July 27-31

When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. II Samuel 24:16



Our journey this week begins by taking us into some perplexing territory. At first glance, it appears that the accounts of David’s census contradict each other. II Samuel tells us that “the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” But in I Chronicles 21 it says, “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.” But let’s see if we can’t put the puzzle pieces together and get the whole picture.

A Census
The first thing we have to establish is the law governing a census. God gave some definite regulations to taking a census. God commanded Moses saying,

When you take a census of the sons of Israel to number them, then each one of them shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them. Exodus 30:12

When David realized his sin and repented, God gave him three choices. David’s response was to let God make the proper choice, just don’t let it be at the hands of his enemies. And what did God choose? His choice was the very thing God said He would do if a census were not taken properly; He sent a plague!

The half a shekel that was collected from each individual was considered “atonement money” (Exodus 30:16) and was to be given to the Lord as a heave offering. (Exodus 30:14)

The only history of any censuses before this time was during Moses’ lifetime. In each instance, God had commanded that a census be taken. The first census raised money for the Tabernacle. Two years later, before the Israelites left Mt. Sinai, and as they prepared to go to Canaan to take the land, God ordered another census. This time they were being mustered as an army getting ready for battle. The third census was taken after their forty years of wandering resulting from their lack of obedience. Once again, God mustered the troops to do what their fathers had failed to accomplish, i.e. take the land. Each of these censuses had been initiated by God and was done in direct obedience to God’s command.

David’s Reason for a Census
We know that David had numbered the men in his army. We’ve seen the numbers from each tribe that came to him at Hebron. All twelve tribes, including the tribe of Levi, were accounted for. But this did not constitute a true census. A true census looked at potential; David numbered what already was.

Joab’s reaction to the order to take a census gives us another clue to David’s rational concerning the matter. Basically Joab questioned, “Why?” There was no logical reason for this census to be taken. This event occurred near the end of David’s reign. God had proven Himself to David! David knew that the strength God had given him in his fighting men was more than sufficient. So what good were these numbers? There could only be one plausible conclusion; David wanted to gloat in the potential of his armed forces. It could all be boiled down into one word P-R-I-D-E!

God or Satan
That brings us to the next question. Did God prompt David to sin, or did Satan entice him? Let’s compare the text.

Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited (Heb. “suth”) David against them to say, “Go number Israel and Judah. (II Samuel 24:1)

Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved (Heb. “suth”) David to number Israel. (I Chronicles 21:1)

Obviously, God was not pleased with something He saw in the nation as a whole. Perhaps the nation had begun to look more to David as their savior and provider, than to God. God knew David’s heart.

As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever… (I Kings 9:4)

…because David did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. (I Kings 15:6)

Although pride had begun to take root in David’s heart, God saw his integrity. Would David want the nation to put him above God? I don’t think so! And so God dealt with Israel through David. I don’t know when David wrote Psalm 19, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it weren’t shortly after this whole incident. Listen to his words.

Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression. (Psalm 19:12)

Looking at the text, it says that God’s anger burned against Israel and His anger incited David to sin. How did God’s anger incite David to sin? I believe we can find the answer to the riddle when we look at the life of another individual who cause God’s anger to burn.

Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. (Exodus 4:14)

God had called Moses to go and speak to Pharaoh, but Moses struggled with his lack of confidence. In God’s anger, He backed off and allowed Moses to have what was in his heart. It was not what God wanted, but it was what He had to do at the moment. In the situation with Israel and David, God saw Israel’s sin, He knew the temptation in David’s heart to reach for glory, and in His anger, God backed away and allowed David and the nation to be vulnerable to attack. When Satan saw God’s hedge lift, he wasted no time hitting his mark. It says he “stood” against David. The word can actually mean to “lean against.” He put pressure on David and “moved” him to take action. Had David’s feet been securely planted, he would not have been so easily moved!

And so who moved David to sin? The Scriptures are correct! God moved away in His anger and Satan moved it! Both had direct influence on David’s actions! There is no contradiction!!!

It would take a book to examine the mysteries and truths surrounding the place where God stayed the angel’s hand. It was the same place God stayed Abraham’s hand and kept him from sacrificing Isaac. It is the place God chose to establish the Temple. What was this place? It was a threshing floor; a place of separation, the place where what is worthless is separated from what is desirable. The threshing floor was where God called Gideon to deliver his people, and where Ruth presented herself to Boaz to either accept or reject. God refers to the final judgment as a threshing floor. So much to see! So much to glean! Before the Temple could ever be built, God wanted them to see what it would be built on! You may want to take a bit of time and become familiar with the powerful message of the threshing floor. God still uses them today!

We finish our week listening to David set his house in order as he prepares to pass the baton on to his son Solomon. David has lived a full life. There is much he was able to do, but there is still much to be done. The call on David’s life was bigger than him, and it was time to ensure his successor would continue the work. No wonder David once wrote:

The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. (Psalm 34:11)

And to that, I say a good hardy AMEN!