pride and leprosy
One of the longest reigning Old Testament Kings was Uzziah. He became King at 16 years old and ruled for 52 years. Uzziah was a wise and powerful ruler and many nations fell to his military campaigns. 2 Chronicles 26: 5 had this to say about the great King Uzziah:
” … As long as he sought the Lord,
God gave him success.”
But pride over-took Uzziah and he began a downward spiral of ungratefulness and disobedience toward God. Due to his unchanging attitude God struck him with leprosy, which stayed with him until his death. GOD hates pride … and I can tell you first hand that God punishes those that cling to their own self-centered life style and refuse to acknowledge HIM.
You and I accomplish nothing without the LORD.
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace …”
Proverbs 11:2
God’s has sent some pretty severe messages when people don’t follow his will. The obvious story about not following God’s will is Jonah and the fish (or whale if you prefer). I’d much rather be swallowed by a fish then what happened to Ananias.
Check this out… Yesterday I read in Acts 5 people where selling their belongings and giving their funds to the Church to distribute. Ananias, with his wife’s knowledge, keeps some of the proceeds from his estate sale for himself. God see Ananias doing this and he fell DEAD. Yikes! I shoulda been killed long ago. I’m going to try to give my ALL to the Lord today!