2 Chronicles 26:1-23

Introduction: Have you been BLESSED? Are you ready for the TEST that comes from being BLESSED? Are you BLESSED with good health? Good family? Friends? Job? Church? Good mind….well. Hey don’t forget, we’ve been BLESSED! Our Lord graciously pours out His BLESSINGS; then comes the TESTING. If we take the BLESSINGS of God for granted – like we all do – and don’t appreciate them, trouble lies ahead.

“1Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 2He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3Sixteen 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. 4And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. 5And 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.”

***Uzziah was “BLESSED” with “SUCCESS”

(2 Chron 26:6-15)

***Uzziah’s Victories
“6And 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. 7And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. 8And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. 9Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. 10Also 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. 11Moreover 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. 12The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred. 13And 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. 14And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. 15And 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.”

***Have we been “BLESSED” with “SUCCESS”?

***Are we giving Jesus our “BEST”?

2. We’ve been too “BLESSED” not to pass the “TEST” from the Lord! (2 Chron 26:16-23)

“16But 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.”

***Uzziah took his “BLESSINGS” for granite

“17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 18And 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.” (2 Chron 26:17, 18)

*** Instead of godly sorrow for his sin, he was bitten with bitterness

“19Then 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. 20And 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. 21And 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.”

***Instead of our Lord heaping more “BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS” on Uzziah, he was inflicted with leprosy because of his INGRATITUDE and bad ATTITUDE!

Conclusion: Are we in danger of taking our “BLESSINGS” for granted? Good Health? Family? Jobs? Country? Homes?
Friends? Church? Neighborhood? Schools? Jesus?

***Uzziah was “BLESSED” with “SUCCESS” but he failed the “TEST”!

Have we been “BLESSED”?
“BLESSED with SUCCESS”?
Are we going to pass the TEST?

“BLESSED with SUCCESS”……that is why Jesus Christ deserves our BEST!!