King Uzziah Wanted to Be a Priest -- In Christ we are Both

"5And he [Uzziah] 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." (2 Chronicles 26: 5)

Uzziah, king of Judah was a great king, one of the longest reigns in the History of the Southern Kingdom: fifty-two years.

The account of King Uzziah is quite impressive:

He subdued the Philistines, the Amorites, the Arabs. He was quite a champion, as long as he drew his strength from the LORD. His name means "Jah is strength".

"And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly." (2 Chronicles 26: 8)

"Himself" is in italics, because it was the LORD who strengthened the king, not the king himself.

Uzziah built towers, he digged wells, he established a renowned fighting force in his kingdom. He also invented machines of war to help protect his kingdom.

With all the things he made, with all the victories which he accomplished, he grew puffed up:

"But 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." (2 Chronicles 26: 16)

Uzziah, king of Judah, wanted to be a priest as well as a king. Under the Old Covenant, only a settled group, the Levites, could be priests.

For all the things that Uzziah accomplished, he was not satisfied. He wanted to be close to God, but he wanted to be close to God based on his terms, on his choices. God does not work that way. He defines us, he drives us, and He defends us. His ways are not our ways, and His ways are based on grace, not works.

Uzziah wanted to serve the LORD, when the LORD wants to serve us, and by His strength we serve others. Here follows the remainder of the account in Second Chronicles:

"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 Chronicles 26: 17-18)


The ministry of the altar did not belong to the king, but the priests. Eighty priests resisted Uzziah's attempted usurpation of the priestly duties. When we try to serve God, there is no honor for Him. We have no right or reason to presume on our capacities to serve God. We need Him to strengthen us, just as Uzziah was prosperous as long as He sought the LORD.

"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." (2 Chronicles 26: 19-21)

In his attempt to draw closer to God through his own efforts, Uzziah was struck with uncleanness, leprosy, and then sequestered into a separate house, set apart from everyone else. The more that we try to get closer to God, to earn His presence, to strive for His blessings, the more we end up driving ourselves away from God, because He operates in our lives by grace, which we receive by faith. Grace is unmerited favor, and faith is the gift from God which permits us to receive all things with Him.

What Uzziah tried to get through his efforts, every believer in the Body of Christ receives in Him:

"9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2: 9-10)

In Christ, we are made kings and priests. We receive this dual commission not by our efforts, but by the mercy accorded to us through Jesus' death and resurrection.