The Backslide
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One thing we must all keep in mind on this day is that none of us are immune to sin.
in fact, you may have heard 1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
The devil has one hope.
To destroy all things that are of God.
Friends, if you are here today and you are of God the devil is seeking to devour.
If you are here and today is the day that you know you need God.
The devil is seeking to stop that.
There is some very real Biblical application as to why this is so and how it takes place.
For the sake of today’s message we are going to split the scripture reading in half.
Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims. And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred. And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. 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 marvellously helped, till he was strong.
This scripture brings us to our first point...
I. A Life of Obedience
I. A Life of Obedience
You see, Uzziah began his reign at 16 years old and scripture teaches us that his eyes were upon the Lord.
His life is the perfect example of how God often works in a man or woman who is completely faithful to God.
You see, in Uzziahs’s life of faithfulness he saw great success.
Building cities and conquering the city-states of the day.
He built great towers and had large herds of animals.
He had an army that was one of the most powerful of it’s day.
in fact scripture teaches that the army was of 307,500 people who scripture appears to say could make war and win against just about anyone.
All of this and more created something in Uzziah.
He was a famous man.
By the standards of today he would be a household name who would be a force to be reckon with.
You see God had been very good to Uzziah and he had provided him with this because his eyes were upon the Lord.
Church a life of obedience for you may not look like Uzziah’s did but it will have a similarity.
When our eyes are upon the Lord God will provide.
He will be faithful.
II. Uzziahs pride
II. Uzziahs pride
Now let’s see the fate of Uzziah in God’s word.
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 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, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: 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. 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 go out, because the Lord had smitten him. 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: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
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Uzziah was a man who was once focused on God.
With the scriptures clear truth we know that he was a man who had his eyes on God.
Friends, he is the perfect example of someone who took their eyes off God.
You see God’s grace is powerful and merciful.
He cares for us in a love that could be unmatched.
You see, last week Don spoke on a christian who most continue.
The reality of this truth of Uzziah is he did not continue.
He became prideful in his power.
I have to imagine he believed that he was the one who had earned all of his accumulates
But the reality is that his accomplishments were only possible if he had the one and only God to bless his life.
Church have you ever seen someone stand in their own accomplishments with pride.
head held high “look what I did”
folks like that just think they did something.
you see Uzziah was prideful and he missed his warning
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.
The warning was simple, this isn’t for the honor of God, you need to leave
but Uzziah’s pride wouldn’t allow it.
despite once having his eyes upon the Lord Uzziah
He began to get angry with the priests in the temple and leprosy broke out on his forehead.
In Bible times leprosy meant that he would be outcast.
Now they may get by with this act of pride on occasion but without repentance God’s wrath will show itself.
you see after the pride of Uzziah came the downfall.