The Holt County sentinel., 1911-05-05
KING UZZlAH
hUMBLED

| OON re- - ShroHciS =. mem
GOLDEN TExT-"Prids soeth before
| obstruction, and an naughty spirit BE-
fore q fsli"-Prov. 1sls
T1ME-ussiah's reign extended Beech
err from .. G. - TO ,. G. 76s. (Hastines)
Z. c. soi 10 ~: Ussiah may have become
. leper about ,. G. 10. lothian being ths
regent from that time.
Pl.ACC-The Temple In Jerusalem.
kfE0e-1n Israel. Jereboam H. In
Aesyria. shalmsneser III.
PROPHErs-Amos. Hssea, isaiah, the
zsShaSah sf eur lesson.
On the murder Of King Joash be
vas succeeded BY his eldest son.
Amafiah. q man Of piety and force,
who slew the nurderers Of his father
sparine their sons. and then turned up.
on the enemies sf bis country. the
Edomifes south Of the Dead Ses, who
had been ravasing southern Judea.
He hired thousands Of mercenaries
from the Northern Kingdom. 10 aid
him In the war. When . prophet 70.
buked him for thus involving himself
with an idolatrous nation he dismiss.
ed the mercenaries. Who. on their way
home, plundered the cities Of Judah.
Amayiah went on. however. and with
his own troops conquered the k.dom.
ties In the Valley Of Salt south Of
the D~sd Sea. and thoroughly sub
du-d the cruel nation.
lie brought home with him some
the EdOmite idols and worshipet
them. thus dishonorinE Jehovah. who
had SO signsily helped him. in favor
Of gods who had proved their own
powsrlessness. A courageous prophet
rebuked him, but Ne are told what the
effect WAS.
In his pride of success. and perhsps
10 svenEe the towns which the Israel
itlsh mercensries had plundered, he
sent q boastful message to Jossh kim
~ Israel. challenging him 10 hsht. 10
ash promptly accepted the challenge
completely ~orsted Amszish. captured
Jerusalem. and went away wlth oil the
treasure VI the Temple and roysl pal
ace. and with many Of The citizens ~
hostages. AmazIsh continued to
reign for hfteen years. but bis sub.
jects never we're cOntented. and NJ las,
they rose In revolt and murdered him.
The son Of Amaxiah. tzxiah. y lad
"f sixteen, was chosen BY the people.
rio continued his fathers conquest of
the EdOmites by fOrtifyins EiOth. Nm
important city Ut the head Of the east.
ern branch of the Red Sea. thus put.
ting Judah In \ position 10 renew the
rich commerce with India which Solo.
mon had established.
txzishs WAS . religious life. lie
did that which WAS right 10 the sight
OF the Lord. lie followed Amszish In
the better par, VI hiS life. and not In
his idolatry. There In no better prep
srntion for the eyes Of the world than
10 be conscious ever Of Gods sy.s
upon us.
The period VI uzziah and Jeroboam
Sss the golden age of Israel A. u
result Of conquest and OF commercial
enterprise the accumulation Of wealth
was greater than had ever been
known before. The rich lived In
palaces OF hr~n atone and Of ivory.
While the mobiles hourished. the poor
grew constantly poorer. The peasant
proprislors were crowded out. and all
the lsnd came into the hands Of \ few
great mobiles. The free. born lsraelites
sank u the poaition Of serfs. Pros.
perity has more psrils than adversely,
and pride 10 one Of them. Dressed, ac.
cordins to Josephus. In priestly attire,
sad perhaps on the celebration Of some
high national feast. uxsiah presumed
10 enter the Hely Place. which II wss
dssth for any but . priest to enter,
aud 10 offer incense upon the sacred
altar Csxish appears 10 have desired
" become supreme pontiR ~ well ~
king. and TO exercise the same dual
functions ~ the Egyptian Pharaohs
were wont to do. he had 10 disregard
the direct command OF Jehovah that
the priests alone should burn incense
on his altar; hs had to despise the his
tory Of his people. TO defy the holy
name BY which he himself WAS called.
Thus = reign Of nfty,two years wss
spoiled In an hour.
What terrible punishment came it
uzxiah? The innictiOn of that most
)osthsOme. incurable disease. leprosy
Thus Miriam had been punished, snc
Gehazi. According to Josephus, II was
at this very moment that the famous
earthquake Of UEzish's reign occurred.
For the rest 0f his life he lived In q
separate house. II was perhaps some
place In the country to which the king
confined himself We are not told
whether he repented Of the sin that
he had committed; but We may per
haps assume that he did so.
The story of Ahaz reinforces the
warning that comes to us from the
story OF Uzziah, The pride OF Ahsa
WAS pride Of opinion: that Of Uzzah
WAS pride In accomplishment, Pride
may spring from good looks. fine
clothes, plenty Of money. . keen intel
lsct, distinguished social position. A
boy may be vain Of his ball. playing
and . girl Of her white hands. What.
ever may be the source Of II. pride is
always . terrible danger.
Bride II inda>A ik> a lsurO.v 70