This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
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HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
2CHRONICLES
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.
2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
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.
4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
Uzziah (also known as Azariah -2Kings 15) was very young, only 16, when he took the throne. Perhaps his first large work was to build Eloth (Elath) after Amaziah's death. This was a port city on the Northern end of the Red Sea. Judah used this city to conduct shipping trade with other nations. Rebuilding this city established Judah once again as an international trade country.
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.
Uzziah, the Bible says, sought the Lord and took advice from God's prophet Zechariah. ((This Zechariah is not the same as the one with the book of the Bible which carries his name. The book Zechariah is named after a prophet who spoke after Judah had been exiled to Babylon.))
6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
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.
He carried on a campaign to defeat the Philistines that was quite successful. Because of his zealousness for the things of God, God helped him to defeat the Philistines, tear down their defenses and build his own fortress cities in their areas.
9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.
13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
Uzziah heavily fortified Jerusalem, and manned a great army. He also used the latest weaponry (verse 15) for his troops. On the towers he built, he placed catapults which would cast numbers of arrows at one time. He also had catapults which would cast large stones.
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.
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
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.
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.
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.
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.
As stated before, Uzziah had a great zealousness for God.
[[Are you SINGLE? Then don't think that God is calling you to be a pastor.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
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.
Uzziah lived the remainder of his life in a "several" or separate house because of his leprosy. His son Jotham began to take control, even though, I'm quite sure, Uzziah was guiding him. Please continue in Bible Study with us.
CHAPTER 26
Uzziah was a good king, who desired to follow God. He did not tear down the idol groves and worship places hidden in the mountains; instead, he led the nation to piety, holiness, war and industry.
The nation of Judah became a very strong nation under his 52 years of leadership.
The thing we need to see here is that Uzziah had a great zealousness for the things of God. That will help us to better understand the events of verses 16-21.
He was also successful in battle against the Arabians and Mehunims.
Because of his success in those areas, the Ammonites gave him gifts to keep him from coming and destroying them. And Uzziah became known worldwide as a very strong king of a very strong nation.
Sometimes pride leads men of God astray. This, I believe, is what happened to Uzziah. Perhaps he though he'd become so close to God that he could take on responsibilities not assigned to him.
At any rate, he entered the temple and burned incense to the Lord. This was an act that God had specifically assigned only to priests!
Ahaziah and 80 other priests went in and opposed Uzziah. They told him that he had SINNED! Uzziah became ANGRY! And God struck him with leprosy!
My friends, as Christians, we should certainly be zealous to do ALL that God commands us to do. But, as Christians, we should never try to assume that which God has NOT commanded us to do!
I have met, in my ministry, many men (and women) who have tried to assume MORE than what God commanded them to do. In EVERY case, I have noticed that the prophecy of Ahaziah to Uzziah was STILL TRUE TODAY! "..neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God." (verse 18).
We Christians should certainly be zealous to do all that God commands us to do: study, pray, attend, worship, pay, visit, witness, be servants in the church, etc.
But we must be careful to guard against our human pride taking us into areas where we have NO REASON TO BE!
Are you DIVORCED? Then don't think that God is calling you to be a deacon or a pastor.
Are you a FEMALE? Then don't think that God is calling you to be a deacon or a pastor.
Are you a "novice," or a relatively NEW Christian? Then don't think that God is calling you to be a pastor or a deacon. You must TRAIN first.
These things I've mentioned are SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED by the Lord God to CERTAIN people.
Their qualifications are listed below.
"2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.(1Timothy 3:2-6)
"5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.(Titus 1:5-9)]]
Uzziah was a GOOD king. Isaiah thought very highly of Uzziah. It was during the time of Isaiah's mourning for Uzziah's death that God gave him his greatest vision (see Isaiah 6). But this man tried to assume MORE than God had commanded him to do.
Another point I might make about Uzziah, and that in defense of his integrity: It is not recorded that he ever asked God to HEAL him. Surely Uzziah knew that God COULD heal him. But perhaps he, having zealously overstepped the boundaries laid out for him, felt unworthy to be healed.
When Christians overstep the boundaries God has specifically designated, they usually lose HONOR. Then they never feel worthy of usefulness again.
When Uzziah died, he was not buried in the plot of the kings of Judah because of his leprosy. Instead he was buried apart, in a field.