Title: He did Right
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 26:1-7
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.
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.
The name ‘Uzziah’ appears to be an alternative form of ‘Azariah.’
A mentor called ‘Zechariah’ and the High Priest, called ‘Azariah,’ were involved in the history of Uzziah.
Uzziah in Hebrew means, ‘my strength is YAH.’
Azariah in Hebrew means ‘Help of Yah.’
- He did Right
He did right in the sight of the LORD – he pursued a life of godliness.
Deuteronomy 30:16, ‘in that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land wither thou goes to possess it.’
Uzziah came to the throne in a difficult era: ‘following the tragic events that brought King Amaziah’s reign to an end. Jerusalem was in disarray, a major section of its protective wall destroyed, its temple and palace emptied of their treasures, and some of its inhabitants taken away to Israel as hostages.
But how did Uzziah respond to all these difficult times? 2 Chronicles 26:5 says, ‘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.’
Some translation put it as ‘he continued to seek the LORD.’
It was said that this period was the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God. A bible commentator said that Zechariah ‘had understanding in the seeing of God.’ Why do you mean by this phrase that seriously impacted Uzziah:
- Docility of Spirit. It is a man who has come to understand his own spiritual ignorance and incapacity who will be willing to learn of God, and thus to ‘have understanding in the seeing of God.’
- Purity of heart. It means simplicity and sincerity of spirit and desires to know God himself, and to come into communion with him, to gain his loving favor.
- A freedom from degrading affections; freeing himself from debasing acts and associations.
This is a central theme of Chronicles.
Firstly, it expresses the performance-based Mosaic covenant .
Secondly, it expresses the traditional Jewish teaching and even the church teaching that in this life, the righteous will be blessed and the wicked punished.
Thirdly, it expresses the Kingdom Person:
- His Character
- His Influence
- His Conduct
- His Destiny
It takes faith to be right, to do right.
Notice how the two most common names for Deity are paralleled. The LORD God. YHWH the ELOHIM. Your relationship with God is based on an understand that you recognize there is a God and more than that, you have a relationship with this God (YHWH) through Jesus Christ.
- Uzziah’s successes
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.
And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
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.
The list of Uzziah’s successes demonstrates YHWH’s blessings.
- He defeated the Philistines
- He built the Judean Cities in the Philistine area (the enemy area)
- He defeated other groups in the same area: the Arabs and the Ammonites (supposedly brothers)
- He fortified the walls of Jerusalem, possibly repairs
- He had extensive agricultural enterprise: livestock, crops, vineyards
- He had a large and effective army with war machines
Uzziah was a remarkable king, who had a broad interest in the improvement of his kingdom. Because of his many achievements, it was fitting that his fame spread among other nations.
- Marvelously helped till became strong.
2 Chronicles 26:15, ‘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 marvelously helped, till he was strong.’
Uzziah became what Ecclesiastes 9:7 says, ‘Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already approved what you do.’
Perhaps it is not well understood that Uzziah was one of the strongest of the kings of Judah, and ran a remarkably successful course:
- It was partly due to the fact that he came under good human influence
- It was also due in part to his own capacity and energy
- The most important part, is due chiefly and primarily, to the favor of Jehovah. Verse 5 says, ‘God made him to prosper. From the divine resources came intelligence, strength, sagacity, statesmanship. The chief reason for Uzziah’s success is God’s help. The word ‘help’ is a special word throughout Chronicles. The meaning is equivalent in the New Testament to the enabling work of the Holy Spirit. Many of us Christians have failed to recognize this powerful truth in our lives. We always thought that it is our intelligence, our charisma, our connection, our skills that has brought us to where we are today. Yet the truth of the matter is that it was the enabling work of the Holy Spirit, it was God’s help that brought success to our lives.
If the story of Uzziah ends here, it would have been a beautiful life story. But that was not to be, as with many of our lives. Something happened. Like, for many of us something happened and it was a bad one.
The sin of Uzziah was the sin of presumption.
God understood that concerning men. He sent his precious Son, Jesus Christ who came to earth. Jesus lived right. Jesus was a totally Kingdom Person demonstrated by his:
- His Character
- His Influence
- His Conduct
- His Destiny
He was successful in the last three years of his life. But his success was taken away. He became a defeated man when they captured him at the Garden of Gethsemane. He died a worse death than a leper, when the word of God says, ‘curse is everyone who hang on a tree.’ All this happened to Jesus because of us. Jesus died for your sins, so that when He was resurrected, you who are helpless and hopeless and frail and feeble who has no hope because of a mistakes you have committed, can experience a sweet release through Christ. What a wonderful and joyful thing it is to go into the resurrected presence of Christ. There is nothing to sorrow about in your life even right now, because you can be a saved man. God can redeemed your life because of Jesus Christ.
