Introduced
tonight to Uzziah Recap:
Amaziah was the
father of Uzziah.
A) Amaziah began his reign well.
B) God gave him victory over the Edomites, but then he did an extremely
foolish thing.
1) From the victory over the
Edomites, he brought back some of the idols of their gods, and he began to
worship them.
C) So God delivered Amaziah
unto the king of
D) Joash the king of
So chapter twenty six RD V.1-4
As you go through
the Chronicles here, as it gives the name of the king, as it’s introducing the
king,
A) It tells you, basically
the most important thing about his life, and
that is, his relationship with God.
B) That is the most
important thing about your life. All of your accomplishments or whatever else is
not as important as your relationship with God.
C) What is your relationship with God?
1) Are you doing that which
is right in the sight of the Lord? That’s what counts.
D) That is the most important bit of information that we could have
concerning any of you.
1) Doing what is right in
the sight of the Lord
Now it is
interesting to note that Isaiah was alive and prophesying during the reign of
Uzziah
A) In fact when Uzziah died Isaiah had an amazing vision of God –
B) Other prophets on the scene at that time were Hosea and Amos
1) Read those three books and you can get an idea of the spiritual
climate at this time
C) Isaiah’s ministry was during the reign of Uzziah Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah.
5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had
understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God
made him prosper.
Note: This is not
Zechariah the Prophet who wrote the book of Zechariah -
A) Different prophet – we really don’t know much about except that he
had a big influence on Uzziah
B) It is great to
have pp in your life who bring out the best in you.
C) Great to be that kind of person who brings out the best in others.
Now v.5 gives us
what is really the over arching theme of the book of 2 Chronicles
A) As long as Uzziah sought the Lord – he prospered
B) That is the message of the Chronicler to the remnant and to us –
1) Seek God – you put Him first and He blesses
C) You forsake the Lord and put other things first and it spells
disaster – NO BLESSING AT ALL
Putting God first in our lives is so
important.
A) If we put God first in
our lives, God will take care of the other issues of our lives.
B)If we put first the other
issues of our lives, then we will be so busy trying to take care of the other
issues, you’ll have no time for God.
C) Seek First the kingdom and His righteousness and all these other
things will be added to you.
D) But this is the mistake
that is so commonly made.
1) We are so concerned with
taking care of everything else,
E) We get so
concerned with getting enough money to pay the bills, and all, that we’re
constantly, our nose is at the grindstone.
F) God gets pushed aside: He
says seek me first – make me the first priority and watch how everything else
just falls into place.
Uzziah is a
classic example of this – As long as he sought the Lord – things fell into
place
A) He prospered – the following verses show us how
RD V. 6-14
B) Prospering in every way: Militarily
1) Agriculturally / Buildings / fortification
15 And he made
devices in
So [his fame spread ]far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became
strong.
I
love that phrase – he was marvelously helped –
A) God just blessing –
supernatural – God’s hand being upon Him
B) I have had times in my
life – felt marvelously helped – God orchestrated events
C)
Land acquisition {Look forward to more with our current building thing
D) Marvelously helped until
he became strong!
1) Pride set in
E) The Bible has a lot to
say about Pride!
The
Bible tells us that Pride comes before ….. Destruction & a haughty spirit
before a fall
A) James said God resist the
proud but He gives grace to the humble.
B) God’s hate list:
16 These six
things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are
an abomination to Him:
17 A proud
look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed
innocent blood,
18 A heart that
devises wicked plans,
Feet that are
swift in running to evil,
19 A false
witness who speaks lies,
And one who
sows discord among brethren.
Speaking that pollutes – ask
ourselves – our speech – building up or tearing down
First
thing on the list is a proud look!
A) Uzziah was lifted up with
pride – that came with his success
B) There is a danger to
success. There is a danger in prosperity.
1) The
danger of success is feeling independent of God.
2)
Thinking that you not God are the reason for your success!
C) Notice how Uzziah’s pride was manifested
V.16
So he goes into
the temple to offer incense at the altar of incense.
A) At first glance this might seem like it is not a big deal – wasn’t
he just seeking to worship God
B) Problem was this: This was a
job that was reserved for the priests.
1) Only the priests were to
go into the holy place, and only the high priest into the Holy of Holies.
C) So he is treading into an area where he doesn’t belong.
1) He is seeking to do
something that he was not called of God to do.
D) God had prescribed the way He is to be approached, and the way He
was to be worshiped.
