Read: 2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27; Romans 13:1-14; Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 20:11
The first thing Uzziah did when he received the kingdom from his father, Amaziah, was to rebuild Elath and restore it to Judah. Elath means “mightiness”. Uzziah restored the mightiness of God in his nation. You can sum up his 52 year reign with these words…”as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.” The nation was very prosperous and mighty during his reign. They build, created, invented new machines, reaped great harvests, won battles, and protected his people from harm during his reign. Toward the end, he became proud and wanted to enter the temple to offer incense himself and was struck with leprosy. He had to separate himself and allow his son to rule the people until he died.
His son’s name was Jotham who followed him in serving the Lord. He only lived to be 41 and when he died, his son, Ahaz ruled. Ahaz was not a good king. He practiced idolatry and in one day, he lost 120,000 good soldiers because he forsook the Lord.
The Israelites raided them and took many captives back to Israel. Oded, a prophet stood up and explained the sin of taking their brothers captive. Many stood with him and when they wanted to bring the captives into the city they protested and won. They fed, clothed, doctored and blessed the captives and sent them home.
Then Ahaz asked the Assyrians to help him against the Edomites. The Assyrians more trouble than help. In his time of trouble Ahaz refused to turn to the Lord, but instead, turned to idols and false god’s. He eventually closed the doors to the temple and built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods which provoked the Lord.
Paul would not be politically correct in our day. He tells us to honor authority because it is God who placed it there. We are to pay our taxes, pay those who work for us, respect those over us and give honor to those God has exalted. Love is to be our law.
He admonishes us to wake up and realize the time is short for us to affect the world. We do not have time to be distracted by the noise of parties and revelry. We are to be sober and diligent, always abounding in the faith with love.
Lord, help us to stay awake and aware of what God is doing in our world. May we be help to the kingdom and not harm.
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