Uzziah King of Judah

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    Uzziah reigned in Judah from about 701 BC to 649 BC. During his time there were several prophets actively warning God's people to return to Him. Those prophets are Jonah, Amos, Isaiah and Hosea. They all are warning Israel and Judah of impending calamity should they continue to forsake God and His Word.

Hosea 4
:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
    because thou has rejected knowledge,
    I will also reject thee,
        that thou shalt be no priest to me:
    seeing thou has forgotten the law f thy God,
    I will also forget they children.

    It is the knowledge of God that is going to deliver. When they did not know God they sought other gods turning their backs on God's abundance and protection. If I have sustenance for you, you must reach out and take it. You have to take the step to receive. God has abundance for us, we must step up to the throne to receive it.

II Chronicles 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.
: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.
: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 king of Judah did as his father Amaziah. Even though he did that which was right in the sight of God he still didn't remove the high places where people burnt incense to idols (II Kings 15:1-4).

    He did have good counselors; his mother is a Believer and he had Zechariah, a prophet of God, to advise him. This prophet, Zechariah, is not the same one who wrote the book Zechariah. That Zechariah prophesied during the time that Darius was King of Persia (410 - 403 BC).

    We are told another important point in these five verses, "as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." God helped Uzziah reclaim some of the land that the Philistines had taken and the Ammonites paid Uzziah so he wouldn't attack them. He had become very strong and his fame spread even to Egypt. God had made him very wealthy also, he had many cattle and built up the infrastructure of Judah, digging many wells and building towers to help protect the people of the cities. His army grew exceedingly and he had men inventing great machines to shoot arrows and great stones. Unfortunately he began to rely on own his great power and stopped being humble to God.

: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.

    The Children of Israel had laws to abide by and it was up to the priests, the sons of Aaron, to burn the incense unto the Lord. Uzziah was probably influenced by the people who burnt incense in the high places that he hadn't remove from the land. He let his strength and power supercede his knowledge of God and His Word. He had forgotten that it was not by his great ability that he had all this wealth and power but because he sought after God, that God prospered him.

    Because Uzziah was disobedient to God's commandments the adversary could cause this sickness. It started in his forehead where the priests would put their frontlets; leather cases which held scripture.
Uzziah had gotten so powerful and wealthy that he thought he no longer needed God. He had it all. Our need for God goes beyond the physical well being of riches and power. We need God for more than just food, clothing and housing.

Philippians 4
:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway:
    and again I say, Rejoice.
:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men.
    The Lord is at hand.
:6 Be careful for nothing;
    but in every thing by prayer and supplication
        with thanksgiving
    let your requests be made known unto God.
:7 And the peace of God,
        which passeth all understanding,
    shall keep [guard] your hearts
        and minds
    through Christ Jesus.
:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
        whatsoever things are honest,
        whatsoever things are just,
        whatsoever things are pure,
        whatsoever things are lovely,
        whatsoever things are of good report;
        if there be any virtue,
        and if there be any praise,
    think on these things.
:9 Those things,
        which ye have both learned,
        and received,
        and heard,
        and seen in me,
    do:
    and the God of peace shall be with you.

    This all has to do with our minds and attitudes. Rejoice in the Lord. If you are rejoicing in the Lord you are not thinking of how great you are.

    Let your moderation be known unto all men-is more properly translated "Learn by experience forbearance toward all men." We are not to be judged in meat or in drink by anyone. No man is to be our judge today. This word 'know' is ginosko-to know by experience. Know by experience forbearance, which is your willingness to be yielding, not bickering over small stuff, patient. Learn by experience forbearance toward all men.

    The Lord is at hand-He is ever with us. If we are continually mindful of God's presence we are not consumed by our own greatness.

    Be careful or anxious for nothing. Instead, in everything by prayer and supplication (specific requests) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. If you are going to God you are not trying to always figure it out yourself. I am not saying don't use you mind and walk about blindly, but look to Him in all things.

    What is the benefit? The peace of God, which passes (huperecho-above or superior to what can be held) all understanding (nous-mind)-above what can we can hold in our minds) shall guard your hearts (the seat of your personal life) and your minds (your thoughts) through Christ Jesus. If you have the peace of God, which is greater than anything we can muster up, we are guarded in our beliefs and thoughts. No self-serving haughtiness here.

    If we are holding true thoughts, honest thoughts, just thoughts, pure thoughts, lovely thoughts, good reports and virtuous thoughts in our minds and practicing what we have learned from the Epistles, the God of peace will be with us. You will not walk away from His Word then.

    Always recognize that the source of your abundance is from God and it will remain.

Ephesians 3
:20 Now unto him
        that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
        according to the power that worketh in us,
:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus
    throughout all ages,
    world without end.
    Amen.

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