May 23: 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21, 22, Psalm 30

May 23, 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21, 22, Psalm 30

Let’s do this! Let us learn from Yahweh’s Word together today. God bless you as you want to know more about Him…

2 Samuel 24 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel… Seems to happen often and when God is angry, we don’t want to make Him more angry by doing something prideful, like count how many warriors you have instead of trusting God. 2 Samuel records it as God incited David to take a census but remember God doesn't do evil, but will use it to accomplish His will. See notes below in 1 Chronicles 21 for differences. Taking a census is not evil, if that is what the Lord wanted David to do. However, David chose to do this and Joab is against it, but must submit. Regardless, Joab and his men went out and counted. I do appreciate what Joab said though, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”  Who had more faith? Joab did and trusted that God would take care of them. So, Joab and his men went and counted all the warriors. Between Israel & Judah, there was about 1.3 million (see 1 Chronicles 21 notes for discrepancy). After the census was complete, David was convicted that he had sinned against God by not trusting Him and acted like a fool. God was upset with David. In the morning, Gad, David’s prophet, came to him with a message from the Lord. David got to pick from 3 different disciplines… 3 years of famine, 3 months of fleeing from enemies, 3 days of pestilence. David chose 3 days of pestilence because he still believed in God’s mercy and mans is not. “So, the So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time.” About 70,000 men died that die by the hand of an angel from God. Then Yahweh relented fro the calamity and told the angel that was destroying the people, that is enough. David saw the angel striking the people and pleaded with God, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house.” As their King, he was compassionate (like God) that his people were being harmed and would rather that came against him. That is actually fantastic leadership. David deserved it, they didn't and he knew it. 

Gad, the prophet, came to David and instructed him to build an altar there to the Lord. David immediately obeyed and went to Araunah to purchase his threshing floor and oxen. Araunah offered it all to David at no charge, but like Abraham, David says, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.”  There is so much life application here, it is staggering. Give it all to God, especially when it hurts. David built an altar there and offered burnt and peace offerings to God and the Yahweh responded to the plea for the land, and the pestilence stopped. 

1 Chronicles 21 Since this is similar to 2 Samuel 24, I am going to note some of the discrepancies and do my best to explain them. Here, the Chronicler clearly states that it was Satan, The Adversary, that incited David to sin and do a census (remember God is Sovereign over everything and all events, even if is done by the hand of man or Satan). David was a military man, so doing a census is a good strategy, unless God has not given you that strategy. Another discrepancy is in the counting of the warriors. From the Reformation Study Bible, “The differences of these numbers from those in 2 Sam. 24:9 are problematic. It may be that the number of men from Judah is included in the total for “all Israel” (that is, including Judah with 470,000 not “and in Judah”). The Book of Chronicles may exclude some elements, such as Levi and Benjamin, from its count (21:6 note). Or the numbers may be approximations. Beyond this, one or both texts may suffer from errors of copying.” Either way, we can still trust that there was over a million warriors and God was upset that David had sinned. 

Towards the end of the chapter, recalling the altar and sacrifice, from my ESV study notes, “The purpose of the narrative here is not only to recount and explain David’s purchase of he temple site, but especially to expound the meaning of the temple itself as the place of God’s mercy and forgiveness, where sin is atoned for and its deadly consequences removed.”

1 Chronicles 22 David decided (noted above) that the house of God should be built where they did the offering, as they just experienced God’s mercy there. David did a great deal of preparation for the building of the temple, even though he was not the one to build it. Like a good father, he wanted to set up his son for success both physically and spiritually. David stocked up on almost everything needed to build a proper temple for the Lord. Why did he do this? “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.” Knowing what it takes to rule a people, David had the foresight to help Solomon excel for the Glory of God. 

David called for Solomon and charged him to build the temple, explaining that he wanted to build it, but because of the blood on his hands, he was unable to. God was gong to give rest to Solomon - peace and quiet, and that God was going to be a Father to Solomon. What was David’s prayer for his son?  “Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.” If Solomon obeys, God will bless him. The gold alone on today’s market would be worth $131 billion… I just googled the math and market. Needless to say, David was preparing for Solomon through God’s grace. 

David also commanded all the leaders to support Solomon and told them, “Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.” What a great charge to stay focused on the Lord. 

Psalm 30 is a reminder that we are to continually give thanks to God for His continual care for us. God lifts us up and protects us and restores us.  “For his anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Our tough times are seasons. God’s favor is everlasting.

To sum it all up:

• We need to be in line with what God wants so that we are doing what He wants. Sure, David was convicted that what he did was wrong, but not until after he knew how many warriors he had. Wouldn't you rather God show you your error either before or during so that you can stop your sin? I
• “ will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.”  Do any of your sacrifices to God actually cost you something, or you really wouldn't notice whether you gave them or not? I am not referring to your standard tithes and offerings, but more about your life. Is your life a living sacrifice to God, or more of an afterthought or Sunday thing?
• We need to set up our kids to be strong and successful in the Lord. Not the worlds standard of success, but God’s.