1)Uzziah was treading into
an area he had no business in
17 So Azariah
the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD —
valiant men. 18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, "It is
not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons
of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for
you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God."
Azariah
and the rest of the priest here are a great example of Valiant men
A) They took a stand for
righteousness!
B) They walked in the fear
of God instead of the fear of man
C) It didn’t matter that
Uzziah was this great King – Popular King / no exceptions made here
1) He was wrong – He was
breaking God’s Law and they withstood him
D) Reminds me of the story
of when President Andrew Jackson was visiting the Church of
Pastor Peter Cartwright 1800’s
Cartwright was a Methodist Preacher who
didn’t care about men’s Reputations
He was given to speak the
truth –concerning mans need to be Born
again & have SALVATION.
One Sunday Peter Cartwright was told that Pres. Andrew Jackson was in the Congregation
/ sure enough he was escorted by Body Guards
I understand that Pres. Andrew Jackson is w/ us here today – I have
been requested to be guarded w/ my words - Andrew Jackson will go to HELL IF he
doesn’t repent”
C)
Talk about BOLDNESS Pres. Jackson sat there stunned! / He had never been so addressed /
1) Afterwards he went up to greet Pastor Cartwright &
said this:
Unfortunately that was not
the response of King Uzziah {In His pride he got angry RD V.19-21
So
Sad end to this man’s life – Had he not responded in anger – God would have
forgiven him
A) Even after the Leprosy –
God would have forgiven him & healed him.
{Remember
B) We really don’t know how
things ended for Uzziah
If he ever got his heart
right
1) Did he remain angry at God?
C) May his story be a lesson
for us tonight!
Maybe
you are here tonight and you are trespassing You are walking in an area where
you don’t belong
A) Let tonight serve as a
gentle rebuke – STOP – repent change –
B) Let this be a warning to
all of us about Pride
C) God wants to Marvelously
help us – the eyes of the Lord run to and fro ….
Strong on behalf of …hearts that are loyal towards him.
RD V.22-23
Co regency until the death of Uzziah
Ch.27:1-6
Note
v.6 Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord
A) Note that – It doesn’t
say – that he prepared his ways before the Lord so he could become mighty
B) There is that type of
teaching in the Church today- that is not what is being said here
C) He prepared his way
before the Lord and the by product was he became mighty
RD V.7-9 – Mystery I wish we knew more.
Now
with a Dad like that you would think that he would have a great son – WRONG!
Pattern:
Jotham sought God and had a wicked son Ahaz – Ahaz was one of the worst kings –
A) He had an awesome son
Hezekiah
B) Hezekiah one of the best
Kings –
1) Wicked son Manasseh
C) Manasseh
THE WORST –
1) He has a godly son Josiah
D) Josiah great godly king
1) Wicked son – Jehoahaz
Now
I completely understand how a wicked King could have a godly Son
A) They see the wickedness
of the father and want to be the opposite
B) See it all the time in
counseling –
1) I want to be the opposite
of my dad – as a husband or a father {Works the other way too
C) My Dad was a great dad –
before and after he was saved – easy to want to be like him
It
is harder to understand how these godly kings could produce a wicked son
A) What happened? We don’t
know –
B) It is easy for us to
speculate that neglected their kids for the ministry – that can happen
C)
Or to speculate that amidst the blessings the kids got spoiled and didn’t
appreciate the things of the Lord – took for granted
D) That also can happen. –
But the text doesn’t tell us either of those things
We
are left in the dark & I believe for a reason –
A) Even the most godly
parents who did everything right and sought the Lord – can have a Prodigal
B) I know some awesome pp in
our Church that is their story – great godly pp
1) Kids haven’t walked with
the Lord
C) Truth of the matter – is
this: in the life of every Ahaz / Manasseh / Jehoahaz –
1) Child here – They have to
make their own Choices
Amazing
thing to remember: At the end of the millennium – after a 1000 yrs of Christ
perfect rule
A) During that time – many
Children born to those who made it thru the trib
B) World populated – we are
in new bodies ruling and reigning – but world pop is growing
1)1000 yrs of the perfect
reign of Christ
C) Satan is loosed and some
of those pp born during the millennium are going to rebel follow Satan
1) It doesn’t get better
than Jesus leadership
Ahaz
was a horrible
A) Wicked Practice of
Burning Babies!
B) We read that and think –
How horrible – How despicable – abomination
C) Is what is happening in
our country any different?
