2 Crônicas 26
F.B. Meyer · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 26
Meyer - He was marvellously helped, till he was strong. Great and marvellous are Thy works, O God; that our soul knoweth quite well. Thou hast showed marvellous loving-kindness. We must sing to Thee; for Thou hast done marvellous things. It is marvellous that Thou shouldst have set Thy love upon us; that Thou shouldst have watched over our interests with unwearied care; that our sins, or unbelief, or declensions, have never diverted Thy love from us. “Marvellous” is the only word we can use, as we think of the condescension of the well-beloved Son to the manger-bed; of the agony and bloody-sweat; of the cross and passion— and all for us who were His enemies. But it is most marvellous of all that Thou hast made us children, heirs, and joint-heirs with Christ. To think that we shall shine as the sun of Thy kingdom, that we are to sit upon His throne, and be included in that circle of love and life of which the throne of God and the Lamb is the center! Surely the marvels of Thy grace will only seem the greater when eternity with its boundless ages gives us time to explore them. The danger, however, is that we should become strong in our own conceit, and credit ourselves with the position which is due to the grace of God alone. Oh for the truly humble spirit of the little child, that we may never vaunt our selves! The laden ship sinks in the water; the fruit-burdened bough stoops to the ground; the truest scientist is the humblest disciple. Oh to be submerged and abashed for the marvellous help of God! God cannot trust some of us with prosperity and success, because our nature could not stand them. We must tug at the oar, instead of spreading the sail, because we have not enough ballast. 2 Chronicles 26:16 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. KJV But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. NKJ But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. NET But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the LORD his God. He entered the LORD's temple to offer incense on the incense altar. BGT 2 Chronicles 26:16 καὶ ὡς κατίσχυσεν ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ τοῦ καταφθεῖραι καὶ ἠδίκησεν ἐν κυρίῳ θεῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ναὸν κυρίου θυμιάσαι ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῶν θυμιαμάτων LXE 2 Chronicles 26:16 And when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; and he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to turn incense on the altar of incense. CSB 2 Chronicles 26:16 But when he became strong, he grew arrogant and it led to his own destruction. He acted unfaithfully against the LORD his God by going into the LORD's sanctuary to burn incense on the incense altar. ESV 2 Chronicles 26:16 But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. NIV 2 Chronicles 26:16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. NLT 2 Chronicles 26:16 But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the LORD his God by entering the sanctuary of the LORD's Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. when he became strong: 2Ch 25:19 32:25 De 8:14,17 32:13-15 Pr 16:18 Hab 2:4 Col 2:18 for he entered the temple of the LORD: 2Ki 16:12,13 to burn: Nu 16:1,7,18,35 1Ki 12:33 13:1-4 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 25:19-20+ (PRIDE TOOK DOWN UZZIAH'S FATHER KING AMAZIAH WHO WAS CALLED OUT BY A PAGAN KING!) “You said, ‘Behold, you have defeated Edom.’ And your heart has become proud in boasting. Now stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall and Judah with you?” 20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, that He might deliver them into the hand of Joash because they had sought the gods of Edom. Luke 18:14+ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Ezekiel 28:17 (PRIDE OF SATAN) “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. "ABOUT FACE!" PRIDE - THE ACHILLES HEEL OF MANY A MAN But - Oh, if this term of contrast had not been present in Uzziah's life, for BUT always marks a "change of direction" and in this context, a change in Uzziah's heart from one that was humble and sought God to one that was prideful and sinned against God! (See discussion of "How Understanding One Word Can Change the Way You Read the Bible") Success without humility can undo decades of faithfulness, exposing the Achilles’ heel of a life once thought secure. Achilles' Heel When he became strong (chazaq), his heart (leb; LXX - kardia) was so proud (gabah; LXX - hupsoo - exalted) that (term of result) he acted corruptly (shachath)(2Ch 26:16-23) - NET = "But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him." Note the important progression HE became strong (he thought it was because of his doing!) which led to his heart literally being lifted up or prouc which led to his overt sin and unfaithfulness. It is fascinating to compare the same verb (chazaq), used here of Uzziah and then of his son in 2Ch 27:6+. The father stood tall and became proud, while the son in effect "bowed!" There is also a repeat use of the verb acted corruptly (shachath) here and in 2Ch 27:2+, translated in both places in the Septuagint with the verb kataphtheiro which literally means to destroy (in Lev 26:39+ = "will rot away because of their iniquity") or to ruin. In Uzziah's case his pride led to his ruin! In the case of Jotham, it was the people who were ruined by their actions! Affliction is bad; but for every person that can handle prosperity, there are a hundred that can handle adversity. -- Carlyle This decline (cf backsliding) did not happen in a moment but as this verse shows was progressive - success > pride > acted corruptly > unfaithful > presumptuous in performing duty only for priests (cf Ex 30:1-10+)! Selman - “Uzziah is unfaithful (2 Chronicles 26:16, 18). This is the most important expression for sin in Chronicles, and it can bring down a dynasty (1 Chronicles 10:13) or take a nation into exile (1 Chronicles 5:25; 9:1; 2 Chronicles 33:19; 36:14). The term has not appeared since Rehoboam’s time (2 Chronicles 12:2) but now will become a regular theme to the end of the book.”