Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-22
Sunday School Lesson


ntesAAly IN THE; art which compsls
Il he sffA forgive up Gods increase. = He
tpnsfructedS cisterfs and dug. wells
oNeskf the rock SO that the land could
Sbe irrigated in dry seasons. He ep-
couraged the agricultural develop
ment Of the country, the cultivation
of the Vineyards and the care of the
fioeks by a system of garrisops that
he erected and maintained in,the out
lying sections to provide protection
against nomad robber bands He in
tE9dueed the colonization Of citizens
Of .Judah in the subjected countries.
erecting communities and cities sin
the conquered territory, He trusted
In the loyalty of his people sand re-
4 ussd$ to hire any outside forces. His
expansion policy called for large
army as well as loyal colonists. The
finally surpassed In numbers that of
David. He built up his army or
ganization by clans, the head of each
family being nlaced in charge of his
own company, His confidence in God
power. prosperity and possessions.
His success was the source of his
undoing. Prosperity has its perils.
i tends to deveiop pride. Uzziah
forgot the One who had given him
lifted up he said: MY power and
the might of my hand hath gotten
me this wealth" He forgot God. who
was the source of his prestige, posi-
ton and power. 1t is modern dan
ger. We, too, are apt to give man
u is the peril of the newly rich. If
we forget to thank the Lord for His
blessings we probably will fail to en-
joy prosperity. We forget the path
We have trod to success under His
The selfish spirit that
f1l At,
in His sight. Uzziah's experience is
typical. His success filled him with
pride so that the great executive,
brilliant statesman and successful
Warrior fell because of his confidence
In himself. 1t was not venial tempta-
tions which caused his fall. but his
presumptuous spirit that caused him
to fall from pinnacle of fame into
the pathway of failure.
Pride. which is the illegitimate Off
spring of prosperity, has q tendency
to weaken our sense of dependence
upon God 1t fills us with ingratitude
1t creates thirst for more power.
We are apt to betray our trusts in
an effort to secure more power. Sin
is progressive. Uzziah. puffed up by
pride. coveted the authority of the
priests, who alone had interfered with
his autocratic exercise of authority
Neighboring sovereigns exercised
the functions of the priesthood in
their lands Initiating their heather
practice. Uzziah profaned the temple
in his efforts to exercise the functions
and sacred prerogatives of the priest
hood. The clash that followed be-
tween the king and the priests was
based upon principle. The theory
that the king can do no wrong is not
tenable. Great leaders are not above
law. Human codes and rules may be
set aside. but fundamental principles
promulgated by the Almighty must
be observed The man or the nation
that falls to observe His law is
doomed to be punished. Whenever
political power overrides truth and
righteousness, the old drama enacted
in the temple between the king and
the priests Will be re-enacted.
1t is folly to interfere with the
duty of others The autocrat and
democrat are each tempted to go be-
yond the limits prescribed by good
taste and common sense The auto
crat does it because he considers him
self supreme. The democrat because
he considers that all men are equal.
and that any man is competent to do
and to criticize others. Each has his
own duty to perform as much as did
Tzziah and the priests. When the
king undertook to perform the duty
assigned to the latter. then the rep
resentatives of God took the law in
their own hands. but before the dra-
matte scene could be finished God
took affairs in His own hands and
branded the king as a leper. His
punishment was severe because the
king had greater opportunities than
others to learn the ways and will of
God
The brand Of leprosy. which APP
peared upon Uzziah's body. had been
in his heart. We worry about the
least sign of physical defect when
we are apt to be Indifferent concern
ing the hidden spiritual life. The
severity of the kings punishment
taught the people of Judah that God
called for veneration for His services
and temple. Realizing that he had
been smitten Of the Lord. Uzz;ah
went out hastily from the temple.
condemned because of his pride to
live and finally be buried as a leper.