Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 26-27, 2 Kings 15
After Amaziah died, his sixteen-year-old son was crowned as king. Uzziah was king for fifty-two years, and he was a good leader. He sought after God, allowing the prophet Zechariah to mentor him and teach him how to be a leader who fears God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success (2 Chronicles 26:5b).
Declaring war on the Philistines, Uzziah broke down walls, restored cities, and built new towns. God helped him, which caused his name to become famous as far as Egypt. He grew more powerful as he successfully built the nation over which God had given him authority.
Uzziah built fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the angle in the wall. He also constructed forts in the wilderness and dug many water cisterns, because he kept great herds of livestock in the foothills of Judah and on the plains. He was also a man who loved the soil. He had many workers who cared for his farms and vineyards, both on the hillsides and in the fertile valleys. – 2 Chronicles 25:9-10
Like his father, Uzziah built a strong army of well-trained warriors. 307,500 men were ready to assist the king against any of Judah’s enemies. With shields, spears, helmets, bows, and sling stones, Uzziah was equipped with a mighty army to protect the nation. With God’s help, they creatively came up with new methods for fighting off their enemies.
And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful. – 2 Chronicles 25:15
THE LORD GAVE HIM MARVELOUS HELP, BUT UZZIAH BEGAN TO SEE HIMSELF AS THE MARVELOUS ONE.
As leaders become more and more successful, it is easy for them to lose track of the source of their success. Authority becomes addictive and pride begins to bring down the success of leadership. You are probably already thinking of a leader who has fallen victim to their own arrogance.
But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. Azariah the high priest went in after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this!” – 2 Chronicles 25:16-18
Uzziah was furious! He began to rage at the priests who stood before him. And as he threw his temper tantrum, leprosy began to break out across his forehead. The priests rushed out of the Temple, and King Uzziah also ran out of the Temple to get away from the Lord, for he knew it was God who had struck him down for his arrogance. He spent the rest of his life in isolation, and never entered the Temple of the Lord again.
WE CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT LEADERSHIP FROM THE BIBLE — GOOD AND BAD.
As we read through the history of Israel and Judah’s kings, it is important for us to study what these leaders did right, but also to learn from what they did wrong. The most successful of these Old Testament leaders were those who humbly led with a heart for God. They recognized the supremacy of God and followed His instructions and commands. In the same way, we must protect ourselves from the kind of pride that starts to take credit for all that is going right under our leadership. We must keep our eyes focused on the God who wants to lead us each step of the way.
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud. — Proverbs 16:18-19
Uzziah died alone and his son, Jotham, became the next king. He did what was pleasing to the Lord and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to live in obedience to the Lord his God (2 Chronicles 27:6).
OBEDIENCE WAS THE KEY INGREDIENT OF JOTHAM’S LEADERSHIP.
As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. – James 4:6-10