Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Wed.’s Devo. - The Pride of Uzziah

Read: 2 Kings 15: 2 Chron. 26
Once again, Kings gives us the outline and Chronicles gives us the details. Judah’s king, Uzziah had done so many good things for his country: he defended his people from the Philistines, built towers, dug wells, caused the agriculture to prosper, built up the army, invented engines to shoot arrows from the watchtowers and had much favor with God and man. But, pride slipped in and Uzziah decided that because he was the king he could also be a priest. He went into the temple and offered incense upon the altar of incense and was smitten with leprosy and spent the rest of his life in a hospital. Huzzah’s name means “God is strong” because during his reign God proved that he was stronger than Uzziah. Uzziah’s son, Jotham reigned in his place. His name means “Jehovah is perfect”.
Meanwhile in Israel we go through a list of evil kings: Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoshea. Most of them became king by murdering the prior king. The deeper Israel got into sin the weaker their kingdom became. They had to pay tribute to Pul and were taken captive by Tiglath-pileser. That is what serving the devil will give you…a life of slavery and oppression.
Lord, You are supreme over everything. Help us to humble ourselves before You.

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