II Chronicles 26:16, “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.”
It doesn’t take a very strong person or require much strength to begin something. Finishing what you started, however, does require a great deal of strength. Uzziah was a man who began well, and did some incredible feats early in his leadership role. He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. He sought God, and God prospered him as he made war against the enemies of the Lord. He received strength and help from the Lord to break down the strongholds of the adversaries of Judah. He built towers, dug wells, and his name spread abroad; for “he strengthened himself exceedingly” (II Chronicles 26:8.) But his heart became lifted up and this preceded his becoming weak and losing strength. A heart that is lifted up has revealing symptoms. Beware of the following four symptoms which led to Uzziah’s downfall:
He transgressed against the Lord. As soon as Uzziah was strong, he became lifted up. His pride immediately manifested itself in transgression. One form of transgression is when we cover up something we are ashamed of. When we act covertly about our sin instead of confessing our sin, we have a heart that is lifted up. We cannot hide our sin from God, for “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3.) Sin weakens us of spiritual strength because it isolates us from God, Who is our Strength. “In thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all” (II Chronicles 29:12.)
He tried to compensate for his sin with service. He went into the temple to burn incense, but this was wrong. He had no right to do serve in this capacity. He was not of the sons of Aaron, and this privilege was reserved strictly for them. When we assume that our service can make up for our sin, we have a heart that is lifted up. Coming to church on Sunday does not make up for the wrongs that have committed during the week. Service to the Lord should be a result of our love to God, not an effort to appease God for our sin.
He engaged in a conflict with spiritual leaders. Conflict with spiritual leaders indicates the presence of pride. When Azariah attempted to get Uzziah out of the temple, he had to take eighty other priests with him. His heart was lifted up above the other spiritual leaders he knew. You can draw great strength from the spiritual leaders God has placed in your life. Humbly entreat them and seek their counsel, and you will benefit from their influence.
Uzziah, because of his pride and self-sufficiency, lost the strength that was once his to enjoy in the service of God. Serious consequences were brought to him, including a diagnosis of leprosy. He was segregated from the service of the Lord. Much worse than this, his son refused to enter into the house of the Lord (II Chronicles 27:2.) When we see any of the symptoms of pride in our lives, we should humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, confess our sin to Him, and get right with our spiritual leaders. Finishing well is more important than starting well. This requires strength that comes from God. Don’t allow a lifted up heart to zap you of the strength you need to finish your course!
– Dr. Paul Kingsbury
