The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 26:5b,
"As long as he [King Uzziah] sought the Lord, God gave him success."
Uzziah was Judah's tenth king following Israel's split. He is considered one of Judah's eight good kings, but as some of the other "good kings", not consistent throughout his life.
We are told in verse 8, "The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful." That power led to his eventual fall. We read in verse 16, "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Burning incense in the temple was assigned by God to the priests of Israel, not the king. His pride led to his destruction. As he stood in the temple with a censer ready to light, he was struck with leprosy and eventually died from it.
"When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him. King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house— leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land."
The key to the successes Uzziah had was directly due to his seeking the Lord, and the failure of his life was directly due to his ignoring the Lord's desires.
It is my firm belief that we share in the successes of God's people when we seek him. Conversely, when we cease seeking the Lord, those successes slip from our hands. Jesus taught, "seek first his [God's] kingdom and his righteousness".
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.
Success in this life is directly related to our efforts at seeking the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"As long as he [King Uzziah] sought the Lord, God gave him success."
Uzziah was Judah's tenth king following Israel's split. He is considered one of Judah's eight good kings, but as some of the other "good kings", not consistent throughout his life.
We are told in verse 8, "The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful." That power led to his eventual fall. We read in verse 16, "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Burning incense in the temple was assigned by God to the priests of Israel, not the king. His pride led to his destruction. As he stood in the temple with a censer ready to light, he was struck with leprosy and eventually died from it.
"When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him. King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house— leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land."
The key to the successes Uzziah had was directly due to his seeking the Lord, and the failure of his life was directly due to his ignoring the Lord's desires.
It is my firm belief that we share in the successes of God's people when we seek him. Conversely, when we cease seeking the Lord, those successes slip from our hands. Jesus taught, "seek first his [God's] kingdom and his righteousness".
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.
Success in this life is directly related to our efforts at seeking the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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