The historian who writes 1 Chronicles does not deal with David’s sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. However, as the historian wants to emphasize the temple, he does write about David’s sin in taking a census of Israel – “all who drew the sword” (1 Chronicles 21:5).
While Samuel’s account simply says the anger of the Lord burned against Israel and it incited David (2 Samuel 24:1), the historian of 1 Chronicles informs us that it was Satan who moved David (1 Chronicles 21). We have pictured here a scene similar to that of Job 1-2 where Satan appeared before God to accuse Job of serving God for selfish reasons. God, there, pointed to Job as a man who feared God and avoided evil. Here, we have a similar scene in which Satan is given some free reign to move David to pride.
So, contrary to his army commander’s advice, David takes a census of his fighting men. He numbers 1.1 million men from Israel who “drew the sword” and 470,000 from Judah who “drew the sword.” The word “sword” is found half a dozen times in this chapter. As David looks to men who draw the sword, in order to defend him in his battles, it displeases God to the degree that God strikes Israel (21:7) with a pestilence (21:14). God kills some 70,000 men of Israel.
The destroying angel is about to hit Jerusalem itself when God stays his hand. David and the elders cover themselves with sackcloth, falling on their faces, and confessing their sin.
God then commands David to build an altar, which David does on the threshing floor of a Jebusite named Ornan. It is on that site that God has David & Solomon build the temple in which the Jews will not meet with God, worship Him, honor and glorify Him (22:1).
Users are advised viagra without prescription to take precautions printed on the bottle. cialis without prescription my review here It stimulates the pituitary gland to release more HGH. There could be a medical explanation for ED and compared ED causes and frequency in men in 40s or younger to men over 40 and they found that 26% of the younger men generic viagra professional http://deeprootsmag.org/2015/04/03/bob-durst-camp-counselor/ between 15 to 49 ages. Fortunately, with proper care and rehabilitation, you will regain your generic viagra generic health quickly. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:28 that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.” David’s sin in the census is a good example of that.
David sinned, moved by Satan, in pride, putting his trust in the sword of his military. God subsequently killed 70,000 Israelites. But at the end of the account, David builds an altar to worship God and is preparing to build a permanent structure for worship, the temple. What is the difference? How do we go from being moved by Satan to sin, in verse 1, to building an altar to worship in verse 26?
The difference is David’s attitude toward the sin and David’s response to God. When God was displeased with his actions, the text reports that David said, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly” (verse 8). As we have pointed out in verse 16, David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces. In verse 17, he again says, “I am the one who has sinned and done very wickedly…”
God worked all things together for David’s good because David responded to God in humble submission with a penitent heart. Let us respond similarly. God’s response will also be similar.
Paul Holland