1million 300,000 abortions
each year in the
We
need to pray for our nation: Consider
A) Revolutionary war: 25,324
Casualties
Civil War 498,332 casualties
WWI 116,708 casualties
WWII 407,316 casualties
Korean war 54,246 casualties
B) That amounts a little
over 1.2 million since our countries inception even when you add the casualties
from the gulf war
1)
C) Not down playing
casualties of war – Horrible when a Soldier dies
D) But do you know that in
the last 34 yrs there have been 46 million babies
aborted in this country
1) That is almost 40 times
the amount of Casualties in such a short time –
E) That is a toll that God
can’t look past – will not turn a blind eye too.
Whenever
I bring this subject up – I always try to be sensitive to the fact that there
are those here who have had abortions
A) Know this: If you have
repented asked for forgiveness – God forgiven you
B) It is gone – he doesn’t
want you to be condemned tonight in any way.
C) But as our nation goes
this is a problem that God can’t ignore
1)
Romans
insight into God’s judgment
A) God gave them up – gave
them over
B) He lifts his hand off the
nation and says – have at –
1) Want to pursue wickedness
– go for it and reap all the consequences of it
C) Ultimate being that the
pp just get farther and farther away from God.
So
we look at our nation and wonder what is wrong –what is happening – that is the
answer
A) The beginning stages of
the judgment of God
B) Pray for Revival – Starts
with me – Circle light everything in the circle on fire
1) Revival in my heart –
spread to the Church
Church
to the city – City to the County – County to the State – that is what we need
A) Prayer times twice a
month on Sunday nights 5pm
Pick up V.5-8
So
A) Heading toward
B) Prophet named Obed – RD
v. 9-15
C) So there is a showing of
kindness to the prisoners reminded they are the same pp
D) But the King of
Now
it is during this time that God sends the Prophet Isaiah to
1) Recorded for us in Isaiah ch.7 – turn there
A)
3 Then the LORD
said to Isaiah, "Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at
the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's
Field,
B) The Lord sends Isaiah
along with his son Shear-Jashub To meet Ahaz
– Shear-Jashub
his name means a remnant shall return
V4 and say to
him:'Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two
stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the
son of Remaliah.
Notice the
first thing the Lord has Isaiah say to these people who were wavering in fear Take heed, and be quiet
A) Common word from the Lord
for those who are filled with worry & fear. Be still
B) Children of
C) God knows the need that
we have to quiet our hearts
1) Sometimes the first road
to quieting our hearts is to quiet our mouths {Stop talking
2nd
He says – Don’t be afraid – Why? They are just smoking fire brands { Smoking
stick – been in fire
A) So Ahaz
looked at
B) God
looked at
1)
To the Lord, they were all smoke
and no fire! The fire is gone – almost extinct
C) Ahaz says
these guys are on Fire God says- no they are smoking Sticks
1) They are just guys Full of smoke
Why does God give them that
description?
It is because
he sees what Ahaz doesn’t
5 Because
Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying,
6 "Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its
wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel" — 7 thus says the Lord GOD:
"It shall
not stand, Nor shall it come to pass.
This
is why What they are planning against you is not going to happen – It shall not
stand.
v.8 For the
head of Syria is Damascus,
And the head of
Within
sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken,
So that it will
not be a people. The head of Ephraim is
A) In 65 yrs
B)
Their leaders will be the first to go down.
C) Then the Lord issued this
exhortation
V.9b If you
will not believe,
Surely you
shall not be established."'"
D) If you are not going to
believe the word of the Lord then you will not be established
1) Continue to be scared –
tossed – shaken
E) Anything but established
This
is such a good word for us to consider
A) You see God wants us to
be established
He doesn’t like to see his people shaken
B) But the key to being
established is in believing the word of the Lord and acting on it.
Notice how
remarkably close the Lord draws to Ahaz
V10 Moreover the LORD
spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD
your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above."
God says ask
for a sign I want you to believe that I am with you – willing to work – I will
show you ask
12
But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" Ahaz says no { not going to ask
God says I
will give you one anyway – Prophecy about Messiah
13
Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to
weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will
give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall
call His name Immanuel.
Tremendous
grace of God willing to draw near if Ahaz would just turn to Him –
A) Turn to me and you will
be established – you will be blessed –
B) But Ahaz refused to do
that – turn back to Bck 2 Chron 28 to
see what he does do RD V.16
At the same
time King Ahaz sent to the kings of
C) Instead of turning to the
Lord he turns to the King of
D) Backfires – RD V. 17-25
All wrong V.26-27
Close calling all prodigals
– come home – Jesus words - not mine
Casual