2 Chron. 26 Functioning In Our Jurisdiction

There are two valuable lessons we learn from this account, should we choose to glean.

Uzziah was a teenager, mentored by Zechariah, and as long as he sought the Lord, prosperity was his. Who Zechariah was, we do not know, as this is the only account of this man of God. During that time Uzziah sought the Lord, he was given wisdom from the Lord as to the cities he restored, wells that were dug, farms and vineyards were productive and
mechanisms that could shoot many arrows and/or large stones when the cities of Judah were under siege.

He also had mighty men of valor that led a large army, consisting of over three hundred thousand.

Note that as long as he sought the Lord, he prospered. That is true for us as well; as we seek the Lord we are a blessed people. However there is a caution we see that when his “heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord”. The manner of this transgression was entering the temple to “burn incense”; thereby stepping over the boundary of his jurisdiction and assuming his royalty and fame were authorization to function outside of the jurisdiction he had been given that genuinely belonged to the priests. The priests present withstood Uzziah, which elicited his anger toward them and likely the Lord. He was judged by the Lord with leprosy. From that time forward he wasn’t fit to rule or reign any longer. Prior to his death, Jotham his son reigned in his place.

One of the key reasons for being under authority is so that we do not go beyond our jurisdiction that can lead to being discharged from the jurisdiction we do have. Authority and jurisdiction are not synonymous. Authority is in place only as far as our jurisdiction functions.

Seek the Lord and function in our jurisdiction; which is the Name above every name, Jesus!