Daily Thought

Uzziah’s reign over Judah was a reign of sharp contrasts and strange contradictions. He came to the throne at the age of sixteen and reigned for fifty-two years. The greater part of his reign was remarkable for its achievements. His powerful armies defeated the Philistines and the Arabians and laid waste their cities; he strengthened the walls of Jerusalem, dug wells and his skilful engineers designed engines to shoot arrows and hurl rocks. At this time it is recorded of Uzziah that ‘he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord’, 2 Chr. 26. 4.

But Uzziah failed to appreciate the importance of right relationship and communion with his God. His many successes were due to God’s power and intervention; he erroneously and fatally attributed his strong position to his own ability and strength. He thought his own plans could supersede God’s word and after all his success he presumed to aspire to the office of priest. Uzziah was challenged in the sanctuary itself and ‘while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead’, 2 Chr. 26. 19. He died in lonely isolation and his tragic death became a reference point in the writing of the nation’s history, Isa. 6. 1.

As the people of God we must ever remember that we are only that which in grace our God has made us. Uzziah ‘did that which was right in the sight of the Lord as long as he sought the Lord’, v. 4, and it was ‘God made him to prosper’, 2 Chr. 26. 5. The Corinthian believers were challenged by this, as are we in our day: ‘what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory?’, 1 Cor. 4. 7.

God’s word is eternal truth. We are blessed with the written record of this which must be accepted and trusted and must not be modified by men’s ideas. The Lord Jesus said, ‘blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it’, Luke 11. 28. Failing to understand this resulted in Uzziah’s diminished love for his God and disastrous failure; ‘his heart was lifted up to his destruction’, 2 Chr. 26. 16.

We must heed God’s voice, speaking to us through His word, and seek His help that we may live our lives in accordance with His instruction.