Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-09

Geber by DIR. Nelson Glueck
JIzziah puffed up with constant triumphs
gradually became a dictator-king. The King
dom of Judah, though far from democracy,
possessed certain checks and balances to pre-
vent a king from becoming dictator. These
checks were supposed to be by command of
Jehovah Himself and were mostly in the keep
ing of the priesthood. For instance If the king
wanted to start a war; the priests were sup
posed to sacrifice animals and tell from GER
tain indications whether the Lord approved
of the venture or not. If king went ahead
in spite of a bad report from the priests, his
blood would be on his own head. in case of
failure.
Dictators seem always to have found God
an obstacle in their vaultng ambition. Stain
has banished the Deity from Soviet Russia.
Hitler has done about the same for Germany
but Mussolini apparently does not dare try 1t
in Italy
Uzziah in much the same situation, set
them the example, which they may follow
to somewhat similar end.
With the army sohdly behind him, the
people cowed or Indifferent, in Germany,
he had no open opposition, save from the
priesthood, who put him in the embarrassing
position of defying Jehovah.
noyed dictator. "if 1 openly defy what they
say is divine command and nothing happens,
that will put an end forever to their power
to obstruct my will"
The showdown which occurred in the tenn
pie at Jerusalem, is described in II Chronicles
chapter 20. as follows:
But when he was strong, his heart was
lifted up to his destruction; for he trans
crossed against the Lord his God, and went
into the temple of the Lord to burn incense
upon the altar of incense.
And Azariah the priest went in after him,
and with him four-score priests of the Lord,
that were valiant men:
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and
said onto him, 1t appertaineth not onto thee,
Uzzah, to burn incense onto the Lord, but
to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are con-
secrated to burn incense: go out of the sane
tuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall
it be for thine honour from the Lord God"
This was brave and dangerous thing to
do, even for four score valiant men because
Uzziah could call upon his whole army IL
necessary. If they were not slaughtered
the spot and he got away with the forbidden
incense burning, his vengeance and punish
ment might go to most any extreme. The
Biblical narrative goes on to relate how they
were saved as follows:
Then Uzziah was wroth, and had censor
in his hand to burn incense: and while he was
wroth with the priests the leprosy even rose
in his forehead before the priests in the house
of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.
And Azariah the chief priest. and all the
priests, looked upon him. and, behold, he was
leprous in his forehead and they thrust him
out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to
go out, because the Lord had smitten him.
And Uzziah the king was a leper until
the day of his death, and dwelt- in a several
house being leper; for he was cut off from
the house of the Lord; and lothian his son
was over the kings house. judging the people
of the land"
1t was far worse than If he had been struck
dead by lightning. The once arrogant dictator
became a pariah. afflicted with a shameful
and unclean disease which forbade him to
approach the humblest of his subjects and
doomed him to finish out his miserable days
alone in a royal pesthouse.