Tues.’s Devo - Honor the Lord and his People

Read: 2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27; Romans 13:1-14; Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 20:11 Uzziah became king at the age of 16. He was taught by Zachariah the high priest how to seek the Lord. *** He broke through the defenses of the Philistines and took some of their cities and made the Menuites pay annual tribute to him. He became powerful and wealthy. He built fortified towers in Jerusalem at strategic places along the wall and constructed forts in the wilderness and dug up wells. He loved the soil had farms and vineyards. *** He built up his military of strong elite warriors. But then he became proud which led to his downfall. He entered into the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burned incense on the incense altar. This was an act only the priests were to do. Azariah the high priest tried to stop him and tell him to leave the sanctuary but the king became furious at the priests. As he was holding the incense burner, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead. The priests saw it and rushed him out. His leprosy remained until he died. He had to live in isolation and his son, Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace and governing the people. *** When Uzziah died he had reigned 52 years. His son Jotham became the king at the age of 25 and reigned 16 years. He honored the Lord like his father had except he didn’t offer incense. He rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple and continued expanding the kingdom. He went to war against the Ammonites and they began to pay him tribute in silver, wheat and barley. *** He became powerful because he trusted in the Lord. When he died his son Ahaz became king at the age of 20. He did not honor the Lord. *** Ahaz worshiped Baal and offered his sons as sacrifice to Molech. He followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations they had driven out of the land. God allowed the king of Aram to defeat him and exile many of his people to Damascus. Israel also defeated him and killed 120,000 of his elite warriors. They also killed his son, his palace commander and took 200,000 women and children captive to Samaria, as well as tremendous amount of his wealth. *** When the army of Israel arrived in Samaria they were met by Obed the prophet. He told them that it was the Lord that let them defeat Judah but all heaven was disturbed at their merciless killing of their brothers in Judah. He told them to return the prisoners and to watch out because God’s anger was now turned against them. *** Four of the leaders of Israel agreed with the prophet and met with the men returning from battle. They released the prisoners and gave them clothes, and food, and cared for their wounds. They put the wounded on donkeys and took them back to Jericho. *** Judah was being attacked by the Edomites and the Philistines so they asked the king of Assyria for help. But when the king of Assyria arrived, he attacked Ahaz instead of helping him. Ahaz took valuables from the Temple, the palace and the homes of the rich to pay them off but it didn’t help him. *** Despite all his troubles, Ahaz refused to ask for God’s help. He continued to add gods to his list of gods which didn’t help him one bit. It only aroused God’s anger. *** When Ahaz died, he wasn’t buried in the royal cemetery of the kings. *** In Romans Paul talked about submitting to those God has put in authority. We don’t submit to those who put themselves in authority illegally like our sitting president. Our leaders are to be examples of God, as our authority. They are to represent him. *** We are to obey the laws of the land and respect those God has put in authority. We are to owe no-one anything but to love them. We are to follow God’s commandments and honor one another. *** We are to walk as children of the light and representatives of Jesus Christ. *** Lord may we be your representatives on the earth. May we put on Christ as we walk as children of your light.