Series: Youth for Jesus
Number: Vol. 9, No. 26
“But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.” (2 Chro 26:16 NIV)
What led to the downfall of King Uzziah, as mentioned in our opening text? It was pride. And interestingly, the consistent position of the Scriptures is that pride always goes before people’s downfall. So, if I am nursing any form of pride in me, I had better begin to pray to God to rid me of it. Otherwise, as it was the case with Uzziah, I may also experience downfall, if not shown mercy by God.
But when did pride begin to find expression in Uzziah? According to our opening text, it was when he became powerful; it was when he thought that he had arrived. That means his pride was connected to his elevation.
Now that is always true of pride – it is always connected to something. It may be beauty. It may be wealth. It may be position. It may be education. Or it may be a special ability. There just has to be something that will ignite it. And once it is ignited and it begins to find expression, it is only a matter of time before a fall follows it.
In Uzziah’s case, what he did may not have looked like an expression of pride to him. He entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar. Who was he going to burn incense to? It was the Lord, not an idol or a demon. So, he was actually someone who loved God and wanted to honour him.
But was it in his place to enter the temple of God to burn incense or offer sacrifices? No! Yet he wanted to do what he had no right before God to do. And as the account shows, he had a little window of mercy opened to him by God on the occasion. How? Eighty-one priests came to challenge and rebuke him about the matter, telling him that what he was doing was out of place and that God would not honour him for it, even though it was the same God he was seeking to worship. All he needed to do, then, was listen to them, apologise and leave the temple quietly. And that would most likely have been his salvation that day. (Cf. 2 Chro 26:17-18)
Unfortunately, because pride was involved, instead of listening to those priests, he was enraged and began to protest. And while he was doing that, God’s judgment came upon him. Leprosy broke out on his forehead, where everyone could easily see it. So, he had to hurry out of the temple in disgrace. That, of course, brought a quick end to his reign, for he was leprous till the day he die. To make matters worse, when he died, public sentiments would not allow him to be buried where kings were being buried but somewhere else. What a shame! (Cf. 2 Chro 26:19-23)
Now why did all that happen to Uzziah? The reason was that he thought that he had arrived and could do as he pleased, even in the temple of God. Perhaps you too are of the opinion that you have finally arrived because your beauty, education or skill is now opening certain doors of favour or elevation for you or because your wealth or position has now made you important, influential or powerful. You need to watch yourself for pride. Yes, you need to watch yourself for that urge to use what God has used to elevate you to oppress, despise or disrespect God or other people. Otherwise, as Uzziah was suddenly brought down and disgraced, you too may be suddenly brought down and disgraced, if you are not shown mercy by God.
What, then, would become of that which has filled your heart with pride? It would be useless at the time in rescuing or restoring you from whatever has befallen you, just as Uzziah’s power and position became useless in rescuing him from leprosy or restoring him to kingship. Therefore, mind yourself.
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