Overcompensation
Reflective Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1-3
Last week we talked about one of the greatest kings in Israel—King Uzziah. If you recall, he reigned for 52 years and was a genius in government, economics, and military innovations. When he began his reign at sixteen years of age, he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD. His entire kingdom was blessed and prospered—until pride lifted his heart and destroyed both him and his kingdom.
God had to use a severe chastening to get Uzziah’s attention. During a prideful moment in the temple when Uzziah usurped the authority of the priests, God struck him with leprosy. But, worse than that, Uzziah found himself “cut off from the house of the LORD” (II Chronicles 26:21). That meant he would be separated from all fellowship, festivals, and congregational worship. What a terribly lonely life.
I have to wonder if he ever repented. The text doesn’t say. But what we do know is that his son Jotham did right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Uzziah did, “except he entered not into the temple of the LORD” (II Chronicles 27:2).
What I see here is an overreaction. Jotham stayed away from the Temple of the LORD because of a bad experience in the past. We need to be very careful not to overreact to previous bad experiences in our own lives.
Some of us go through difficult relationships or marriages which cause us to overcompensate by looking for fulfillment through a new relationship or building walls to avoid future hurts. Some of us go through struggles with church conflicts and splits, causing us to overcompensate by staying away from denominational structure or authorities that don’t suit our comfort level. Some of us faced abusive relationships when we were younger, causing us to mistrust others. We are all tempted to overreact or overcompensate after difficult and painful life experiences.
For King Jotham, his overreaction and overcompensation caused great harm to his kingdom, himself, and future generations. The next sentence in II Chronicles 27:2 reads,
“…he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.” (emphasis added)
Jotham’s overcompensation kept himself and the heart of his nation away from the heart of God. Once we get away from public worship and the fellowship found in the community of believers, we are on a slippery slope. Often times the consequences of overcompensation do not appear until the next generation, which we see in Jotham’s son Ahaz.
In 2 Chronicles 28:1-6 we read,
“Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.”
Now that is one evil king! And all it took was the pride of King Uzziah and the overcompensation of King Jotham to pave the way for Ahaz to have no regard for the LORD.
Thankfully, the story doesn’t end here…
The next king, Hezekiah, does that which is right in the sight of the LORD! Wait! If Hezekiah was raised by one of the most evil kings in Israel’s history, how could he possibly have turned out to be a godly young king? What do you think might have caused this unusual twist?
Unlike his grandfather Jotham, Hezekiah didn’t overcompensate. Unlike his father Ahaz, he didn’t rely on the world for his protection. Rather, he humbled himself in the fear of the Lord. He was able to learn from the mistakes and sins of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. But again, how?! As always, let us go to the text to discover the answer:
“Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them” (II Chronicles 29:1-3, emphasis added).
Revival always starts with restoring access to the presence of God! In the first year of his reign, King Hezekiah opened the doors of the house of the LORD. What motivated him to open those doors? Let’s look at verse one again,
“And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.”
Do you remember who Zechariah was? He was the priest and mentor of King Uzziah. In 2 Chronicles 26:5 we read,
“And [Uzziah] sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”
Hezekiah’s mother, Queen Abijah, was the daughter of this amazing godly man—Zechariah! And Zechariah was the son of the godly priest (though not perfect) Jehoiada, who lived 130 years! In spite of being married to one of the most evil kings in all of Israel’s history, Queen Abijah influenced little Hezekiah to become one of the greatest kings in all of history.
In conclusion, we influence our children (and others) best when we get our eyes off ourselves and off the hurtful experiences of our past and onto the LORD. It doesn’t matter how difficult life has been or who you are married to. What matters most is coming into the presence of God daily; spending time with him in his house corporately, in his Word privately, and in prayer personally. I would like to bring this to an end with one of my favorite quotes:
“The world has not yet seen what God can do through one man wholly committed unto him; with God’s help I aim to be that man.” D. L. Moody
With God’s help may we all become that man or woman. Our children’s future depends upon it.
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
Recommended Reading:
Little Threads (Ages 6+)
Teddy’s Button book/audio (Ages 9+)
Tip Lewis and His Lamp book/audio drama (Ages 12+)
When People are Big and God is Small (Ages 12+)
Education of a Child (Ages 12+)
Duties of Parents (Ages 12+)
