Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." What do you think it means to fear the LORD?
Read From Amaziah to Uzziah and An Overview of Uzziah. Briefly, what stands out to you about the life and reign of King Uzziah?
2 Chronicles 26:5 says, " '.. as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper." 2 Chronicles 26:6-15 then describes what that prosperity looked like. Make some observations from the text about how Uzziah prospered when he sought and feared the LORD.
Like several kings we've studied so far, Scripture credits the influence of someone else (in this case, Zechariah) for why the king did well. Who are you inviting into your life to encourage you to fear the Lord and to seek His presence? Similarly, whose lives are you speaking into? Explain what that looks like.
Look at 2 Chronicles 26:5 again. In 1 Chronicles 16:11, King David says, "Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!" What does it mean to "seek the LORD and his strength" and to "seek his presence continually"? How do you put those instructions into action in your own life?
2 Chronicles 26:16 says of Uzziah, "But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction." Has there ever been a time in your life when this was true of you or someone you know? If so, talk about what that looked like.
The king fancied himself a priest. He was not. And as he found out, pride and presumption lead to destruction. Blessings become curses when successes in your life inflate your estimation of yourself at the expense of your regard fo God. Uzziah crossed a sacred line. Why? Because pride makes us assume roles that are not ours. James 4:6-7 says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God." What are the things in your life that are pridefully puffing up your estimation of yourself? Spend some time confessing those things to one another, and then go to God in prayer.
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Kings of Judah: Uzziah James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Join us today as Ross Lester introduces King Uzziah and explores how his reign reflects that verse.
