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success into our lives.— Cole. God puts His best gifts on the lower shelves.— Sel. Happy it were for all of us if we bore prosperity as well and as wisely " as we endure adverse fortune.— Southey. Prosperity is often like the light of the sun to a weak eye, glorious indeed in itself but not proportioned to such an instrument.—Taylor. He transgressed. He was violating the law which made the priestly office and all priestly functions the exclusive preroga tive of the house of Aaron and pro nounced the penalty of death against anyone who usurped priestly functions. Like David, Rehoboam, Asa and Ama- ziah, when Uzziah was strong his heart was lifted up to liis destruction. The most powerful of the kings of Judah died a leper, a fact admitting of only one explanation— it was a plague inflicted by Jehovah Himself.— Exp. Bible. Went . into the temple. He killed his career by undertaking to do something God had never called him to do.—Hdrlburt. To play priest when uncalled is to play with fire. He was the third king to be guilty of this impiety. Saul, during Samuel’s office (1 Sam. 13 :9 ); Jero boam (1 Kings 12:33;- 13:1).— Sel. Arrogance is often the outgrowth of prosperity.— Plautus. v. .18. They withstood Uzziah. We should withstand to the face those who are clearly in the wrong (Gal. 2:11). Note some of the faithful warners of Scripture: Elijah and Ahab (1 Kings 17:1; 18:16-18; 21:20); Hanani and Asa (2 Chron. 16:7-10); Jeremiah and the king of Judah (Jer. 22:1-5); John and Herod (Matt. 14:1-12); Patil and, Felix (Acts 24:25).—Haldeman. Con secrated to burn incense. It was a re jection of that office which foreshadow ed the work of the true Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ. Today in Christendom we see much of the same' spirit and that which is far worse, the total rejec tion of the Lord Jesus as sin-bearer and the great High Priest.— Anno. Bible. Honor from the Lord. If presumptuous men will not be made to see their errors by the admonition of God's servants they shall be made to see them by the judgments of His hand. Though he strove with the priests he could not strive with his Maker.—-Henry. v. 19. Uzziah was wroth. Some men are not great enough to tolerate a re buke.— Panin. He was one of eleven rulers who were offended with God’s reproof. He considered the remon strance an offence against his personal
v. 15. He made engines. This is the first notice that occurs in history of the use of machines for throwing pro jectiles. The invention is apparently ascribed to the reign of Uzziah, and Pliny expressly says they originated in Syria.— J. F. & B. His name spread far abroad. The world’s smiles are the devil’s darts. ' Prosperity ruins more men than adversity.— Hunter. There^ is a glare about worldly success whiclf is very apt to dazzle men’s eyes.—Hare. He was marvelously helped. Many have lived on a pedestal who will never have a statue when dead.— Beranger. It is the penalty of fame that a man must ever keep rising. “ Get a reputa tion, and then go to bed” is the absurd- est of all maxims. “ Keep up a reputa-. tion or go to bed” would be nearer the truth.— Chapin. TUI he was strong. It is dangerous to be strong except in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10).— Pettingill. We are apt to mistake our peculiar gifts for the power of God.— Frost. i v. 16. But. Very few men, even in Christian work, can stand prosperity. Men become puffed up because God has . helped them.— Torrey. The only time an auto runs itself is when going down hill. Do not think because you are making speed you are making progress. If God is left out you will come to a full stop.— Sel. When he was strong. Prosperity too often has the same effect on a Christian that a calm at sea has on a Dutch mariner, who frequently, it is said, in these circumstances ties up the . rudder, gets drunk and goes to sleep.—Horne. The morning of many a Christian life is bright with promise, and its noon-day with experience, but its evening is black with storm clouds. We are apt to become intoxicated at sud den attainment and accomplishment, and to lose all sense of proportion. We imagine that somehow these gifts of God are indications of our own quality. We come to look upon them as expres sions of human ascendency rather than divine condescension. As we become strong in our own eyes we become miserably weak.—Holden. Heart was lifted up. ’ He gave the devil a mort gage on his prosperity. There are seven steps in his undoing. He transgressed (v. 16). He was wroth (v. 19). He was leprous (v. 19). He was thrust out (v. 20). He dwelt in an infirmary (v. 21). He was cut off (v. 21). He was buried (v. 23).— Johnson. Humil ity is the safest plan for it brings God’s
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