Pride and Destruction

Chronicles 26:16 (NET) - But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the LORD his God. He entered the LORD’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar.

This verse about King Uzziah is extremely cautionary.

It tells us that he disobeyed the Lord.

It also reminds us that it was his pride that destroyed him.

Azariah and the eighty other priests confronted him.

The king was warned that it was not proper for him to offer incense.

This was the responsibility of the priests - the descendants of Aaron.

They were consecrated for this duty.

2 Chronicles 26:19 (NET) - Uzziah, who had an incense censer in his hand, became angry. While he was ranting and raving at the priests, a skin disease appeared on his forehead right there in front of the priests in the LORD’s temple near the incense altar.

God’s judgment was both swift and severe.

Scripture tells us that at this the priests rushed the king away.

It also tells us that King Uzziah was in a hurry to leave as well.

This king’s pride had far reaching consequences.

2 Chronicles 26:21 (NET) - King Uzziah suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, afflicted by a skin disease and banned from the LORD’s temple. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.

The disease did not leave the king when he departed.

It stayed with him until the day he died.

It could be said that he lost everything.

He lost his palace.

He lost his kingdom.

He even lost the right to live among other people.

Perhaps it would be a good reminder to return to that cautionary verse once more.

2 Chronicles 26:16 (NET) - But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the LORD his God. He entered the LORD’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar.

King Uzziah disobeyed the Lord.

But it was his pride that destroyed him.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 3, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, March 10, 2017

Wisdom Through Obedience

In 2 Chronicles, God told Solomon that he could ask for anything he wanted and God would give it to him.

Solomon asked God for wisdom and knowledge.

God was pleased that Solomon requested wisdom rather than riches, honor or other things.

God granted Solomon great wisdom.

God also granted him the other things he could have asked for.

Word of Solomon’s wisdom spread throughout the land

It eventually reached the queen of Sheba.

She felt it necessary to test Solomon’s wisdom for herself.

2 Chronicles 9:1 (NET) - When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

Solomon answered every one of her difficult questions.

Not a single question she posed was too difficult for him.

It was not only Solomon’s wisdom that impressed her.

2 Chronicles 9:3-4 (NET) - When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the LORD’s temple, she was amazed.

The material things God gave Solomon obviously impressed the queen as well.

In the end, she did realize that wisdom was God’s greatest gift to Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9:7-8 (NET) - Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! May the LORD your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.

Wisdom is one of God’s greatest gifts and it comes from obedience to Him.

The Psalmist understood this.

Psalm 19:7 (NET) - The law of the LORD is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the LORD are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.

As a result, obedience to God is far more valuable than any riches the world has to offer.

The Psalmist understood this as well.

Psalm 19:9-10 (NET) - The commands to fear the LORD are right and endure forever. The judgments given by the LORD are trustworthy and absolutely just. They are of greater value than gold, than even a great amount of pure gold; they bring greater delight than honey, than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 17, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, February 24, 2017