Series: The All-Sufficiency of the Gospel
Message: Uzziah's Pride and God's Holiness
Key Text: 2 Chronicles 26:16-23


Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Last time I wrote to you, we read a passage in Isaiah 6, in which Isaiah had an encounter with the holiness of God. He marked this occurrence uniquely by stating, "In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord...."

What was so significant about the death of Uzziah that Isaiah felt the need to mention this? Who was Uzziah and how did Uzziah die?

That brings us to today's text, which we'll look at in a moment. But first, let me give a little background on Uzziah. At this time, the people of God were divided into two kingdoms: Judah and Israel. Uzziah's father, Amaziah, was king of Judah, and when he died, Uzziah was taken to be made king. Uzziah (also known as Azariah in 2 Kings 14 and 15) was just 16 years old when he assumed the role as King of Judah.

Uzziah would go on to reign for 52 years in Judah. He accomplished great things during his reign, including conquering the Philistines (2 Chron. 26:6-8 ). His excellence in domestic affairs gained him much popularity, and his military might was unheard of. He led an army of over 300,000 men. He prepared shields, spears, body armor and massive weapons for the army. He posed a real threat to would-be assailants and in doing so, secured the nation of Judah in peace. No one was gonna mess with this guy.

But, his time was soon to come to an end. Proverbs 16:18 tells us that pride precipitates a fall. Uzziah experienced this first hand. Let's now look to our text:

2 Chronicles 26

16 But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

Okay, so what was so wrong about him going into the temple and offering incense? Didn't the LORD require burnt offerings and sweet smelling offerings? Yes, He did. However, it was not Uzziah's place to do so.

Numbers 3:10 says this:

10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death.

The Lord, speaking to Aaron in Numbers 18:7 says this:

7 But you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and inside the veil, and you are to perform service. I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.

Uzziah sought to usurp the role of the priest, which was clearly forbidden. As King of Judah for so many years, he surely knew this. However, in his pride, he believed himself to be above God's law.

17 Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the LORD, valiant men. 18 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the LORD God."

The priests tried to warn Uzziah to leave. Perhaps the LORD would have forgiven him if he had left out at this point. How gracious is God that he would allow the priests to first warn him. But.....

19 But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the LORD had smitten him. 21 King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate 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.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." And Jotham his son became king in his place.

What a sad story this is. God judged Uzziah for his refusal to heed the law of God concerning incense burning. Yet, in His righteous judgment, He was merciful to Uzziah in that He did not immediately take his life. In fact, in some way, allowing him to live, but with leprosy, may have been a more fitting punishment. According to the laws of leprosy in Leviticus 13 and 14, Uzziah would have to submit to these same priests in a different way than before. He would have to endure isolation from the temple for the rest of his life as well. He was "cut off" from the house of the LORD.

It also says that he lived in a separate house. In 2 Kings 15:5, it speaks of this. In the Hebrew, the phrase "separate house" literally means "in a house of freedom." Uzziah was relived of all his royal responsibilities. He was literally "freed" from them. His son Jotham acted as a co-regent of Judah while his father lived and eventually took over as king when Uzziah died.

The holiness of God demands obedience to His laws. And when His laws are broken, justice is required. While God is a forgiving God, He is also a Holy God who demands holiness from His creation. God's holiness demands perfect obedience.

Well, then, how will anyone be saved? Who can be perfectly obedient? Keep those questions in mind. We will address this as we move along in our studies.

In our next lesson, we will take a look at Isaiah 6 again. Isaiah had quite the encounter with God's holiness.

Until Next Time.....