1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah,[a] 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[b] 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. (2 CHRONICLES 26:1-15)

In modern times, the term, 'The hand of God,' was made popular by a goal scored by the Argentine soccer legend, Diego Maradona, against England during the 1986 FIFA World Cup. As Maradona later admitted, the goal was scored with his hand and was only allowed because the officials did not notice the foul play. The footballer himself called the goal, "the hand of God", which obviously trivialized its real meaning. In the eyes of Scripture, "the hand of God" is a metaphor for the omnipotence of God and His intervening power.

One copious beneficiary of the "hand of God" as contained in today's text is Uzziah (also known as Azariah), the son of Amaziah. He was only 16 years old when he became the king of Juda’h and reigned for 52 years. He started well by seeking God sincerely, and in return, was greatly helped by God. He became very successful, influential, and prosperous and was able to bring significant transformation to Judah in terms of military might, infrastructural development, and agricultural excellence.

Uzziah achieved this feat for as long as he was submissive to the Lord and under the tutelage of Zechariah, a faithful and wise counsellor, whose death turned out to be most unfortunate for Uzziah and Judah. It is blessed indeed to benefit from the privilege of such a guiding light that has "understanding in the visions of God". Even though Uzziah, whose name means "the Lord is my strength," later became presumptuous and suffered for it, his story confirms the fact that God "is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

The Hand of God is still at work today for all who seek and walk with Him. If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. He will strengthen, defend, provide for, and prosper those who obey Him. You should also not neglect but appreciate the privilege of true spiritual mentors whose examples and guidance help to constantly keep your feet on the straight and narrow road to heaven.

Exceptional consecration and excellent accomplishment are bedfellows.

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