Judgment For David’s Sin
March 23, 2021
Commentary
The writer did not state David’s motivation for taking a census of Israel except to say that Satan caused him to do so (v.11). Unlike the census taken in the book of Numbers (Numbers 1:2) that God had ordered, it appears that this census was taken so David could take pride in the strength of his army. This suggests that he was beginning to trust more in military power than in God.
Satan moved David to take a census. Satan only tempted David with the idea, but David decided to act on the temptation. God also provided a way out through the counsel of Joab but David refused to take his advice and ordered the census to be taken. David’s census was not against God’s law, but his reason for the census was wrong as he took pride in his mighty army.
When David realized his sin he took full responsibility, admitted he was wrong and asked God to forgive him. The consequences of David’s sin, however had already caused severe damage as 70,000 people died by a plague. When David pled for mercy God responded by stopping the death angel before his mission was complete. God’s halting of the plague is one of the most dramatic scenes in the Old Testament. The “sword of the Lord” in the hand of the angel (v. 12) had been slaying the people of Israel by the tens of thousands as the plague marched through the land.
Application
David’s sin of putting confidence in military might alone was idolatry. To allow anything to take God’s place in my life is sinful and may cause disastrous consequences. God will always forgive my sins and will make the bitter consequences less severe, but the scars will remain.
1 Chronicles 21:1– 17 (NET)
1 An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had. 2 David told Joab and the leaders of the army, “Go, count the number of warriors from Beer Sheba to Dan. Then bring back a report to me so I may know how many we have.” 3 Joab replied, “May the Lord make his army a hundred times larger! My master, O king, do not all of them serve my master? Why does my master want to do this? Why bring judgment on Israel?”
4 But the king’s edict stood, despite Joab’s objections. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel before returning to Jerusalem. 5 Joab reported to David the number of warriors. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 sword-wielding soldiers; Judah alone had 470,000 sword-wielding soldiers. 6 Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin, for the king’s edict disgusted him. 7 God was also offended by it, so he attacked Israel.
8 David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this! Now, please remove the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” 9 The Lord told Gad, David’s prophet, 10 “Go, tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I am offering you three forms of judgment from which to choose. Pick one of them.”’” 11 Gad went to David and told him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Pick one of these: 12 three years of famine, or three months being chased by your enemies and struck down by their swords, or three days being struck down by the Lord, during which a plague will invade the land and the angel of the Lord will destroy throughout Israel’s territory.’ Now, decide what I should tell the one who sent me.” 13 David said to Gad, “I am very upset! I prefer to be attacked by the Lord, for his mercy is very great; I do not want to be attacked by men!” 14 So the Lord sent a plague through Israel, and 70,000 Israelite men died.
15 God sent an angel to ravage Jerusalem. As he was doing so, the Lord watched and relented from his judgment. He told the angel who was destroying, “That’s enough! Stop now!”
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between the earth and sky with his sword drawn and in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. David and the leaders, covered with sackcloth, threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 17 David said to God, “Was I not the one who decided to number the army? I am the one who sinned and committed this awful deed! As for these sheep—what have they done? O Lord my God, attack me and my family, but remove the plague from your people!”