The Authority of the Word

In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 

Facts about Azariah’s reign taken from II Kings 15 and Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 6:

He was 16 years old when he began to reign.

Did what was right in God’s eyes except he didn’t take away the high places.

He was also known as Uzziah.

Isaiah was alive during his reign.

The Lord “touched the king so that he was a leper to the day of his death.”

Isaiah was commissioned at the time of his death.

His son ruled for him.

“He lived in a separate house.”

When I read this passage, my first thought was why in the world God struck Azariah with leprosy when he was a good king?  God is so good.  He instructed me in righteousness even when I was dabbling in unrighteousness.

The notes in the ESV Study Bible say the Hebrew for “separate house” is literally “house of freedom.”  However, don’t think “vacation house.”  Think “freed of kingly responsibilities house.”  That’s hard stuff.  He was high man on totem pole.  Not only does he have a disease that labels him unclean by OT law, but now he’s relieved of his kingship.

God is right and righteous in all that He does.  Apparently Uzziah/Azariah did not “curse God and die” because of the leprosy that God gave him.  Rather, it looks like Uzziah/Azariah put himself under the authority of the OT law and declared himself unclean.  While he didn’t “move outside the camp,” according to the scriptures he did live in a separate house and relinquished his right to rule.  Maybe he wasn’t as noble as all of that meaning someone forced him to do these things, but I’m reminded every person is promised affliction and every person has a choice about their response.

More than that, God made me see how Uzziah/Azariah was a type of Christ.  Christ put Himself under the authority of the OT law.  He set aside His glory and was subject to the law and fulfilled the law and did it ungrudgingly. 

So my take away from this passage was just how much authority does the Word have over my life?  How much do I value the Word of God over my wants and desires and possibly my “rights”?  Maybe someone else made these decisions for Uzziah/Azariah.  The scriptures don’t tell us.  They do tell us about Christ though.  “Not my will, but Thine be done.”  He was equal with God but He put Himself under God’s authority and He suffered outside the camp. 

We cannot be selective in the passages we choose to obey. Now I’ve quit preaching and gone to meddling!!