in prayer

Before we open 2 Chronicles 26, let us pray. Ask God to show us that every strength is His help, and to lead us to Jesus, the holy priest who stands before Him.

The lofty looks of man will be brought low, the haughtiness of men will be bowed down, and Yahweh alone will be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 2:11

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that all our help comes from You, and lead us to Jesus, our great priest. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Uzziah becomes king at sixteen, and he does right in the LORD's eyes. As long as he seeks the LORD, God makes him prosper, and helps him against the Philistines and the Arabians. His name spreads to the entrance of Egypt, and he builds towers and cisterns and has a large army. He is marvelously helped until he is strong, and then his heart is lifted up. He goes into the temple to burn incense, which only the priests may do, and eighty priests resist him. Leprosy breaks out on his forehead, because the LORD has struck him, and he lives apart until he dies.

As you read 2 Chronicles 26, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God made Uzziah strong while he sought the LORD, but pride in his strength led to his fall.

Uzziah became king at sixteen, after his father Amaziah, and he did right in the LORD's eyes (verses 1 to 4). He set himself to seek God, and “as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him prosper” (verse 5). God helped him against the Philistines and Arabians, so everything he built stood on God's help (verses 7 to 14). The text says, “he was marvelously helped until he was strong” (verse 15). Then comes a sad turn, “when he was strong, his heart was lifted up” (verse 16). He went into the LORD's temple to burn incense, which only the sons of Aaron were to do (verses 16 to 18). Azariah and eighty priests resisted him, and leprosy broke out on his forehead, for the LORD struck him (verses 19 and 20). He lived in a separate house as a leper until he died, cut off from the LORD's house (verse 21). This shows that Uzziah's strength was the LORD's help, and pride in it led him away from the LORD's house.

How does 2 Chronicles 26 show us that God made Uzziah strong while he sought the LORD, and that pride in his strength led to his fall?

God made Uzziah prosper as long as he sought Him.

Uzziah set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah (verse 5). As long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper (verse 5). God helped him against the Philistines, the Arabians and the Meunim (verses 6 and 7). The Ammonites gave tribute, and his name spread to the entrance of Egypt (verse 8).

Uzziah's heart was lifted up, and he went into the temple.

The text says he was marvelously helped until he was strong (verse 15). But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, and he trespassed against the LORD his God (verse 16). He went into the LORD's temple to burn incense on the altar of incense (verse 16). The priests told him, “It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh” (verse 18).

The LORD struck Uzziah with leprosy, and he lived apart.

Uzziah was angry, and leprosy broke out on his forehead (verse 19). The priests thrust him out, and he hurried out himself, because the LORD had struck him (verse 20). He lived in a separate house until he died, cut off from the LORD's house (verse 21). His son Jotham judged the people (verse 21).

Jesus is the holy priest, called by God from the tribe of Judah.

Hebrews says Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, which Moses never named for priests (Hebrews 7 verse 14). God made Him a priest forever by an oath (Hebrews 7 verse 21). Uzziah was struck for taking a priest's work, and Jesus was called by God to it.

Memorise

He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God; and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him prosper.

2 Chronicles 26:5

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, am I proud of my own strength, and do I need Jesus to forgive me?

“When he was strong, his heart was lifted up,” and Uzziah went into the temple where only priests could go. Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, as Uzziah did. God made Him a priest forever (Hebrews 7 verses 14 and 21).

Pride lives in every heart, and no one may come to God on his own right. Jesus was called by God, and He gave Himself at the cross for His people. By that one offering He took their sin away once for all. He rose from the dead, and He lives to pray for them.

So come to Him. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who trusts Him will be forgiven, and will be brought near to God by this priest.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God made Uzziah strong while he sought Him, and that Jesus brings sinners to God. Parents, verses 16 to 21 tell of leprosy as the LORD's strike on a proud king, so please explain it gently. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that every strength comes from Him, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Establish my footsteps in your word. Don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me.

Psalm 119:133

Father, thank You that all our strength is Your help. Thank You for Jesus, the holy priest who offered Himself for sinners and rose again. Please keep us from pride and bring each of us to trust Him. Amen.