A Lesson In Strength (2 Chronicles 26:1-21)

In this the passage of scripture given for our lesson we can learn a valuable lesson on strength. Uzziah became the king of Judah when he was 16 years old. The Bible says that he did that which was right according to the Lord and that God blessed him for it. He accomplished many great things while he was king. But at the end of the passage we see that he died a leper separated from the house of God. So what happened to cause such a drastic change? He became strong and prosperous which affected his heart.

Where did Uzziah’s strength come from? 

At first his strength came from God (verses 5&7).  In verse 5 we see that as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper. The wording here indicates that somewhere he quit seeking the Lord. In verse 7 we see that it was God who help him win the early battles. But in verse 8 we see that once his fame began to grow, he strengthened himself.

This is an easy trap for any saved person who has a desire to serve God in some capacity. It does not matter whether we are singing, playing an instrument in church, preaching, pasturing, witnessing, or teaching a class. At first we depend heavily on God because we do not know what we are doing, but as soon as we have a little success or get a little praise for what we are doing it can go to our head. Then we began to trust more in our own abilities than God and if we are not careful we will end up just like Uzziah.

What did Uzziah’s strength do to him?

In verse 15 we see that the fame of Uzziah spread far abroad. But in the end of that verse there is a statement made concerning his strength which shows a major change. This is found in the phrase “he was marvelously helped, till he was strong”. Then in verse 16 we see what his strength did to him.

1)  His heart was lifted up which led to his destruction.

2)  He transgressed against the Lord his God.

3)  He tried to usurp the position of the priest.

The result of this is that God smote him with leprosy. What happened to Uzziah is the same thing that happened to Satan (Ezekiel 28:17). Satan’s heart was lifted up because of his beauty and he tried to usurp the position of God. If we are not careful this same thing can happen to us.

What is the lesson for us from Uzziah?

First off we must remember that if we have any strength or success it comes from God and him alone (Proverbs 10:29). And lastly the way to handle success is to stay weak and this is what the Apostle Paul is teaching us in 2 Corinthians 12:5-10.

If God does bless you with prosperity, fame or strength be careful that you do not become a Uzziah.

A Lesson In Strength (2 Chronicles 26:1-21)

Handout

1)  Who is the king of Judah in this passage and how old is he when he begins to reign?

2)  Where did Uzziah get his strength from?

3)  What did Uzziah’s strength do to him?

4)  What is the lesson in the passage for us?