The Fall of the Mighty

 

In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. And the Lord touched the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and he lived in a separate house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the household, governing the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham his son reigned in his place. (2 Kings 15:1-7 ESV).

 

After Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall (cf. 2 Chronicles 26:16). Azariah (also known as Uzziah) did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, so he was blessed. In 2 Chronicles 26 we can see how this king was a success story; he was a reclaimer of land, rebuilder of towns, leader of a big army, inventor of military machines. God made Azariah into an awesome king. But when he became powerful, his heart became proud.

 

One day Azariah strutted into the temple, broke God's rules about burning incense, and resisted the priests who confronted him. But then "leprosy broke out on his forehead", a punishment from God. So, as all lepers had to do in those days, he was forced to live in seclusion, "in a separate house." How broken he must have been, and how lonely. He was king of a million subjects, but he couldn't be with anyone.

 

It's hard, isn't it, to know that God cares less about success than we do. God is the One and Only King who lives within us, and in that inner place he is the Reclaimer of Satan's spiritual territory, the Rebuilder of ruined hearts, and the Inventor of the weapons of fellowship and peace. God would rather get all that inner work done than have us accomplish what is "successful" or "great" in the eyes of this world.

 

Tragically we often forget the goal is not to be “mighty” in the eyes of men. Our goal is to follow in the steps of Jesus. That is the only path to greatness. That is the only path to life. As you look ahead in this new year, are you thinking about your greatness, or God's?