King AzariahBY: PRESLEY & KAYLEE

King Azariah of Judah was also known as Uzziah. In Hebrew, the name Uzziah means “Yahweh is my

strength.” Uzziah held the second longest tenure as a Judah’s monarchy and ruled for fifty-two years. His mother

was Jecoliah, who was from Jerusalem. Uzziah’s father, King Amaziah was assassinated after a military disaster,

and so Uzziah was to take his fathers place.

Uzziah became Judah’s eleventh

king when he was only sixteen

years old. For this reason, he was considerably

underestimated. Early in his role as king, he was

victorious over all of their enemies.

He had military successes against the Philistines, the

Gurbaal, the Mehunims, and the Ammonites.

After a long decline, Uzziah

strengthened and influenced the

kingdom almost as much Israel’s in the days of David

and Solomon.

He was an able ruler and “his name

spread abroad, even to the

entering in of Egypt” (2

Chronicles 26:8-14). Under the

prophet Zechariah, he was very faithful

to God, and “did that which was

right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings

15:3).

Uzziah was an inventor. He made machines designed

by skillful men. These machines were made for the use on towers and on

the corner defenses to shoot arrows and hurl stones for protection against enemies. He organized an army of

307,500 men. Uzziah’s ideas of creations and inventions were very

expansive. Uzziah was responsible for being active in agriculture,

digging wells, and planting vineyards throughout the

land.

Uzziah’s pride and successfulness eventually lead to his downfall. He grew to prove himself unfaithful to God. The king’s pride blinded him

to humanity. He sinned against the Lord by burning incense on the altar of the Temple. This

was the job of a priest, and not for a king.

Eighty-one priests went to him and warned him of this wrongdoing, saying, “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” (2 Chronicles 26:18.)

The High Priest went in after him and demanded him to get out. Uzziah refused to follow the priest’s orders and

kept holding the incense burner. Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the ground. The temple split and rays of sun light shined through it, falling onto the king’s face.

As the rays beamed his face, leprosy appeared on his forehead. This event showed the Lord’s respect for the

priests.

No leprous person was allowed in the

temple, so the priests urged the unclean king to

leave. In a panic, Uzziah fled and his son Jotham took his place. Uzziah never

recovered from leprosy. He remained in

seclusion until he died.

Uzziah’s success,

prosperity, and accomplishments were all lost because of his

refusing to follow God’s commands.

True success is found in

following God’s commandment

s.

THE END