II Samuel 24, I Chronicles 21, 22 and Psalm 30
II Samuel 24:1 says: “Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” The Lord told him.
On the other hand, I Chronicles 21:1 says: Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel.
These two verses seem to be saying different things. The best explanation I found for this is that the I Chronicles is an expansion of the information in II Samuel in that the Lord used Satan to cause David to take the census, much in the same way that the Lord used Satan to test Job.
In any case, David took a census, but how was this wrong? Joab even asked David why he did this. He even asked David, as recorded in I Chronicles, “Why must you cause Israel to sin?”
In Exodus 30:12, the Lord tells Moses: “Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is counted must pay a ransom for himself to the Lord. Then no plague will strike the people as you count them.” This census was of men who had reached their twentieth birthday. The census David ordered was apparently to count warriors – II Samuel 24:9 says, “…There were 800,000 capable warriors in Israel who could handle a sword and 500,000 in Judah.” There is no indication that any ransom was paid while the census was being taken.
Was David trying to figure out how great an army he had? Was that considered a lack of faith? David often says in the Psalms that it was the Lord who gives the victory. David, apparently, knew this was wrong, because his conscience began to bother him and he asks forgiveness for his guilt.
The Lord, through the prophet Gad, gives David three choices:
- Three years of famine throughout the land
- Three months of fleeing from his enemies
- Three days of severe plague through the land
Three years, three months, or three days – what would you have chosen? We don’t know why David selected the plague, but we know he counted on the Lord’s mercy. He said, “But let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”
It seems that David’s faith in the Lord’s mercy was justified because the Lord “relented” and, just before the death angel was to destroy Jerusalem, told him to stop. David actually saw the angel of the Lord (the death angel) “standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem.”
Lots to think about, huh? David builds an altar, offers sacrifices and the Lord answered his prayers. Did you note that “David … was terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the Lord”? The threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, which David bought for 600 pieces of gold was where the Temple of the Lord would be located.
Psalm 30 talks about crying to the Lord and Him rescuing and restoring health. It speaks of God’s anger lasting only a moment, but his favor lasting a lifetime. “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!”
The wonderful Gaither song “Joy Comes in the Morning” is based on this Psalm. To read the lyrics and hear the music check out this site: http://wandascountryhome.com/joy/
Tomorrow, it’s Psalm 108, 109, and 110.
Packing Up My Camper
I am posting this blog so early because today and tomorrow, I’ll be spending my time packing up and moving my camper. The park is going to put down a cement pad in the space where it is currently parked. This will be great … when it’s all done, but the work involved is incredible. So, I’d better get started.
Until next time…
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