Uzziah and Adam

I went to the 10.00am service at church this morning (as the 11.30am service I normally attend was cancelled for the Love Oxford event, which as in previous years I did not attend since I am not comfortable with an event that seeks to proclaim unity in Christ between evangelicals and Romanists, and also those who proclaim a prosperity gospel). We had an excellent sermon on Uzziah from 2 Chronicles 26, where we saw how he prospered when he sought the Lord, but that there were two problems - the first was that he only seemed to seek the Lord in the days of one Zechariah, who instructed him and the second was the more obvious one of pride. There were three lessons for us, first the danger of spiritual isolation, with no-one to ask us the hard questions, secondly, the danger of the good times (it was when he became strong that he grew proud, and ceased to locate his strength in God), and thirdly, the danger of pride, thinking that we’re beyond God’s rules.

During the sermon, I noticed the following pattern: Uzziah had dominion over Israel and some of the Gentile nations, he guarded the land with fortifications and by equipping his army, and he worked the land, cutting out cisterns and employing farmers and vine-dressers “for he loved the soil”. But then his pride led him to unfaithful behaviour, which consisted in going where he shouldn’t and doing what he shouldn’t there - offering incense which only the priests were authorised to do. The consequence was physical disability - a skin disease - and then expulsion from the sanctuary and the house of the Lord.

The parallel with Adam is striking. Adam was to have dominion over the earth, keep the garden and work it, but then sinned by disobeying God’s command, taking the fruit from the tree that had been forbidden, and received God’s judgment, including the proclamation of physical death (’dust you are and to dust you shall return’) and followed by exclusion from the garden.

Uzziah, too, repeats Adam’s sin.

Daniel Newman Audio Ministries, Inc. (2)

Here is my attempt at preaching 2 Chronicles 13:

2 Chronicles 13 (26:56, 6.2MB)

A slight modification

I’ve decided in the light of a the closure of the InnerChange course reported in Saturday’s Telegraph which has got a few people talking at church to modify my sermon slightly from the plan outlined below

The introduction will ask if people are worried about church decline nationally and locally (the Sunday pm gathering will undoubtedly be v. small) and then say that it raises the question of whether the church, locally and nationally is going to survive, grow and prosper or, if you are an enquirer, whether it’s worth bothering with at all. I’ll then say that’s the issue the Chronicler was concerned with and then state the message of 2 Chronicles 13 as “God gives victory and prosperity to those who are faithful to him, with my stated aim being to persuade my hearers is true and to encourage them to trust the God of the Bible and rely on him

Under heading 1, I will draw attention to the fact that it is Israel fighting Judah, not some pagan nation, i.e. those to whom they were related and who shared a common heritage. It is my intention to point out parallels to our day, with the Inner Change course opposed by the Chaplain-General to the Prison Service, and mention the example of some chaplains at University opposing the outreach of the Christian Unions and problems in the church at large - liberal bishops locking out conservative congregations from their buildings in Canada, for example. Having done that, I will make the point that we are in a spiritual battle, that there are v. real powers of evil in the world and that the battlefield is so often the individual Christian life, feeling surrounded and overwhelmed by forces of darkness and evil, e.g. hostility, scorn and indifference as a response to evangelism, battling against temptation, tragedy and doubt.

Under heading 2, after discussing Abijah’s speech in regard to the Northern Kingdom, I’m thinking of pointing out that this is striking because this is precisely what the liberals have done, turning aside from the God of the Bible to gods that they shape - that’s what they do when they support multifaith ventures, denying the existence of the true God and not making him known, and instead saying whatever god you follow is right for you.

Is that a little too forthright? Do let me know any thoughts please!

An Exposition of 2 Chronicles 13

This all right?

(NB: More detailed notes will be taken into the pulpit, when I preach (DV) at St. James’s, Poole, on 16th July at Evening Prayer.)

Introduction

Like contests - especially those with underdogs - heroic
2 examples
“What’s the secret of your success?”
2 Chronicles 13 - real life contest
Secret of success v. 18
Claim the story makes, which I want to persuade you:
If we trust in the God of the Bible alone, we will be victorious and prosper. If we don’t, we won’t.

