The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-12-02
LESSON FOR DECEMBER s
uzzIAH's PRIDE AND PUNISH.
MENT.

GOLDEN TENT-A mans pride shall
bring him low. but he that 10 OF a Iovly
spirit shau obtain honor.-Prov. 70 -
Rv.
Again we consider the southern
kingdom. No better character could
have been chosen TO illustrate the
condition OF rulers and people In the
declining days OF Judahs glory. Uz-
ziah ruled for SO years and his reign
was almost midway between the days
OF Solomon and those of the Babylon
ian captivity.
!. Priest and Parents, w. IS. The
name Uzziah means God has helped
me" and no king ever had better adj.
vantages In the way OF parents and
counselors. To the influence OF his
parents he yielded in his youth ". a,
followed the good counsel OF Zacha,
riah the prophet OF God ". 81, and
as long as he sought the Lord. God
made him prosper" Ancestry and en-.
vironment are not. however, n guar.
anty OF any perpetuity In character.
u. Pride, w. sis. Uzziah or AzariaA
tmargJ made a fine start and his
reign. considered as a whole. was
one Of the most brilliant In Judah's
history. II bears some striking resem-
blances to that of Solomon In that the
dangerous enemies became subject na.
tons ". 81. In the conduct OF his
campaigns Uzziah "waxed exceeding
ly strong ". 3 X. W Uzziah also
greatly improved and strengthened
Jerusalem and gave much heed To
stock raising and forestry ". lOl. The
secret OF all OF this prosperity was
that he sought Jehovah. Christen-
dom is not Christianity. yet II 10 q
fact that In those lands where God
Is most highly exalted and most near
ly followed we witness the greatest
prosperity and men living amidst tho
most comfortable surroundings. Seek
Jehovah. know his will as revealed In
his word. and do that will when
learned. Is the only true basis OF real
and lasting prosperity. Uzziah also
gave an exhibition OF worldly wisdom
that he strengthened the defenses OF
the nation ". 9lOl. Confidence In
God does not paralyze human energy
or make us presumptuous and care
less Il Chron. 27.25-3D. Uzxiah
brought the army up to q high point
OF efficiency ". 1870. using the
best weapons known In his day. We.
likewise. may be "marvelously helped
from the same source and upon the
same conditions: viz. that We seek
the Lord" (Eph. 6:lO: Phi SID.
~. Punishment. w. 1921. Cd Pride
-UZziah's fall and shame Is one OF
the saddcst chapters In history. His
strength became his ruin. When he
was strong his heart was lifted up."
Poverty. struggle and adversely are
not passports to glory though they
have strengthened the moral fiber OF
thousands. The tempting tests OF
prosperity. gildei. perfumed and at
tractive are. however. far more hard
to withstand. Pride always leads to 90
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS before God
had warned men that prosperity
would lead to ruin (Deut. s:ll.l7;
~: l3-l5) and Solomon also gave
warning prov. 1919. The subtlety
or pride is the gradual way by which
we como to look upon our prosperity
as the work OF our own hands, there
by forgetting the source OF our pow
er and becoming filled with a feelias
OF our own selfsuficiency. The uext
step was that Uzziah assumed TO him
SELF those duties ". 16) which right
fully and exclusively belonged 10 the
priesthood tsee Mum. $40: 1877; I
Kings ~ 80; l2:l-4; Heb. $50. go Pro-
testin9-We now behold the strange
spectacle OF the king protesting for
the wrong anu the faithfr; priests
Azariah for the right. A sad specta-
Gle indeed when the head OF a nation
openly avows the wrong and persists
In 1t despite the protests OF the serv-
ants OF God. The last part OF verse
Is indicates the extent and perver-
sity OF Uzziah's pride. Admonition
Dnly aroused the anger OF the all-con-
luering monarch. No honor ever
comes from disobeying God Il Sam.
1880; Dan. SGD. Uzziah apparently
w. 49, was about to use the censor in
his hand as a weapon In execution
II his wrath. but God interfered Il
Peter 6:6.O. Azariah is saved and
Uzziah becomes a leper.
We must not press the teaching that
Ill sickness is the result OF sin Tread
Iob).
Uzziah was forever separated ".
I'D and was In his death "unclean" be-
'ause His heart was lifted to his de-
There are four suggestions in clos
ng: O Uzziah's pride had gone too
ar; secretly and perhaps unconscious
y II had slowly, but surely permeated
lis whole nature.
(2) Leprosy was q fitting punish
nent, for II was an emblem OF the
oulness OF his sin.
(3) His leprous condition was In
marked contrast with what he had
ormerly enjoyed.
90 His punishment shut him out Of
ectually from the work OF his king
om-ability. strength. experience and
mbition fall before the blightinS