You can watch the sermon on this theme at:
https://youtube.com/live/66GhEASKKcc?feature=share
What is your strength? We all have strengths; we surely know what those strengths are. But, if we are not careful, Satan can use those strengths and turn them into a weakness. We must submit our strengths to the teachings of the Word of God and allow Him to use our strengths for His glory, not for ours.
Now, before we get into our text, I want to draw some verses to your attention. The promise by God to David that God would bless David and his house is found in 1 Chronicles 17. God told David in that text, in verse 8, that He had cut off all the enemies of David from before him. In chapters 18-20, the writer tells us about David’s military victories. He defeated practically all Israel’s enemies: the Philistines, the Moabites, the Arameans, the Edomites, and the Ammonites. Then in these chapters, we have texts that say, “The Lord helped David wherever he went:” 18:6, 11, 13; 19:13. But it seems in our chapter, David kind of sets aside the help from the Lord and he wants to put his confidence in the flesh…
SATAN STANDS UP AGAINST ISRAEL – 1 Chronicles 21:1-4:
Here in 1 Chronicles 21, the writer blames Satan for standing up against Israel and moving David to take a census of Israel. God had already struck Israel with a famine for three years during the reign of David and it was because of a sin by King Saul that had not been resolved. So, again, God is angry with Israel. It seems to me as we study the text that the fundamental problem is that David is taking pride in the military strength of the nation of Israel.
But that pride is motivated by Satan, according to the author of 1 Chronicles. Now, we don’t know and scholars are at a loss to explain how 2 Samuel can say it was God’s anger that incited David while 1 Chronicles says it was Satan. It seems to me that the pride in David’s heart came from Satan and God was angry with David because of his pride and so David – through his pride – was incited to take a census of Israel’s military strength.
ISRAEL IS ENCOURAGED TO TRUST ITS MILITARY – 21:5-8:
Verse 7: “God was displeased with this thing.” Now, the reason why God did not destroy more people in Israel and why God did not strike David with the sword is found in verse 8: “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.” In 2 Samuel 24:10, the text says that David’s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people and that prompted David to confess his sin to God.
GOD’S PUNISHMENT OF ISRAEL FOR DAVID’S PRIDE – 21:9-17:
Verse 14 summarizes what God then does. He sends a pestilence and strikes down 70,000 of those military men whom David trusted. This was done by an angel whom God sent to destroy Jerusalem.
David accepts responsibility for the sin – the pronouns in this verse are emphatic.
David acknowledges that the Israelites were innocent of sin.
David asks to be punished himself, in place of his sheep, just like the later “Son of David” will be punished in place of His sheep.
GOD BLESSES DAVID DESPITE HIS SIN – 21:18-30:
God responds, in mercy, to David’s prayer by commanding David to build an altar and worship God (ver. 18). Ornan also saw the angel and so did his four sons who hid themselves out of fear. But Ornan saw King David coming to him and went out to meet him.
Beginning in chapter 22, we learn that the temple of Solomon was built on this site and in 2 Chronicles 3:1, the writer associates this site with Mount Moriah. And the only other place where “Mount Moriah” is mentioned in the Scriptures is in Genesis 22 when Abraham was commanded to offer Isaac as a burnt offering on Mount Moriah. So we have a connection between Abraham offering Isaac with the location of the temple of God built by Solomon and this location – the threshing floor of Ornan – in response to God forgiving David of his pride.
CONCLUSION:
As far as this specific theme is concerned, the writer will point out especially in 2 Chronicles (13:18; 14:11; 16:8; 20:15) that victory does not come to those who trust in the flesh. The theme culminates in King Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 20:15 and a prophet’s response from God to the king’s prayer: “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.”
We need to submit our strengths to the authority of the word of God and not put trust in our strengths. Peter reminds us that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:5-6).
Don’t let pride cloud your judgment – put your trust in the unwavering word of God.
Paul Holland
