TWO "VALIANT" MEN WHOSE STRENGTH BECAME WEAKNESS

INTRODUCTION:

Valiance can be a very positive characteristic.  Faithful obedience to God often requires that we possess it.  Much of what God requires of us demands that we find the courage to do what is difficult and unpopular.  His word 
provides us with all that we need to gain the strength to carry out His will.

 I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong,
 and the word of God abides in you.  And you have overcome
 the wicked one (I John 2:14b).

 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power
 of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may
 be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 
 6:10,11).

 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong
 (I Corinthians 16:13).

You are valiant, in a godly sense, if you have fully dedicated yourself to living according to God’s revealed will no matter what the consequences may be.  You may not always feel confident and brave, but you are valiant if you are willing to speak the truth when you would rather be silent, to stand for truth when there is a lump in your throat and a tightness in your chest, and to live the truth when few go with you and many mock you.

Valiance, however, when it is alone is not necessarily a positive and good trait.  Just as faith without works is dead, valiance without faithful humility is dangerous.  Just as there is divine wisdom and earthly wisdom, there is godly valiance and ungodly valiance.

The Bible gives us numerous examples of men who began with the humble, obedient, and godly variety of 
valiance.  These men realized that they were mere men who needed direction from God.  Many were able to 
maintain both their humble allegiance to God and their valiance.  Others became proud of their valiance and lost their willingness to walk in the ways of God.  After their faithfulness to God, and their reliance upon Him brought them a degree of success and notoriety, they seem to have forgotten the source of their power.  It is as though they looked upon what God had done through their willing hands and then declared themselves, like Little Jack Horner, to be great men.

DISCUSSION:

Saul did this.  We learn his history in I Samuel.  Israel demanded a king (8).  Saul, the son of a mighty man of power (9:1), who was himself “a choice and handsome young man” who “was taller than any of the people” (9:2) was chosen.  Although Saul had these exceptional qualities, he began his reign with a humble attitude (10:21-23; 15:17).  But after two years of reigning in the elevated position of king he began to ignore the instructions of God and to act according to his own mind.  Without divine authority he took upon himself a function not given to him by God and offered a burnt offering (13:8-14).  Contrary to God’s command he spared King Agag and the best of the animals among to Amalekites (15:1-24).  It is clearly implied that Saul engaged in these rebellious acts after he had become “big” in his own eyes (15:17).

Uzziah fell into the same pit.   Notice his rise, and then his fall, in II Chronicles 26:

--He was made king of Judah when he was only 16 years old (vv. 1-3).
--He actively sought God and did what was right in God’s sight.  As long as he was humbly seeking and doing the will of God, God made him prosper (vv. 4,5).
--With God’s help he accomplished many wonderful things.  More to the point, God accomplished wonderful things when Uzziah was willing to be used as His instrument (vv. 6-15).
--As a result of his reliance upon God he became famous far and wide and he became strong.  It seems that those who admired Uzziah and sang his praises placed too much emphasis upon Uzziah and not enough upon God who had instructed and helped him (v. 15).
--Uzziah looked at what “he” had accomplished and became proud of himself.  No doubt he heard the applause of men and felt their approval.  It seems that when he looked in the mirror he mistakenly thought that he was looking upon the face of the one who had done so much good.  He had forgotten that God had directed him to act in ways that had caused him to prosper.  God had helped him as long as he sought and did God’s will.  So Uzziah began to give credit to whom credit was only partially due.  He became proud of himself and he disregarded divine instruction.

 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruct-
 ion, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering
 the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense 
 (v. 16).

--He sinned, like Saul, by presuming to act as a priest without divine authority.  Even after a clear warning and reminder from Azariah and eighty other valiant priests, he proceeded to act on his own authority (vv. 17,18).
--He, like Saul, was rejected by God.  As a result of his sin he was struck by God with leprosy and lived in 
isolation for the rest of his life (vv. 19-23).

The accounts of Saul and Uzziah provide us with examples of both humble, godly valiance and of ungodly, proud valiance.  We can learn a great deal from both their right attitudes and actions and their ungodly attitudes and actions.  We can see the pit that swallowed them and avoid it.  We all need to begin where they began and then keep ourselves from progressing to where they arrived.

We need to work toward being humble enough to hear God and courageous enough to obey Him at all costs.  If we will do this we will be wise, strong, and rich by learning God's wisdom, and receiving His strength, and riches.

There is no room for human pride when we live according to this plan.  If “we” achieve great things by doing what God has said to do, there is no room for boasting or pride on our part.  If “we” convert a thousand lost souls and defeat a thousand false doctrines with the gospel we have only done our duty as soldiers in God's army, using God's armor and wielding the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:10-17).  All that we have contributed is a willingness to obey.  If we become proud of ourselves we will tend to act and teach according to our own thinking and, like Saul and Uzziah, lose the approval of God.  We all need to beware of the pit of pride.  William Shirer, in his biography of Edwin Rommel, wrote,

 A few--a very few--great soldiers have been modest men.
 Turenne is said to have mocked generals who were unable to
 admit when defeats derived from their own failures...  In more
 recent times Eisenhower conveyed an impression of selfless-
 ness and unostentation.  The wry self-depreciation with which 
 Slim wrote of his own achievements contains humility as well
 as consummate art, and is as rare as it is impressive.  But, on the
 whole, successful commanders have enjoyed the limelight and 
 sung their own exploits very audibly.

In contrast we might say that all who would remain faithful soldiers in God's army must remain humble servants who understand their low position relative to their commander.  They are not self-willed men who lose sight of their need to rely upon God for their instructions and strength.  They lose the only strength they ever really had for accomplishing the will of God when they become strutting generals who have forgotten how to obey.

 Thus says the Lord:  “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man
 glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he
 understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising
 loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
 For in these I delight,” says the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23,24).

 For who makes you differ from another?  And what do you have 
 that you did not receive?  Now if you did indeed receive it,  why 
 do you glory as if you had not received it? (I Corinthians 4:7).

CONCLUSION:

Therefore, let us be mighty, strong, valiant, and brave in doing the bidding of God on earth.  Let us fill our hearts and minds with His will and our hands, mouths, and feet with His work.  Some men will applaud while others mock.  The valiant, godly man is turned aside by neither.  He accepts compliments without becoming overly proud of his own accomplishments and he hears ridicule without becoming ashamed.  God is the source of his teaching, his strength, and his salvation.