But here I am a castaway, and all because of my own self-will and foolishness. Or one might even think of a day when the armies of Israel went marching by on their way to battle, led by Jotham, the Prince Regent, while Uzziah gazed from afar, his heart breaking with grief to think how terribly he himself had failed, as he exclaimed in anguish, I should have led the hosts today; I should be going out against the enemies of the Lord; but here I must remain as one disapproved of God, utterly set to one side, because I forgot that those who walk in pride He is able to abase. Think of the disappointment and of the loss to all Israel occasioned by the self-confidence of this mighty king. Uzziah. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. He is introduced in Judges 8:31 as the son of Gideon and his Shechemite concubine, and the biblical account of his reign is described in chapter nine of the Book of Judges. According to the biblical record, Uzziahs strength caused him to become proud, which led to his destruction. He came across the artifact in the collection of the Russian Orthodox Eleona convent (Convent of the Ascension) from the Mount of Olives, put together by Byzantologist and cleric, Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin). As punishment, Elisha cursed Gehazi, transferring Naamans leprosy to him and his descendants forever. One could say, why was God so harsh and unforgiving. You are careful to obey the commands of God, and this brings great success into your life and those around you. From this limited account, we might make a simple deduction that Uzziah was a good king and God struck him with leprosy so that he would not become proud, to keep his feet on the ground. His dates are uncertain due to the fact that some analysts believe he ruled in place of his exiled father Amaziah for several years before reigning . Faithfully, Azariah warned and entreated, rebuking him too in Jehovahs name. We succeed when we follow Gods direction for our lives because we tend to avoid pitfalls along the way. 19 Azariah Helped by God. It is the feminine of the name Ali, meaning high and exalted. And lets not forget Joni Eareckson Tada, a promising high school athlete who severed her spinal cord in a diving accident and became a quadriplegic. Isaiah 6 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. to be chiseled into the grave marker of Uzziah. The calendars for reckoning the years of kings in Judah and Israel were offset by six months, that of Judah starting in Tishri (in the fall) and that of Israel in Nisan (in the spring). Both comments and pings are currently closed. NOTE: How many fathers since Amaziah have [3] Assuming that the prophecy took place after Uzziah became sole regent in 768/767, Amos' prophecy can be dated to some time after that and some time before Jeroboam's death in 753 BC, with the earthquake two years after that. And here's the kicker: "The Lord afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house.". Thiele dates Uzziah's being struck with leprosy to 751/750 BCE, at which time his son Jotham took over the government, with Uzziah living on until 740/739 BCE. All this is most suggestive and may well speak to us, we who are called to contend for the faith in the present difficult days. This means, of course, that while Uzziah was still living and unable to fulfil the kingly office because of the result of his rashness and folly, his son was made regent and administered the government in the place of the father. Louisville lands commitment from in-state back Azariah Israel. A major earthquake is referred to in the book of the prophet Amos. But beside parental help, we learn that there was a man of God who had a commanding influence over Uzziah for good, namely Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God (2 Chron. This must have been clear to King Uzziah but with his heart puffed up due to pride, he walked into the temple one day ready to burn incense on the altar. There can be no question but that there had been a real work of grace in Uzziahs soul, doubtless as a result of the faithful instruction received from his father, who in spite of considerable lack of wisdom was nevertheless a man whose ways in general had the divine approval. Unfortunately, his contempt for the settled norms and traditions of governance. B.C. Unique Circular Format - see more in less space. When we serve God we need to give Him our 100%. The rest of the events in Uzziah's reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. life illustrates the meaning of his name. Leviticus 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. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. due to Amaziah's failed reign, and King Uzziah reigned with his son Jotham for 10 years, from 750 to 740 B.C. It was a most remarkable thing for a lad of this age to come out so boldly for God and His truth. . But he sought to usurp this priestly service though he had no title to do so. What an enviable position he had! [18] This implies that Uzziah's 52 years are to be taken in a non-accession sense, which was Thiele's general practice for coregencies, but which he did not follow in the case of Uzziah. of this decision to follow Gods will is found in 2 Chron 25:6-9. When you have a relationship with God, you desire His righteousness, and it drives you to do the right thing when relating with others. (Cf. Copied from Care for Gods Fruit-trees and Other Messages by H.A. In the earlier part of his reign, under the influence of a prophet named Zechariah, he was faithful to God and "did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord" (2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chronicles 26:45). This means that there was plenty to eat and drink for the people of Judah. "I am willing," he said. He was able to conceive Daniel is given the Babylonian name Belteshazzar (Akkadian: ??? 2 Kings 15:5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. She has been involved in church and vocational ministry for over 18 years. Then Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. For how many years he went on in this godly, orderly manner we know not; but in verse 15 we find a sudden break in the happy record: He was marvelously helped till he was strong. While he was little in his own eyes, God could trust him with success; but when he was strong he forgot, in some sense, that the victories were not of his own prowess and that he had nothing that he had not received. stated with four simple words, He is a leper., f. Consider the history of this successful failure.. The Leper King, forced to live in seclusion from his people, had an illustrious career as king: He rebuilt the defenses of Jerusalem, modernized the army, and retook Gath. Uzziah of Judah was the king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, and one of Amaziah's sons, whom the people appointed to replace his father. Lord, help me to stay humble as you elevate me. Was he not the mighty king of Judah? He attempted to burn incense in the Temple, an act restricted to priests. Though he did not forsake the Lord at the height of his power, he was driven by pride to transgress against the Lord by attempting to do something which he was not permitted to do. Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. Leprosy can easily be hidden if its on your arms, legs, or torso. 2 Chronicles 26:7 NIV. years). His early years were marked by the significant influences When the priests attempted to send him from the Temple, the king became angry and was immediately stricken with leprosy. he did not offer such to the Almighty. The Azaria variation is much more often given to girls. Uzzah's punishment does appear to be extreme for . But it would not be! How different the attitude of the two men. He lived in a separate palace and was not allowed to enter the temple of the Lord. Im so glad I fou d this post. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. And is the founder of Think About Such Things. down, you cannot see something that is above you C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity). It was in the year of Uzziahs death still under the governmental hand of God that Isaiah saw the Lord as related in Isaiah 6:1. Lastly, afflictions dont have to diminish your fruitfulness. c. PERSONALLY Uzziahs fame spread throughout then entire known His sin was presumption. But he gives us more grace. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Although eleven of those years he was a co-regent with his son . (From Forerunner Commentary). Uzziah began to think he was personally responsible! Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land. The story of Uzziah teaches us that we should not allow success to make us be full of pride in our hearts. He attempted to burn incense in the Temple, an act restricted to priests. I love digging into Bible stories and learning from different men and women. Good kings were in short supply in those days (much as they are in ours). God was fashioned Everything that the Psalms declare about the Lord being our rock, our fortress, our high tower, our shield, our defender, and our hedge of protection is true. It The smell was so horrible that no one else ever went there to work with the people who lived there. He reigned for 52 years. As a result, God struck Uzziah with leprosy. those who refuse to learn. studied his maneuvers and learned brilliant strategies of warfare. When the priests attempted to send him from the Temple, the king became angry and was immediately stricken with leprosy. surrounding him. What does King Uzziahs biography mean for modern believers? An interesting illustration And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land. 23). Please contact your hosting provider to confirm your origin IP and then make sure the correct IP is listed for your A record in your Cloudflare DNS Settings page. I find it very interesting that it says that Uzziah did was right in the eyes of the Lord.HOWEVER. When God has NOT called him to that. We cannot be trusted. We need to be nourished and builded up with words of sound doctrine. Atlanta, 2004, 15359, 219. have not done so with their whole heart? Whom did Uzziah king of Judah foreshadow, and why was Uzziah struck with leprosy? The term ara at is traditionally rendered "leprosy" because of its translation by Greek lepra ( LXX, New Testament, and Josephus). 4) Great successes, world renown, fantastic prosperity Check your DNS Settings. A lesson that we can learn from king Uzziah is that when we reach the apex of our success we must remain humble to the praise and honor of our God , for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The Greek covers a wide range of diseases that produced scales. New Living Translation So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. Tradition says that this was the hand of God, showing His displeasure at the presumptuous pride of this man, whom He had blessed so greatly and who now felt infallible, above doing wrong, and that his word had become law. Instead Uzziah was undoubtedly one of the most successful of the kings of Judah in terms of his military victories and his diplomatic and building achievements, while also overseeing a period of considerable prosperity (and the archaeological evidence supports the biblical material). However, upon reaching the zenith of power and fame, he plunges toward his nadir; the butterfly turns into a worm: But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense (II Chronicles 26:16). When King Uzziah died Isaiah saw the Lord? and Comments (RSS). 16). This is no time for carelessness or indifference in regard to the truth of God, that great deposit which has been committed to us. "The Chronology of the Divided Monarchy of Israel.". You can read his story in 2 Kings 14:21-22, 15:1-7, and 2 Chronicles 26, He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fearof God. Say what? result is one cited by ancient history (cf Dt 8:11-18a). He was a father who was concerned named Zachariah. This unknown prophet was able to know, understand, He is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Answer. The King lost consciousness that Jehovah God was responsible He brought much of the Philistine land under subjection. This spectacle caused Isaiah to suddenly realize that God's discipline applies . II Chronicles 26:23 records that he was buried with his fathers but separated from them in the field because they said, 'He is a leper. VERSES 4-5 And so here is a king who sought God and was blessed because of it. Unclean! The Leper King had to live in another house, but he still fulfilled the duties and responsibilities of ruler of the nation. The Leper King of Judah is one dude that I really look forward to meeting. It is this ironic twist in Uzziahs career The king soon learned that God would not tolerate intrusion into service He had reserved for the sons of Aaron, and the Almighty dealt him a severe blow, afflicting him with leprosy. apostasy. e. Godly Success can be sacrificed for Self and eternity be spent (2 Chronicles 26:1) Uzziah was 16 when he became king of Judah and reigned for 52 years. 13). 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