A Tale of Two Cities

**fennywest** Thu 09 Dec 2010, 6:42 pm

A tale of two cities
A man of two phases and faces
A story of twists and turns
Amaziah, Uzzaiah and Azariah.

Hold your breath
as we begin to unearth
what would astound
and even dumbfound.

A man, a king who started so well
Following daddy’s footsteps, you could tell
Whom God promoted given great prosperity
And lived large but blinded by popularity.

He thought he could do and undo
Pride crept into his heart, and in it he stewed
Arrogance led him to arrogate powers
Terminating divine blessing , God’s showers.

He turned into the broad road
Ruined his destiny with a sinful load
His face was defaced with leprosy
As he dug his grave for lack of humility.

Yes, dead over three thousand years ago
But he still speaks, warns those will play with the foe
Befriend him, wear his clothes for fun
We need to beware, hell is hot and is no fun.

Lord help us to start and finish well
Live a life of love, being at the centre if your will
Refusing the bait that the enemy gives
That we may eternal life receive.

Yes today, in this day and age
We can see many Uzzaiahs on the world stage
Men and women who started with excellence
Leaving their first love, losing His presence.

We see many who preached the true Gospel
Turning around, accepting fables, preaching another Gospel
Men and women who said Jesus is the way
Now saying Jesus is only one of the ways.

They call it Ecumenism, universalism
Do not buy their word or drink from their stream.
Dwell by the Living Water, drink and drink
Eat the Bread of Life, God’s thoughts think.

Chronicles 26:1-21 (New King James Version)
2 Chronicles 26
Uzziah Reigns in Judah
1 Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah,[a] who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Elath[b] and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.
3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions[c] of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
6 Now he went out and made war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites. 8 Also the Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.
9 And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he fortified them. 10 Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved the soil.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. 12 The total number of chief officers[d] of the mighty men of valor was two thousand six hundred. 13 And under their authority was an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones. 15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.
The Penalty for Uzziah’s Pride

16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men. 18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.”
19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him.
21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

**WARRIOR** Thu 09 Dec 2010, 11:39 pm

You know Fenny, there is the straight and narrow. Once we go through the gate,
we still must stay on the straight and narrow path. This poem is another blessings.
Thank you for posting this. tc

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

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