Uzziah had it coming - God’s resistance, that is. Let’s examine the man:
Uzziah became king of Judah when he was sixteen. For a long time he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. "As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success." 2 Chron. 26:5 As a result, he became very successful and famous.
"But after he became powerful, his pride led to his downfall." He started to take control in the temple by doing what was not his God-given job,. He started to “burn incense to the Lord.” That was the priest’s job.
Eighty courageous priests confronted him, trying to warn him that he had stepped out of bounds, but he would not listen. He blew up in a rage, and as a result, God struck him with leprosy.
He was banished into complete isolation from the people for the rest of his life because he never heeded the warnings, and he refused to admit it. 2 Cor 20
There is a definite modern application in this account. We too take over jobs in God’s courts which we were never ordained to do. That is especially true of we evangelicals who are zealous to bring people into God’s kingdom. You wonder, “Isn’t that our calling?”
Yet consider these words: "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow."1 Cor. 3:7 Clearly we have various roles in the kingdom work, but clearly, we are NOT the ones who make life or cause it to grow.
Yet we try to produce instant plants from dry hard soil that has few seeds in it. We try to turn people into instant converts or instant mature people. We manipulate; we employ gimmicks and formulas; we exert pressure; we lay guilt trips; we accuse; or we charm. We are like Uzziah – taking control of the temple. (Today people are the temple).
All the while we fail to plant seeds, or water, or break the fallow ground. We teach very little of God’s word – other than our favorite formula verses. We fail to understand the need for softening the soil, and so we fail to aid in that process. We fail to water the soil with the “cup of water” that Christ calls us to give. We fail to let people have the needed time to think and process new truth. We fail to give space for God to do the convicting work in their hearts. So we make a lot of false converts, or we allienate many from the church. Essentially we have trampled in the inner sanctuary – where we are not supposed to be.
So, of course we encounter resistance – justifiably.
Perhaps we may be lucky like Uzziah was, and have wise people confront us. But if we ignore the quiet voices and continue to trample the inner courts of our fellow human beings, we can be sure that we will encounter stronger resistance – divinely ordained.
I think much of the upheaval and demise of evangelical Christendom is the direct result of God’s hand coming against us. It is not the devil doing it at all. In fact, if we think the devil, or the world, or an enemy is coming against us, we will stiffen up and “fight back”. That’s what Baalam did to his donkey.
Let us become sensitive to divine resistance, and humble ourselves before God. In fact if we fail to do so, like Uzziah, we will be banished, sent into isolation, and we will discover ourselves enduring the shame and humility of a dreaded social “disease”. People will forget about us, avoid us, or make fun of us in the news… etc.
That sounds harsh, but really, for the sake of God's Kingdom, it’s better that we are put out of the way - if we refuse to humble ourselves.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord
and he will lift you up.” James 4:10
“He gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
Diane
