Our prideful attempts to take power and honor from others will bring dishonor from the Lord
Community Group Guide
INTRODUCTION
In a letter in the Old Testament of the Bible called the book of 2 Chronicles, in 2 Chronicles 26, in 790 B.C., upon the capture
of King Amaziah, the Jewish people made Uzziah king, when he was sixteen years old and proceeded to lead the Jewish people until
his death in 739 B.C. Ezra explains that King Uzziah did right in the sight of the Lord. In other words, King Uzziah placed his
confident trust in and followed the Lord. And in the early days of his rule, as he was mentored by a man named Zechariah, King
Uzziah sought the Lord and developed a hunger to know more about the Lord. And as King Uzziah pursued the Lord and aligned
himself with the message and teachings of the Lord, the Lord responded by bringing prosperity and success to the king and the nation.
As King Uzziah humbly trusted and followed the Lord, the name and fame of the King spread throughout the region due to the Lord’s
activity in his life. As King Uzziah humbly trusted and followed the Lord, the nation experienced prosperity, success and economic
power throughout the region due to the Lord’s activity in his life. And as a result of the Lord blessing King Uzziah with prosperity and
success in his military battles against the enemies of the Jewish people; And as a result of the Lord blessing King Uzziah with
prosperity and success in his domestic affairs; As a result of the Lord blessing King Uzziah with prosperity and success with a
powerful military, King Uzziah’s fame spread far and wide.
Throughout the known world, King Uzziah was viewed as one of the most prosperous and powerful people in the world.
And if King Uzziah’s story had ended there, King Uzziah’s story would have been a great story. However, King Uzziah’s
story did not end there. You see, as King Uzziah grew in prominence, prosperity and power in the world, his heart became so proud
that he acted corruptly. Now this phrase, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally reads that his heart was so
lifted up that he acted in a way that spoiled and ruined his life. Ezra then reveals exactly how King Uzziah spoiled and ruined his life.
King Uzziah violated God’s command by entering into the Holy Place of the Temple to burn incense. You see, King Uzziah’s growing
prominence, prosperity and power, led King Uzziah to proudly believe that he deserved more power. Instead of humbly trusting and
following the Lord, King Uzziah arrogantly believed that he should have the right to approach the Lord. King Uzziah was not satisfied
with the prominence and power of a king; King Uzziah also wanted the prominence and power that the High Priest possessed. So King
Uzziah’s pride led him to attempt to take power and honor from the High Priest for himself. As King Uzziah arrogantly entered into
the Holy Place to approach the Lord, he was followed by Azariah, who was the High Priest, and eighty valiant priests who served the
Lord. King Uzziah responded to being confronted by the priests by being filled with an arrogant rage. However, as King Uzziah
arrogantly and angrily lashed out at the priests in front of the altar of incense, Ezra tells us that leprosy broke out on his forehead. As a
result of King Uzziah’s attempt to take power and honor from others, King Uzziah lived the remainder of his days in dishonor as a
leper that was separated from the Jewish people. Upon his death in 739 B.C., King Uzziah lost the honor of being buried with the kings
of the Jewish people. Instead, King Uzziah received the dishonor of being buried in a field that belonged to the kings.
And it is in the in the life of King Uzziah, that we see God reveal for us a timeless truth that has the potential to powerfully
impact how we live our lives today in that our prideful attempts to take power and honor from others will bring dishonor from the
Lord. Just as it was for King Uzziah, when our growing prominence, prosperity and power results in our hearts being lifted up in pride,
we can find ourselves acting in a way that spoils and ruins our lives. Just as it was for King Uzziah, our growing prominence,
prosperity and power can result in us moving from humbly trusting and following the Lord to arrogantly approaching the Lord to say
“more”. Just as it was for King Uzziah, when our growing prominence, prosperity and power results in us not being satisfied with what
we have, we can find ourselves acting in a way that attempts to take power and honor from others. However, when we arrogantly
attempt to take power and honor from others, the reality is that we are acting in a way that dishonors the Lord. And just like King
Uzziah, our prideful attempts to take power and honor from others that dishonor the Lord will bring dishonor from the Lord.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Introduce yourself and finish this sentence: The problem with people who are proud is that.....
2. Read 2 Chronicles 26:1-8. How does Ezra describe King Uzziah? How did the Lord respond to King Uzziah?
3. Read 2 Chronicles 26:9-15. How did King Uzziah's humility and pursuit of the Lord impact his accomplishments? How
others viewed him?
4. Read 2 Chronicles 26:16-18. What happened to King Uzziah as a result of his power and prominence? What are some ways
that we be tempted to fall into the same trap and act the same way?
5. Read 2 Chronicles 26:19-23. How did the Lord respond to the pride of King Uzziah? What consequences did he experience
from the Lord? What consequences can we expereince as a result of pride and arrogance? From God? From others?
MOVING FORWARD
So, is your growing prominence, prosperity and power resulting in your heart being lifted up in pride in a way that is spoiling and
ruining your life?
"But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he
entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense." 2 Chronicles 26:17 NASB