Book of 2 Kings – Bible Lesson 27
Just for your thoughts.:
Book of 2 Kings – Bible Lesson 27
If we want to fully understand the Book of 2 Kings, we must also read it along with the related Books of Chronicles.
When we do so, we realize that the king “Azariah” mentioned in 2 Kings and the king “Uzziah” mentioned in 2 Chronicles are actually the same person.
In Scripture (2 Kings 14:21; 15:1–7; 2 Chronicles 26:1–23), his name is given in two forms:
Azariah (in Hebrew – “Yahweh has helped”)
Uzziah (in Hebrew – ʿUzzīyāh – “Yahweh is my strength”)
Although the meaning of the names is slightly different, both refer to the same person, as confirmed by history and the Bible.
For example:
In 2 Kings 15:1–2, he is called Azariah.
In 2 Chronicles 26:1, he is called Uzziah.
The life of King Uzziah stands as a warning to us. It shows how dangerous it is to go into a place where God has not called us, and to attempt a task that God has not appointed for us.
Uzziah was a king who sought the Lord. He ruled for 52 years. As long as he sought Yahweh, God gave him victory. He strengthened the defense of his nation, developed weapons of war, and appointed 2,600 family leaders to command his army. Under their leadership were 307,500 trained warriors, a powerful army to help the king and fight against his enemies (2 Chronicles 26:13).
He loved agriculture. The Ammonites paid tribute to him. His fame spread as far as Egypt because he had become very powerful. Spiritually, his race was running well.
But at that point, pride brought about his downfall.
In the Old Testament, the priestly ministry was reserved only for the family of Aaron. According to the Law of Moses, a king or a prophet could not perform priestly duties. However, a priest could become a prophet. Only Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King in one person.
But King Uzziah desired to perform a duty that was not given to him. He attempted to enter a place where God had not called him. He went into the temple to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Then Azariah the priest, together with 80 brave priests of the Lord, confronted him. They said:
“Uzziah, it is not right for you to burn incense to the Lord. That duty belongs to the priests, the sons of Aaron, who have been consecrated for that task. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; you will not be honored by the Lord God.”
But he ignored their warning. Instead, he became furious. As a result, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead. Immediately, he was driven out, and for the rest of his life he lived in a separate house, afflicted with leprosy. His son Jotham took charge of the palace and governed the people.
When Uzziah died, he was not buried in the royal tombs of the kings. Instead, he was buried in a separate place nearby.
Through this, the Bible teaches us some lessons:
1.We need priests like Azariah today. No matter how high someone rises spiritually, if they go against the ways of God, there must be bold leaders who dare to confront them. Even if the person is a king or offers great wealth, when they depart from God’s ways, there must be courageous voices to rebuke them.
2.Pride is dangerous. Thinking that we can do every work, even those not commanded by God, leads to downfall.
3.We should not usurp another’s calling.
Here I would like to mention the words of my beloved Warren Wiersbe:
“A good beginning is no guarantee of a successful ending, and the sin of unholy ambition has ruined more than one servant of the Lord. Uzziah the soldier was defeated by his pride; Uzziah the builder destroyed his own ministry and testimony; and Uzziah the farmer reaped the painful harvest of what he had sown. He is a warning to all who nurture unholy ambitions to intrude into that which God hasn't appointed for them.”
King Uzziah’s early race was excellent, but pride brought it to a cursed end.
In contrast, King Manasseh walked wickedly, but in the end he humbled himself and reconciled with the Lord.
May God grant us the grace to finish our spiritual race well.