147 Uzziah – Secrets and Dangers of Success

Great Bible Truths Podcast Episode 147

Lessons from their lives Talk 13 – Uzziah – Secrets and Dangers of Success

Welcome to Talk 13 in our series, Lessons from their lives. Today our subject is Uzziah, the king of Judah who was highly successful in many ways, but who in the end failed miserably. His story is found in 2 Chronicles 26.

But first, let’s make it clear that it is God’s will for his people that they should be successful!

Joshua 1:7-8

7. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
8. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Psalms 1:1-3

1. Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2. but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers.

The first 15 verses of 2 Chronicles 26 teach us a great deal about the nature and secrets of Uzziah’s success. The remaining verses teach us a sad lesson about the dangers of success.

Ways in which Uzziah was successful

He defeated the enemy

6. He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines.
7. God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites.

Of course, the Philistines remind us of the story of David and Goliath. The Philistines were a source of constant fear among God’s people. But God helped him against the Philistines. We cannot be successful if we are constantly in fear, but thank God he is able to help us.

He prospered materially

8. The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.
9. Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.
10. He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain.

 He was respected internationally

8. The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful. 

15. …His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

 The Secret of his Success

…he was helped (15)

He helped himself

In verse 8, where NIV translates

he had become very powerful

KJV has

he strengthened himself exceedingly

And although the word himself is not part of the original text, it is clear from the surrounding context that Uzziah worked extremely hard. He was engaged in a vast amount of building activity.

2. He was the one who rebuilt Elath… 

6. He … rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines.

9. Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.
10. He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain.

He was helped by the people

11. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil. Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials.
12. The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. 13. Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies.

Why did they help him?

Not just because he was the king.

He was achieving things

He looked after them

14. Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armour, bows and slingstones for the entire army.

He was helped by God

His name means YAWEH IS MY STRENGTH

7. God helped him…

 Why?

4. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord… 

5. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God.

 As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

 

The Danger of Success 

16. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
17. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in.
18. They confronted King Uzziah and said, ‘It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honoured by the Lord God.’
19. Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.
20. When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.
21. King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house – leprous, and excluded from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

His heart

16. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God…

 Cf. His father Amaziah

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.

2 Chronicles 25:2

His transgression

16. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

 His punishment

19. Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.
20. When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.
21. King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house – leprous, and excluded from the temple of the Lord.

But that’s not the end of the story!

Isaiah 6:1-3

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’

GOD is still on the throne.

Uzziah dies, but Isaiah is commissioned.

His name YAWEH IS SALVATION summarises his message of:

The virgin-born Immanuel

The child born and the son given, whose name is

Wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of peace

The branch from the root of Jesse

The king who shall reign in righteousness

The one who feeds his flock like a shepherd

The servant in whom God finds his delight

The man of sorrows and acquainted with grief

The lamb brought to the slaughter

Salvation to the ends of the earth

The worldwide reign of the Messiah

New heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.

The most successful of men may fail, but not the Lord Jesus.

The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 11:15.     

Hallelujah!