Ancient Kings | Uzziah 

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2 Chronicles 26:3–5 (NIV): Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

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The Rise:

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2 Chronicles 26:6–8 (NIV): He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.

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Over His enemies 

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Proverbs‬ 27‬:20 Human desires are like the world of the dead—there is always room for more.

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Psalm 34:8 (NLT): Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

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Proverbs 16:7 (NLT): When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.

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Of His Home

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2 Chronicles 26:9–10 (NIV): Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. 

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Psalm 30:11–12 (NLT): You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

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Isaiah 61:3–4 (NIV): [God will] provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated;

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2 Corinthians 12:9–10 (NIV): [Jesus] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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His Provisions

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2 Chronicles 26:12–15 (NIV): The total number of leaders over the fighting men was 2,600.13 Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. 14 Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones for the entire army. 15 In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls.

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2 Chronicles 26:16 (NIV): But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.

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How to avoid the fall 

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Guard Against Self Reliance

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2 Chronicles 26:16 (NIV): [Uzziah] was unfaithful to the Lord his God…

3 John 2 (ESV): Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

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Hosea 13:5–6 (NIV):  I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of burning heat. 6 When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.

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Beware Of Spiritual Blindness

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2 Chronicles 26:16–19 (NIV): [Uzziah] entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.” 19 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.

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2 Timothy 4:3–4 (NIV): For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

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Hebrews 13:17 (TNIV): Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

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Deut 8:10-20–remember where God brought you from, lest you forget and forsake God 

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