1. God’s people are a minority under attack (vv. 1-3)

vv. 1-2
Brief historical background
God’s people are at war and horribly outnumbered
God’s people are often a minority
My examples - College, course
Case for most of us? Work, streets, families
Minority under attack
e.g. evangelism
Not just people, but also circumstances
e.g. sin, temptation, tragediies, suffering

2. God’s people are defended by their covenant Lord (vv. 4-12)

v. 4
If we grasp argument - will understand why it is true that if we trust in the God of the Bible alone, we will be victorious and prosper
Abijah’s message - You have forsaken the Lord but we are relying on him and in fighting against us you are fighting against him
Faith expressed in the sitation explored in (1)
vv. 5-9 - Northern Kingdom
In opposing Abijah, they fighting against the Lord
Rely on what are no gods at all
vv. 10-12 Southern Kingdom
In contrast, Yahweh is their God
Covenant language
Trusting in the Lord
Shown by retaining the priesthood
Significance - maintenance of relationship between a holy God and sinful people through sacrifical substitution
God with them
Anticipation of Christian people
Under rule of great David’s greater Son, Jesus
Depending on work of Christ as high priest
Aaron’s sons offered repeated sacrifices
Christ offered self once for all
Bound to God by ties of covenant and love
Illustration - African woman with child tied to her back I saw on the train
Not big powerful you against little insignificant me -
Big powerful you with false gods against little insignificant us and all-powerful God
You can’t win

If Christian believer - realize that people opposing God’s king and you are opposing God, cannot succeed
Temptation, forces of darkness and evil, death - comes up against eternal all-powerful God
Have courage, persevere, keep trusting, rely on God, pray
Not ‘let go, let God’ - have to face situations
You may be weak, but he is strong, able to defeat attacks, keep you through, give you victory

3. God’s people are victorious under God’s king (vv. 13-22)

Retell story
Highlight God’s defeat of Jeroboam and Israel before believing king, Abijah and Judah
V. matter of fact - as if inevitable
Abijah and people strike Israel down
Abijah’s capture of cities and villages
Jeroboam never recovers, is struck down
Abijah by contrast prospers
Morality of 14 wives not the point - might, wealth, prosperity is

Victory given to Abijah, believing king in David’s line
Pattern fulfilled in victory of Lord Jesus Christ
Time of darkness, faithful to death, at the cross defeated death, powers of darkness when suffered penalty for sins of his people
Proclaimed by resurrection
Present reign
Battle continues - victory as defends and keeps and delivers people
Kingdom advances as people come to faith
Will return - overthrow rebellion, final victory, death pain and suffering no more, whole renewed world his kingdom, glory, honour and wealth of nations brought in
Illustration of D-day
If you trust in the God of the Bible alone, you will be victorious and prosper because you belong to Christ’s kingdom and enter into his victory as prosperity, just as Judah was victorious under Abijah

No to the prosperity gospel, sinless perfection
Most victory and prosperity in world to come
All enemies defeated
Perfect, resurrection body
No suffering, sickness, death
Inheritance in New Creation
Victory and blessing now, though
New spiritual life - free from captivity to sin and death
Defended against sin and temptation - defended against them, God will grant victory, not perfectly
Preserved in and through death
Everlasting life at Christ’s return
Rich - down-payment of Holy Spirit

Only through relying on God of the Bible
Those who fight against God’s king and rely on ’small g’ gods will not gain victory and prosper - are struck down and defeated
Anyone here in that situation?
Examples - ruling own life, relying on projects you shape - money, career, family, marriage
No victory and prosperity
Christ returns - overthrown, lose everything, misery
Defect - leave Israel, come into Judah
Come under rule of God’s king - Jesus
Depend on work of God’s priest - Christ’s death on Cross
Enter into victory and blessings God’s people enjoy under God’s king

Conclusion

Restatement of claim
Rehearsal of headings, with one sentence elaboration