Today’s reading: 2 Chronicles 26
Do you, or did you ever, get in to watching soap operas? When I was in college, Days of Our Lives was on every day at 12pm. It’s been enough years ago that I can’t exactly remember the time, but I think lunch was served at the IWU Kappa Kappa Gamma house every weekday around 11:15 or 11:30. Plenty of time to eat lunch, then head to the TV room to watch Days. This show was pretty stupid, but we faithfully watched it anyway. The storyline had been the same for decades. In fact, I bet if I turned on Days of Our Lives tomorrow, it wouldn’t take me more than a couple of days to pick up on what the Horton’s and the Brady’s are up to now.
Our assigned reading for today is 2 Chronicles chapter 26. In my opinion, the Old Testament books of 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles are just like a soap opera. 1 Kings starts at the end of King David’s reign. Solomon becomes King, the temple is built, and the kingdom divides into north and south. God’s people then cycle through 20 kings in the northern kingdom of Israel before they get taken to Assyria, and 20 kings in the southern kingdom of Judah before they are taken into Babylonian captivity. For more than 500 years, God’s people were ruled by 42 different kings and one queen (if you include David and Solomon). By my count, only 8 of the 43 rulers (>20%) followed the ways of the Lord. The rest were anywhere from kind of bad to downright evil. The reigning king’s response to God set the spiritual climate for the nation and impacted whether God blessed or sent judgment on his people. This was a total soap opera, only it wasn’t decades of the same story, it was centuries!
In 2 Chronicles 26 today, we are studying the life of King Uzziah. He took over as King when he was 16 years old, and reigned 52 years. Uzziah had a great start. Uzziah won wars, built cities, and maintained productive farms and vineyards. He became very famous and powerful.
He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done. Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as the king sought the Lord, God gave him success (2 Chronicles 26:4-5).
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 altar (2 Chronicles 26:16).
When Uzziah was confronted by the priest, did you notice Uzziah’s response? Instead of acknowledging he was wrong and seeking forgiveness, he became angry and refused to submit to the priest’s spiritual authority. By this point in his life, he was so powerful and prideful he couldn’t see beyond himself and his desires. God’s response to Uzziah’s actions was harsh, as Uzziah developed leprosy on the spot. Verse 21 tells us Uzziah then lived the rest of his days alone, and his son Jotham took over the throne.
STOP HERE. Do you remember the main point in my post two weeks ago about Amnon, Absalom and David? Just like a soap opera, the same storyline continues just with different players. Even though Uzziah started off well, he ended up in the same place as Amnon, Absalom and David – self promoting and prideful. In case you missed it two weeks ago, here is the main point again –
Power, and the pursuit of power, often drives people to actions (or inaction) that were previously uncommon of their character. They often disregard their moral compass, what is right, or what is in the best interest of others. Their actions demonstrate complete self-promotion.
So I ask you again, does this behavior sound familiar? Have you experienced it in the lives of people close to you? Have you been hurt in the process? Are you in a position of power or pursuing power? Could you be blind to the hurt you are causing for those close to you? Either way, I urge you to draw near to God and submit to his ways. His plans are sovereign. All power truly belongs to him.