The Help of God

Photo by Billy Pasco

And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. 2 Chronicles 26:15b

Speaking about King Uzziah. He began his reign in Judah when he was just sixteen years old. He had such great mentors that he was able to reign greatly even at his age. What stands out about his reign is that we are specifically told he was marvelously helped. God so greatly helped him, until he became strong and successful. 2 Chronicles 26

A man can spectacularly be helped by God until it is evident. There were so many people in Scripture who were helped by God. But in Uzziah’s case, there was a uniqueness in the way God helped him that it was undeniable who was helping him.

Marvelously helped

God marvelously helped Uzziah. One way that he was helped was by God placing around him godly counsel. Uzziah, had a godly mother named Jecoliah (2 Chronicles 26:3). She was a key figure in His life and her influence is noted as we can see by the way she is specifically mentioned.

In the Chronicles of kings, we are often told whether the father and the mother were godly or not. When a king has a wicked father or mother behind him, it was noted. Most often their influence had such an impact on the king that he either served God well or choose wickedness.

Another way that Uzziah was helped by God was by the spiritual authority around him. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah ( the prophet), who instructed him in the fear of God. 2 Chronicles 26:5

Zechariah was another key figure in this young king’s life. He was the spiritual authority that mentored and instructed him in the fear of God. Uzziah was able to walk in uprightness and fear of God because he was submitted to the godly authority God had made available for him. God never forces a man to receive instruction. But he will make it available to us. There is a need for spiritual authority in our lives if we are going to walk the way God wants us to walk. Uzziah wasn’t a one-man show, he was submitted to the counsel of godly people in his life and this brought the help he needed from God.

Lastly, God Himself helped him. God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians who lived in Gurbaal and against the Meunites. 2 Chronicles 26:7 But there is a clause… And as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. 2 Chronicles 26:5b His prosperity was directly tied to his desire to seek after the Lord. God makes His help available to us when we choose to seek after Him. When God wants to help a man or a woman, he also gives him/ her a heart after Him. Therefore, we can say, Uzziah’s desire to seek after God was also a gift and an incentive from God.

God our Helper

One of the Hebrew words used for help is ‘ezer’. We first see this in Genesis 2:18 when God creates a helpmeet for man. The only other time this word is used is in reference to God’s help to a man.

Ezer doesn’t mean an inferior aid or a subordinate role. It means to rescue, to aid, to protect. God uses the imagery of a marriage covenant to show us the way He sends help to us when we are in need.

We see God’s help here,

There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heaven to your help[ b’ezre-ka], n through the skies in His majesty…Blessed are you, O Israel; who is like you, a people saved by YHWH who is the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread upon their high places. Deuteronomy 33:26, 29

God’s help here is likened to a shield referencing the defense and protection of God over Israel against their enemies. God is our Ezer.

The helper

In the New Covenant, we have a different kind of help. God has so helped man that we not only occasionally access the help of God but we have him indwelling us. Through Jesus, God has given us constant and everlasting help. Even though Uzziah was marvelously helped, there is none helped like the New Covenant believer.

But the helper ( comforter, Advocate, intercessor- counselor, strengthener, standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name{ in my place to represent me and act on my behalf], he will teach you all things. And he will help you to remember everything that I have told you. John 14:26 AMP

The Holy Spirit has many roles in our lives. He is the comforter, this is His first role. He comes in to bring us a comfort that no one can provide us other than God. He is also our advocate – which has the sense of a lawyer representing someone’s case before a judge. He advocates for us before the Father. He is our intercessor, He prays and helps us to pray in accordance with God’s will. He is our wonderful counselor, he guides and instructs us in the way we should go. He is also our strengthener– we never have to run on empty because we have God inside of us empowering and refueling us to keep going. He is our standby – He is always there waiting eagerly to come to our aid whenever the need arises.

God through the Holy Spirit has greatly and marvelously helped us as He helped King Uzziah.

Is there an area in your life where you need the help of God? My prayer is that you will know by experience His marvelous help in your life.