....“Uzziah’s problem was that he was not content with the authority God had given him and wanted to add more priestly functions to his royal power. Absolute power, however, has no place in God’s kingdom.” (BORROW 2 Chronicles) He acted corruptly (chazaq), by attempting offer incense at the incense altar. What irony, as incense is a picture of prayers, something he could have done without taking this sinful action! The altar of incense was in the Holy Place, just outside the Holy of holies and was off limits to all except the priests. But that's what pride (and power) will do to your opinion of yourself! His pride would soon take him down as it always does! 🙏 THOUGHT - If God has given you wealth, influence, popularity, and power, be thankful, BUT be careful. Remember Who it comes from and use it to glorify and honor His Name! Altar of Incense And he was unfaithful (maal; LXX - adikeo - violate the law, do wrong) to the LORD his God - KJV = "he transgressed against the LORD his God" NET = "He disobeyed the LORD his God." Note his sin was against the LORD his God! The Chronicler chooses a weighty word maal, a term often used for treachery, breach of trust, or sacrilege (cf. Lev 5:15; Josh 7:1). It is not merely a mistake or lapse in judgment; it describes a betrayal of covenant loyalty, the kind of offense committed by one who knows the LORD yet acts as though the relationship were of no consequence. The Septuagint renders it with adikeo, meaning to act unjustly, to violate what is right, to break the law. The Greek nuance stresses the moral injustice of the act so that Uzziah’s behavior was not only ritual error but ethical rebellion. Against whom did Uzziah sin? The text pointedly adds, to the LORD his God (cf David Ps 51:4, Joseph Ge 39:9b). His offense was not primarily against the priests he opposed, the temple he invaded, or the law he disregarded, but against a Person, Yahweh, the covenant God Who, the very One Who had been strength and his help and brought him such great prosperity. For (term of explanation) - This little word opens the window to the cause behind the tragedy. The writer is now explaining where Uzziah’s backsliding began and why his once-bright reign unraveled. Everything that follows flows out of this hinge point in his heart. The Chronicler is not merely describing an event but is tracing a spiritual trajectory. Prosperity had increased, fame had spread, and strength had grown. The “for” tells us Uzziah's intrusion into the temple was only the outward symptom of an inward drift. Here is the turning point. Here is where a God-helped man became a self-directed man. He entered the temple (hekal; LXX - naos) of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense (see study) - He entered the temple of the LORD indicates not just the Temple complex but literally into the Temple proper. The Law was clear and even came with a warning of what happened in the rebellion of Korah "as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the LORD; so that he will not become like Korah and his company–just as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses." (Nu 16:40+) Why did Uzziah do this? He had everything going for him. The obvious answer is his PRIDE led him to believe he had unbridled authority in Judah. One of the major "attributes" of SIN is that it is deceptive (Heb 3:13+), and since pride is a SIN, probably the chief SIN, Uzziah was deceived and did not even know it! There is another consideration that he may have felt he could claim the same office as Melchizedek for Ge 14:18 said "Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High." Deuteronomy has several passages that help explain the danger of properity, recalling that King Uzziah experienced incredible success and prosperity: Deuteronomy 8:10+ “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. 11 “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today (UZZIAH FORGOT THE LORD HIS GOD AND THUS DID NOT KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS) ; 12 otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, 13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, 14 (NOTE WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH PROSPERITY) then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15“He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. 16“In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. 17 (THINK OF UZZIAH AS YOU READ THIS NEXT VERSE) “Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ 18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Paul Apple - SUCCESS FOSTERS PRIDE WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO SELF-EXALTATION WHICH THEN RESULTS IN JUDGMENT Prosperity always puts the soul in danger of pride G. Campbell
2 Crônicas 26
Meyer - “God cannot trust some of us with prosperity and success, because our nature could not stand them. We must tug at the oar, instead of spreading the sail, because we have not enough ballast.” Thomas