Pride and Punishment

Read 2 Chronicles 26

Read Isaiah 56

Uzziah was a mighty king, a man who was respected and powerful. He even did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

But somewhere along the line he forgot where the power and honor came from. Somewhere along the line he forgot that he shouldn't think too highly of himself, but should be humble before the Lord. Somewhere along the line he became proud.

Pride is a sin that plagues us all. So we should do well to learn from Uzziah today. That mighty king thought he could just waltz into God's temple and act like a priest. Surely, God would be pleased with great Uzziah, right? Surely, the great king could do the work of a lowly priest, right? Surely God wouldn't hold any guilt against a king bending the rules because the king was trying to honor God! Right?

Wrong. As a present day saying goes, "Pride goes before the fall." Such is the case for Uzziah. And that was the case for Adam and Eve in the garden, and for all people since then. Such is the case for you and me.

God certainly can (and will if he must) strike us with worse then leprosy. So let us always be repentant, and turn from our pride. In great humility, let us bow in contrition before our mighty God! -- our mighty and merciful God.

Pride may go before the fall, but humility goes before salvation. And it was the humility of Jesus that saved us. He was willing to be humble and obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. That death saved us from the leprosy we deserve, and the hell we earned! What a gracious and loving Savior! How we will rejoice to see our Risen King, now exalted above Heaven and Earth, ruling over all things. That will be a day when God will raise us too out of our humility and task us with reigning with Christ. That will be a proud day! Proud in our Savior, Jesus, that is!

Thanks be to God.

Ask Yourself:

I have a tendency to be proud! Where do I see this pride in my life?

What can I do to be more humble before God? What needs to change? What do I need to work on?

Is it ever acceptable to boast? If so, what should be my boast?

Pray:

I give you thanks and praise, Lord Jesus Christ, for your love and humility, that you should be obedient to death on the cross. Help me to have the same attitude, to consider others better than myself, and to be obedient to your will. Graciously grant that I will be in heavenly glory when I see that day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that you are Lord! Praise to you, O Christ! Amen.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!