Uzziah of Judah Grew Strong But Pride Let to Leprosy

After several predecessors who started by walking right with God, then fell, King Uzziah of Judah also seemed to start off correctly with God, and did so for most of his reign. Note that the scripture pointed out that "as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper" - this should apply to us all too.

He went out to subdue the Philistines after they had rebelled during the previous kings of Judah. Uzziah was successful in this because he LORD was on his side, and he also managed to have victories against the Arabians and the Meunites. The Ammonites continued to bring tributes to him and his strength became well known.

Among other reforms were fortifying Jerusalem and Judah. For agriculture, he dug more wells for the livestock and expanded the farmers and vinedresses to the mountains and in Carmel. He strengthened the military of Judah and promoted the invention of new war machines and developed new warfare skills.

His downfall came after being so successful that he allowed pride to influence him. Instead of attributing his fortunes to God, he became arrogant to the point that he went into the Temple of the LORD to burn incense at the altar of incense. This particular task had been clearly restricted to the assigned priests who were descendants of Aaron. When he refused to leave by the order of Azariah the priest, Uzziah immediately began to develop leprosy. The leprosy stayed with him for the rest of his life. From then on, he was separated from others and his son Jotham performed his royal duties.



2 Chronicles 26

Uzziah Reigns in Judah

 1 Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah,[a] who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Elath[b] and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.
3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions[c] of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
6 Now he went out and made war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites. 8 Also the Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.
9 And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he fortified them. 10 Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved the soil.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. 12 The total number of chief officers[d] of the mighty men of valor was two thousand six hundred. 13 And under their authority was an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones. 15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.

The Penalty for Uzziah’s Pride
 
16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men. 18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.”
19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him.
21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet Isaiah the son of AmozUzziah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.