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JUDAH UNDER AZARIAH (UZZIAH)

Text: 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26
24 August 2010

(I) JUDAH UNDER AZARIAH (UZZIAH)

1. He had a very long reign of 52 years (2 Kings 15:1-2)

2. He did that which was right in God’s sight after the model of Amaziah his father (2 Kings 15:3)

3. Good features of Uzziah’s reign

a) Restored city of Elath (2 Chronicles 26:2)

b) He sought God in the days of Zechariah (unknown prophet) (2 Chronicles 26:5)

c) Developed great military strength (2 Chronicles 26:8, 11-15)

i) Fought Philistines (2 Chronicles 26:6)

ii) Fought Ammonites (2 Chronicles 26:8)

iii) Built fortified towers in Jerusalem and in the desert (2 Chronicles 26:9-10)

iv) Focused on cultivation of the Land because he loved the soil (2 Chronicles 26:10)

4. Bad features of Uzziah’s reign

a) He did not take away the high places (2 Kings 15: 4-5)

b) He became arrogant in his heart (2 Chronicles 26:16)

c) He demanded the right to offer incense to the Lord in his personal capacity (2 Chronicles 26:16)

d) Azariah and 80 other priests resisted him (2 Chronicles 26:17-18)

i) The right to offer incense belonged to the priests

ii) Azariah was correct to stand up to King Uzziah even if it was dangerous

e) Uzziah became furious that he was withstood (2 Chronicles 26:19)

Arrogance was his stumbling block

f) He was struck with leprosy by the Lord (2 Chronicles 26:29-22)

i) This was a direct judgment from the Lord

ii) There was no other way of dealing with the situation

iii) He was the driven out of the temple

g) He was a leper when he died (2 Chronicles 26:23)

i) He was unrepentant to the very end

ii) Success turned to failure