Articles
Unfaithfulness of Uzziah
Unfaithfulness of Uzziah
In 2 Chronicles we read that Uzziah, who is called Azariah in 2Kgs. 15, begins his reign even as his father did by being faithful unto the LORD. "… he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper" (2 Chr. 26:4-5).
He actually was coregent along with his father (792-767). He thus saw the bad example that his father set in forsaking the LORD and serving idols. While he was faithful to the LORD, God helped him in his battles against the Philistines, the Arabians, and against the Meunites. The Ammonites paid tribute money to him. Under his reign Judah became strong. Faithfulness is a good thing.
"But then"… in our reading of Chronicles is seems like there is always this 'but then' concept. "But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense" (26:16). He became unfaithful to the LORD but not in the same way as his father. While Ahaziah forsook the LORD and served idols, Uzziah swerved in following the commandments of God.
From the beginning of the covenant the people had been warned not to add to, take from, or change the commandments of the LORD (Deut. 4:2, 12:32, etc.). It had been recorded that Nadab and Abihu, rightful priests, offered strange fire that the LORD had not commanded and were burned to death by fire from the LORD. The offering of incense was regulated by God and was not to be tampered with. It was the priests, the sons of Aaron that were to offer these things (Ex. 30:1-10; Num. 16:40).
Surely, a king is as good as a priest! Surely, being king over the LORD's people would allow him to offer incense. Surely the king can enter the temple. Because of such reasoning we read: "But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense" (26:16).
The priest Azariah, along with 80 priests of the LORD who were men of valor, went in after him and withstood the king! That took courage. Such courage however is conviction put into action. Being faithful to the LORD is withstanding ANYONE who transgresses the law. The priest proclaims to the king: "“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. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God” (26:18).
Instead of responding in humility and contrition, the king responds with arrogance, pride and anger. For this he is struck with leprosy by the LORD. As a leper he then had to live in seclusion away from people (Lev. 13:46; Num. 5:1-4). He lived the rest of his life in a separate house (2Kings 15:5).
Being unfaithful is not always forsaking God for idols. Here it was in arrogantly not following the commandments of God the way God said. Not even the king can change them. Not even in small things was the king to change them. Here the word for 'unfaithful" is from a Hebrew word that "carries the sense of affronting God’s holiness (as in a violated oath) … or failing to accord him his due in worship" (ESV Study Bible note). Even as Nadab and Abihu had not sanctified and glorified the LORD (see Lev. 10:3), so Uzziah has failed to keep God as holy.
How arrogant of men today to change the commandments of God. Ours is to DO them. In the doing of the word of the LORD we are found faithful. Men today think little of changing and ignoring the commandments of the LORD. Maybe they should have a little talk with Uzziah.
