Uzziah Pride

One king waka with confidence enter di holy place of di temple, one gold incense burner dey im hand. For im back, eighty priests rush enter. And one of dem step come stand for di king front and talk: you no suppose do dis thing.

Uzziah be only sixteen years when di people of Judah make am king. E go rule for Jerusalem for fifty-two years, one of di longest reign of any king of Judah. And e start well. E do wetin dey right for di eyes of Di Lord. E seek God for di days of Zechariah, one man wey teach am to understand di things of God. And di Bible give us one simple sentence wey explain everything wey follow. As long as e dey seek Di Lord, God make am prosper.

And e prosper for true. God help am against di Philistines, and against di Arabs, and di Meunites. Di Ammonites send am gifts. Im name reach as far as di border of Egypt. E build towers for Jerusalem, for di Corner Gate and di Valley Gate, and e make dem strong. E build towers for di wilderness, and dig plenty wells, because e get plenty cows for di low land and di plains. E get farmers and people wey dey tend vineyard for di hills and for di fertile land, because, di Bible talk, e love di soil. And e get army of more than three hundred thousand trained soldiers, with shields, spears, helmets, armour, bows and catapult stones. For Jerusalem e make machines, wey skilled inventors design, and dem put dem on top di towers to shoot arrows and throw big big stones. Im name spread far and wide. Because God help am in a wonderful way, until e become strong.

Until e become strong. Dat words na warning. Because when e become strong, pride enter im heart, and na dat one bring im downfall. E no dey faithful to Di Lord im God. E enter di temple of Di Lord to burn incense on top di altar of incense. Now, God law clear. Na only di priests, di children of Aaron wey God set apart for dis work, fit burn incense for di holy place. No be king. No be anybody else. Uzziah get everything. But e no reach am. E want dis one too. So Azariah di chief priest enter follow am, with eighty brave priests of Di Lord. And dem stand up to di king. E no be your work, Uzziah, to burn incense to Di Lord, dem talk, na di work of di priests, di sons of Aaron, wey dem don set apart to do am. Comot from di sanctuary, because you don dey unfaithful, and e no go bring you any honour from Di Lord God.

Vex catch Uzziah well well. E stand there, di censer for im hand, dey shout for di priests. And as e dey shout, right there for dia front, near di altar of incense, skin disease break out for im forehead. Di priests see am, and dem hurry carry am comot. And Uzziah imself hurry to leave, because Di Lord don strike am. King Uzziah carry di skin disease until di day wey e die. E live for separate house, cut off from di temple of Di Lord, while im son Jotham dey run di palace and dey rule di people. Di prophet Isaiah write down di rest of im story. And when Uzziah die, dem bury am for one field near di royal graves, no be inside dem, because people talk: e get skin disease. One king wey get gift, wey God help well well, but wey forget who make am strong.

For nineteen thirty-one, dem identify one stone plaque for one collection for Jerusalem, wey dem write for Aramaic, from many hundred years after Uzziah live. E talk say: Na here dem bring di bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. No open am. E be like say dem move im remains go new resting place long time after e die. Di plaque dey show now for di Israel Museum for Jerusalem.

Uzziah pride. You go find dis story for Second Chronicles, chapter twenty-six. One king wey prosper while e dey seek God, and wey fall when pride enter am because of im strength. Di prophet Isaiah later write say for di year wey King Uzziah die, e see Di Lord, high and lifted up. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When things dey go well for you, how you fit remember who give you your strength?