The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / UZZIAH'S PRIDE

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 43 of 365 UZZIAH'S PRIDE Uzziah was a good king who had started out his reign well (v. 5), and as a result he experienced God's blessing. But his successes caused him to swell up with pride, and he began to take prerogatives that did not belong to him. He usurped the authority of the priests and attempted to burn incense in the temple. God judged Uzziah's pride and presumptuousness by striking him with leprosy. His reign ended in great failure, but it revealed that God's people needed a humble king. Jesus is the antithesis of Uzziah. Jesus did not get struck with leprosy; he went around healing lepers (Lk 17:11 - 19). Jesus did not pridefully take privileges that did not belong to him; rather he humbly and voluntarily gave up privileges and rights that did belong to him (Php 2:5 - 11). Jesus is equal with God, and yet he laid aside the free exercise of his rights by humbling himself in becoming a man and dying on the cross. Therefore, God has exalted him to the throne! Jesus, protect me from the dangerous sin of pride. Make my heart humble like yours so that you may work through me to accomplish God's purposes. Amen. 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 NASB 16 But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the L ord his God, for he entered the temple of the L ord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the L ord , valiant men. 18 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the L ord , 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 L ord God." 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 L ord , 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 L ord 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 L ord . And Jotham his son was over the king's house judging the people of the land.