Open Heaven For Teens 13 October 2024 – King Uzziah
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TOPIC: King Uzziah (Open Heaven for Teens 13 October 2024)
MEMORISE: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
READ: 2 Chronicles 26:1-23 (KJV)
1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.
12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.
13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
16 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.
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men:
18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.
19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.
20 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.
21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
MESSAGE:
From the life of King Uzziah, we will examine two things:
First, there is a kind of success that comes with walking with God. When King Uzziah sought God, he was successful, and his people benefitted greatly. He built towers in Jerusalem and the desert, and he also dug wells for his great herds. He had farmers and vinedressers to take care of the produce of the land, and the people of Judah had plenty to eat and drink.
This shows that when you have a relationship with God, you will find yourself doing the right thing when relating with others. Your decisions and actions will bring great success into your life and those around you.
The second thing to note from this king’s story is that pride leads to the downfall of a fellow. When pride entered his heart, things went bad for Uzziah. He made some poor decisions and overstepped his authority by trying to perform the rites meant for priests only. This opened him up to punishment; God struck him with leprosy, and he died a leper. I pray that as you have started well, pride will not make you end badly, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please deal with pride in my life and help me to be humble.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 22:1-23:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
HYMN 39: I Am Thine, O Lord.
1 I am Thine, O Lord
I have heard Thy voice
And it told Thy love to me
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee
Chorus:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord
By the pow’r of grace divine
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine.
3 Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee,
my God I commune as friend with friend
4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
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