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THE KING’S BUSINESS
buke, even from a God-sent messenger. It is the common weakness and folly of kings to think that no man must tell them what they must do, not even the messenger of the King of Kings. “and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.” Uzziah’s wrath was of short duration, for God took him in hand and thoroughly humbled him. The stoutest-hearted king soon wilts when God deals with him. Uzziah’s leprosy was a direct infliction from God (Deut. 28:22- 35; Num. 12:10; 2 Kings 5 :27). So it is evident that the doctrine that God never- sends sickness has no warrant in the Word of God. v. 20. “And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to get out, because the Lord had smitten him.” . What a sight. The mighty king, whom God had marvel ously helped and blessed, and whom He had given abundant 3victory, and whom all feared, now driven out from the sanct uary by his own people, driven out by his own subjects, but driven out especially by God, and hastening himself to get out. There is a solemn warning for all today who are being puffed up because God has used them in thè past, and who now are tempted to do things contrary to that very God who has used them. v. 21. “And Uzziah, the king, was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord." The all-conquering king became a leper to the day of his death, unclean, and separ ated from his people, living .by himself, with abundant opportunity to reflect upon , his folly. What a sad ending to a brilliant reign, but It all came because “his heart was lifted up to his destruction.”
an office to which God had never called him. God had appointed him to be king, but he took upon himself the office of priest and violated the plainest instruc tions of God’s own law (cf. Num. 16:40; 18:7; 16:1, 7, 18, 35; 1 Kings 12:33; 13:1,4; Heb. 5:4). How many a man whom God has called to-one work and abundantly blessed him in it, takes upon himself to undertake some work to which God has never called him, and finds his utter ruin in doing so. vs. 17, 18. “And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that'were •valiant men. And they withstood Uzziah the king.” Azariah was a faithful priest, and he was accom panied by men like-minded. A faithful leader usually means faithful subordinates. Although Uzziah was king, (he faithful priests did not hesitate to- withstand him when Uzziah withstood God (cf. 2 Chron,. 16:7-9; 19:2; Jer.-13:18; Matt. 10 :18-28; Mark 6:18)-. There is a great and crying need today of servants of God who do not hesitate to rebuke those high in authority for their sin. “It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto,.the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are conse crated to burn incense; go out of the sanct uary, for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.” It must have sounded strange to the all-conquering and self-sufficient king to hear one of his humble subjects tell him what was his business and what was not his business, and above all to hear him thunder, | “go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed.” No honor ever comes from disobeying God (cf. 1 Sam. 2:30; Dan. 4:37). ' v.. 19. “Then Uzziah was wroth.” Uz ziah was not great enough to tolerate re buke, even from a God-sent messenger (cf. ch. 16:10; 25:16). How. few kings there are who are great enough to tolerate re
LESSON OUTLINE
His name was exalted even to Egypt,
(X ) U zziah’s P ro sp erity , vs. 8-15. Uzziah received gifts from the Ammon-
v. 8 .
ites, v. 8 .
He fortified the gates of the eity, v. 9.
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