Read 2 Chronicles 26
Uzziah King of Judah
26 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 2 He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.
3 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.
6 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 Ammonitesbrought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.
9 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. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
11 Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. 12 The total number of family 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. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.
16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and 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.20 When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.
21 King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
22 The other events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 23 Uzziah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in a cemetery that belonged to the kings, for people said, “He had leprosy.” And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.
Go Deeper
The life of King Uzziah is a case study on faithfulness. As we watch his life unfold in this chapter, we have some lessons or warnings to pay attention to as we try to run our own race well.
Chapter 26 begins in a similar way to the others before it by telling us facts about the king coming into power. King Uzziah was 16 years old when he began his reign, he reigned 52 years, and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord like his father (see chapter 25 for more on Amaziah). In verse 5 we see more detail given than before, he sought God and Zechariah instructed him in the fear of God. It goes on to say, “as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.”
Uzziah experienced much success and help from the Lord as we see in the verses that follow. He is considered by scholars to be a strong and innovative king. However, in verse 16, his life takes a tragic turn, “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” A repeated phrase in verses 8 and 15 is that his fame spread, and he became powerful. Instead of attributing those things to God, he now only trusts in himself. After verse 16, the repeated word to describe King Uzziah is “unfaithful” (vs. 16, 18). He was taught the fear of God, but eventually succumbed to his own selfish pride.
How do we prevent our lives from turning out the same? In his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson describes us as both disciples and pilgrims. Disciples “spend our lives apprenticed to our master, Jesus Christ,” always growing and learning skills of faith from Him. Pilgrims “spend our lives, going to God, and whose path for getting there is the way, Jesus Christ.” (Peterson, p.11). It’s not simple, easy, without trouble or opposition. In fact, Jesus himself warns us of these things in John 16:33 and John 10:10. However, in Him we aren’t left alone in the difficulties we face. Jesus also tells us that in Him is life (John 10:10, John 14:5), rest (Matthew 11:38) and peace (John 14:27). A life of faithfulness begins with taking all things to Him and giving all credit to Him. We give him our fears and anxieties along with our successes.
Paul is quoted in Acts 20:24, “…my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.” King Uzziah didn’t finish his race with faithfulness. He let the world form and shape him into someone that later opposes the people of God (vs. 17-19). Hebrews 12:1-2 teaches us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” and “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” In the end all the people said about King Uzziah according to verse 23 was, “He had leprosy.” That was his legacy. Let’s aim to finish faithfully.
Questions
- What are the sins that easily entangle you and prevent you from a life of faithfulness?
- Are you wrestling or struggling with difficulties right now?
- Take your list from questions 1 and 2 and write out a prayer of forgiveness and/or petition to God. He wants you to go to Him with all of it. He created you, sent His Son Jesus to die for you, and cares deeply for you. Next, share it with your community.
A Quote
“There is a great market for religious experience in our world, there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christans called holiness.”
Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
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9 responses to “2 Chronicles 26”
Half hearted devotion.
Pride is an enemy of faith
BUT GOD is with them who seek Him wholeheartedly.
This young man, Uzziah, was intelligent and creative. It says he built machines. I did not realize engines existed then.
Vs15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.
I love the word marvelously helped. I desire for God to marvelously help me but with a stop before pride rears its ugly head.
My great take away is God just ask us to seek Him in all we do. Our pride seems to always get in the way. Repentance is the answer to pride. To truly sit down our pride and let it go, turning away from what ever so easily besets us.
The Call to Endurance
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
God thank You for continuing to show me the way. God as pride comes showing up, thank You for helping me to throw off that sin and that You show me how to run this race of life for Your glory.( Phil 3:12-14) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. God, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I can do is forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. God with Your help I press on toward the goal to win the prize of Your heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. God thank You for these minutes of this day to look to You, to glorify You , to honor You in all I say and do in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.
– 2 Chronicles 26:5
Says…it…all…
It’s been said that “starting strong is good, but finishing ștrong is epic.” Uzziah at 16 years of age, began his kingship as a humble man willing to be shaped by the instruction of Zechariah. God’s favor fell on him dramatically. However, fame led to pride and ultimately his downfall as he died a leper. This passage is a wake-up call to all of us to kick pride aside and humbly follow the One who modeled humility even to death on a cross.
Yes, finishing strong is key!
16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.
Yet another story about the importance of running the race faithfully to the end. I don’t want to be one these guys who crashes in the final laps! Help me God!
Pride can blind us to our need for God and lead us away from His path.
I am reminded in this lesson to remain humble and recognize that all my achievements are gifts from God, not products of my own doing.
I pray that I walk in obedience to the end of my journey home to eternity. Amen
“As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.”
That one verse is more than just a strong chapter summary—it’s the central theme running through all of Israel’s history.
And that is how Uzziah’s story opens. Early in his reign, he follows God with staggering success: victories over the Philistines, Arabs and Meunites; tribute from the Ammonites; fame spreading as far as Egypt.
As a king who “loved the soil” (v. 10), Uzziah is busy cultivating his kingdom—and it is flourishing. The borders are secure, commerce is booming and agriculture is thriving. Then there are all those public works like towers and fortifications going up on literally every corner, a reflection of both strategic genius and God’s blessing.
Everything under his rule prospers under his care—food, equipment, personnel, fortifications—a picture of protection and provision in abundance.
As I read this part, I was reminded of the words in Ephesians 3:20—“exceeding abundantly beyond anything we could ask or imagine.”
All that innovation, excellence and military might all around him. Above and beyond any imagining.
So much “muchness.”
And yet… there’s almost no record of Uzziah growing spiritually. After those early days under Zechariah, we never see him praying for guidance, seeking wise counsel, confessing needs, or offering praise. The story shows us the strength and diligence of hands and mind—but where is the quiet devotion of the heart?
So I have to wonder—did Uzziah get so caught up doing all these big, impressive things—that he neglected small, quiet connection with God?
Ecclesiastes 9:10 reminds us “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” There’s a lot to be said for work that is diligent and fruitful. That one Uzziah seems to have gotten right.
And here’s what I’m taking away from where he went wrong—even the greatest of works must be rooted in devotion, humility, and continual dependence on God.
Because wholehearted effort—however productive or impressive—is nothing apart from wholehearted WORSHIP.
A final thought:
Uzziah’s story compels us to ask: how do we balance visible success with invisible devotion? And how do we ensure that what we build outwardly is not disconnected from what we nurture inwardly?
One of the questions I asked while reading today’s chapter was, “what was the significance of all those towers?”
As it turns out, quite a lot!
These include:
• Architectural and Military Function
• Economic and Administrative Significance
• Spiritual Symbolism
Learn more at https://biblehub.com/q/Why_did_Uzziah_build_towers_in_Jerusalem.htm