Days 115&116: 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21-22, Psalms 30, 97-99

These chapters in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles tell about David taking a census of all of Israel and Judah. He wanted to get a count of all the fighting men he had at his command. I would think this would be something a wise military man would want to know. If I was planning military strategies I would want to know how many men I had to work with. But for some reason this is viewed as something very evil. Joab advises David against it...

But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” (2 Samuel 24:3)

The text even says that the idea comes from Satan:

Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. (1 Chronicles 21:1)

But David gets his way...he is the king, after all...and we have the number recorded for us. The only thing I can figure is that this act of counting the men demonstrates a lack of faith in God on David's part. Perhaps he is beginning to rely on himself and the power of his army rather than on the power of God.

Whatever the case, God evidently is very displeased with this counting of the men and once David comes too his senses and repents...

David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

...God gives him his choice of 3 possible punishments. He chooses the third and shortest (in terms of time) of the three but even so the 3-day plague results in the death of 70,000 people. This was a pretty serious offense. At the end of the 3 days God tells David to go offer a sacrifice and He will bring the plague to an end. Araunah offers him everything he needs to make the sacrifice to God but David says:

“No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)

This is very convicting to me. I find myself wondering if I've ever really sacrificed to God. Does my giving really cost me anything?

This spot becomes the place that David decides is to be the location of God's temple...

Then David said, “The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” (1 Chronicles 22:1)

David gets everything ready to build the temple but the actual construction will be left to his son, the next king, Solomon...

David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ (1 Chronicles 22:7-10)

I wonder if David had the census, and God's punishment for it, on his mind when he wrote:

For his anger lasts only a moment,
   but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
   but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

Or...

You turned my wailing into dancing;
   you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
   LORD my God, I will praise you forever. (Psalm 30:11-12)

 Psalm 98 is a beautiful description of the celebration and joy which I believe should fill our worship services:

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
   burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the LORD with the harp,
   with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
   shout for joy before the LORD, the King.   (Psalm 98:4-6)

When people talk about God's judgment they usually try to make it as scary as possible but, even God's judgment is cause for rejoicing...

Let the rivers clap their hands,
   let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the LORD,
   for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
   and the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98:8-9)