They opposedUzziahthe kingand saidto him, "It is not for you, Uzziah,to burnincenseto the LORD,but for the priests,the sonsof Aaronwho are consecratedto burnincense.Getout of the sanctuary,for you have beenunfaithfuland will have nohonorfrom the LORDGod."
Jehuthe sonof Hananithe seerwentout to meethim and saidto KingJehoshaphat,"Should you helpthe wickedand lovethose who hatethe LORDand so[bring] wrathon yourself from the LORD?
"Do not be like your fathersand your brothers,whowere unfaithfulto the LORDGodof their fathers,so that He madethem a horror,as you see.
"Then bringnearto yourself Aaronyour brother,and his sonswith him, from amongthe sonsof Israel,to ministeras priestto Me-- Aaron,Nadaband Abihu,Eleazarand Ithamar,Aaron'ssons.
Sayto the kingand the queenmother,"Takea lowlyseat,For your beautifulcrownHas comedownfrom your head."
"NowI, Nebuchadnezzar,praise,exaltand honorthe Kingof heaven,for allHis worksare true and His waysjust,and He is ableto humblethose whowalkin pride."
"But you and your sonswith you shall attendto your priesthoodfor everythingconcerningthe altarand insidethe veil,and you are to performservice.I am givingyou the priesthoodas a bestowedservice,but the outsiderwho comesnearshall be putto death."
"So you shall appointAaronand his sonsthat they may keeptheir priesthood,but the laymanwho comesnearshall be putto death."
and you will evenbe broughtbeforegovernorsand kingsfor My sake,as a testimonyto them and to the Gentiles.
"Do not fearthosewho killthe bodybut are unableto killthe soul;but ratherfearHim who is ableto destroybothsouland bodyin hell.
For Johnhad been sayingto him, "It is not lawfulfor you to haveher."
"Howcanyou believe,when you receivegloryfrom one anotherand you do not seekthe glorythat is from the [one and] onlyGod?
[I have decided] to deliversuch a oneto Satanfor the destructionof his flesh,sothat his spiritmay be savedin the dayof the LordJesus.
Thereforefrom nowon we recognizeno oneaccordingto the flesh;eventhoughwe have knownChristaccordingto the flesh,yetnowwe know[Him] [in this way] no longer.
But whenCephascameto Antioch,I opposedhim to his face,becausehe stood condemned.
And noonetakesthe honorto himself,but [receives it] when he is calledby God,evenas Aaronwas.
My brethren,do not holdyour faithin our gloriousLordJesusChristwith [an attitude of] personal favoritism.
They cameto the sonsof Reubenand to the sonsof Gadand to the half-tribeof Manasseh,to the landof Gilead,and they spokewith them saying,
"Thereforethe LORDGodof Israeldeclares,I did indeedsaythat your houseand the houseof your fathershould walkbeforeMe forever;but nowthe LORDdeclares,'Farbe it from Me-- for those who honorMe I will honor,and those who despiseMe will be lightlyesteemed.
