The secret to Uzziah's EARLY success (2 Chron. 26:3-5)

And a warning!

I hope this blog makes us all stop, think and take stock where we are in terms of our relationship with YHVH, the eternal God.

Uzziah was the 10^th king of Judah who – while younger – was helped and blessed by Yah. Why?

2 Chronicles 26:3-5

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did what was right in the sight of YHVH, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

5 He SOUGHT God (Elohim) in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought YHVH, God (Elohim) made him prosper.

Read that passage several times until it makes a deep impression on your soul. God plays no favorites. He is impartial. If we also SEEK Him – daily, as our first priority each day – our God will also make us prosper.

The old favorite verse – Matthew 6:33 – if we seek FIRST the kingdom of God and ITS righteousness (the righteousness which is by faith through Yeshua), ALL the things we need to have will be added unto us.

Uzziah means “My Strength is Yah” or “YHVH is Strength”.   I find it interesting that God helped him become a strong king as he lived out his name and sought the Eternal first and foremost.

So when you continue reading 2 Chronicles 26, you’ll see how YHVH actually HELPED Uzziah in his efforts to strengthen the land and its defenses.

            Verse 7 – “God helped him against the Philistines…”

            Verse 15b –“his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.”

But then we have a warning. Later in life, Uzziah let all the blessings of Yah go to his head and he decided he was good enough to offer incense in the sanctuary. That was reserved only for priests, sons of Aaron, and not for kings.

So the other part of Uzziah’s story is this: we must not start thinking we can do as we please because God is obviously blessing us. If we decide to stray from the Almighty and His ways, there will be penalties and consequences. We cannot remain strong while distancing ourselves from the Source of real power, strength and blessings.

2 Chronicles 26:16-21

But when he [Uzziah] was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against YHVH his God (Elohim) by entering the temple of YHVH to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of YHVH — valiant men. 18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to YHVH, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God."

19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of YHVH, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he YHVH had struck him.

21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of YHVH. Then Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

Thank God that we have an Advocate defending us when we go astray. He comes looking for His sheep when they go astray and will joyously bring us back to the fold. But please understand, even as I preach about the great High Priest Yeshua we have, that we MUST continue to seek him, we MUST stay humble and obedient. If we do, God will mercifully bless us and strengthen us and be with us. If we don’t, in His love He will seek us and help us return to him (repent), but there will be some life penalties and consequences.

It’s best to continue to seek Him and do what is right in His sight – especially now that we have the help of the Holy Spirit and the indwelling of Yeshua in our lives today.  

So – are we seeking Yehowah, the Eternal living God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength first thing day by day? Do we spend time with Him first? DO we talk to him first in prayer? Do we listen to Him first in studying His Word? Or do other things come first? Do we crowd him out? Do we say only quick prayers after we spent hours on Facebook or games or TV? The occasional quick prayers are fine – if they are on a foundation of having built a solid foundation of a relationship with our Maker and Savior first.

This is as much exhortation to me as it is to you. We all have to be reminded to put Him first.

Are you putting him first in your life? If you do, you will be greatly blessed and helped by God Most High. Then as you are blessed, don’t let it go to your head but praise and thank Him who is the Source of every good gift coming into your life.