THE VALUE OF GOOD MENTORS
Play Audio
If you prefer listening to today’s Bible guide reading, play this audio file.
If the audio bar is not appearing, click here to play the audio.
Opening Prayer
Lord, you are my strong foundation; continue to build my faith so that I can stand for you with courage and conviction.
Read 2 CHRONICLES 26
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 26
Uzziah King of Judah
1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 2 He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.
3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.
6 He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.
9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
11 Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. 12 The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. 13 Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. 14 Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones for the entire army. 15 In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.
16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the LORD followed him in. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God.”
19 Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the LORD had afflicted him.
21 King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and banned from the temple of the LORD. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
22 The other events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 23 Uzziah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in a cemetery that belonged to the kings, for people said, “He had leprosy.” And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.
Reflect
‘Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.’1
Isaiah 6:1 indicates that the death of Uzziah (sometimes known as Azariah) after his long reign was a significant event that affected everyone. He did lots of good things, but considering the length and effectiveness of his reign, neither Kings nor Chronicles signals him out for special attention. Our passage gives us a sense of déjà vu! Two key sentences sum up the message the chronicler has consistently emphasized. The first tells us of Zechariah, who mentored Uzziah and instructed him ‘in the fear of God’ (v. 5), but his influence did not outlive him. I have always seen this as stressing the importance of having good mentors. The picture here mirrors that of Joash’s reign, where Jehoiada’s good influence didn’t outlive him either. The chronicler may be issuing a challenge to potential mentors! It was not enough to influence their charges and tell them what they should be doing; they must also show them how to make decisions and encourage them to make those decisions for themselves—so that they are prepared when the mentor is no longer there.
The second key sentence comes in verse 16: ‘But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.’ Uzziah did really well when he recognized that the Lord lay behind his success. Later, however, he followed the example of his father and grandfather in demonstrating what almost seems to have been an ongoing personality defect in the Davidic royal line: he began to believe that power was his own and that whatever he did must be right, even when carrying out duties reserved only for priests. He paid the price of his pride!
Apply
God divided power and responsibility in Israel between prophets, priests, and kings, guarding against the dangers of overall power. What should we do in our churches to limit this danger?
Closing prayer
Lord God, where there were times when I neglected to give you honor, accepting credit for myself, please forgive me. I ask for humility in all that I do, always pointing to you, the Giver of all good things.
1 Prov 19:20, 21, NLT.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2026 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.