Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: 2 Kings 15 and Psalm 132

King Azariah of Judah was also known by the name Uzziah (used in v.13, and in references to him in 2 Chronicles and the book of Isaiah). 2 Kings does not give him much press, but the 52 year duration of his reign should be a clue to us that his rule was characterised more by the fact that he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (v.3) than by his shortcomings – like not removing the “high places” where the people continued to make sacrifices and burn incense (v.4). He was king after the murder of his father Amaziah (2 Kings 14).

His father Amaziah left Judah in a shambles due to his ill-conceived, prideful attack on israel. Jerusalem was in disarray, a major section of its protective wall had been destroyed, its temple and palace were emptied of their treasures, and some of its inhabitants had been taken away to Israel as hostages.

2 Kings 15 leaves us guessing as to why the LORD struck him with leprosy. What was he being punished for, we wonder? Thankfully 2 Chronicles 26:15-16 makes the reason perfectly clear: “His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. 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.” Like his father before him, pride led to Azariah’s downfall. Whereas his father’s had been military pride, Azaraiah/Uzziah fell prey to religious pride – probably believing that someone like him, who had been so favoured by God in rebuilding Judah (with the Lord’s help), was surely worthy of taking on a role reserved for the priests and burning incense to the Lord.

Pride led to presumtion, and the LORD did not take kindly to his actions. 2 Chronicles 26:19 tells us that when the priests confronted him, “Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.” He lived out the rest of his days in isolation, with his own son taking over the kingdom from him. Yet again, pride led to the fall of a king.

Heavenly Father, I pray for Your grace to preserve me from a prideful view of myself. All the good in me is purely by Your kindness and empowering grace, and I give You all the glory. All of my faults and failings are my own doing, and I ask for Your forgiveness. Christ in me, my hope of glory, please transform me from the inside out and make me all that the Father wants me to be. Amen.