Sunday Sermons
Sinful Census
2 Samuel 24
Who Started It?
“Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah’” (2 Samuel 24:1). “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1).
What we have here are primary and secondary causes equally mentioned. From other passages we know that God does not entice individuals to sin (James 1:13). Thus Satan is tempting David and God is allowing it. Allowing people to reveal sin in their heart can be very useful, especially for an individual’s repentance, or when a group of people needs to be purified.
What was Wrong with It?
David’s military commander Joab, who did not have a sensitive moral conscience even knew that this was wrong (24:3). In spite of Joab’s objections, David was unmoved, and yet shortly after the census is taken, David himself will acknowledge the sinfulness of his actions (24:8 “I have sinned greatly”). “A census was commanded in Numbers to prepare an army for conquering the Promised Land (Numbers 1:2; 26:2). A census amounted to a draft or conscription for the army. The land was now at peace, so there was no need to enlist troops. Israel had extended it borders and become a recognized power. David’s sin was pride and ambition in counting the people so that he could glory in the size of his nation and army, his army rather in God’s ability to protect them regardless of their number. We sin in a similar way when we place our security in money, possessions, or the might of our nation” (Life Application Bible, p. 488).
The above may be the right explanation, yet the text does not really tell us why God was angry and what made this so sinful. “Does this bother us? Do we perhaps assume that God must always explain Himself and justify His ways? If we are upset over a text that tells us Yahweh is angry but does not tell us why, are we not saying that we really don’t trust Him to be just? Don’t we sometimes subtly assume that God owes us an explanation? We can easily brandish an arrogance that does not worship, that comes into the presence of the Most High with a strut instead of a bow. Are we angry because God is not perfectly transparent?” (2 Samuel, Out of Every Adversity, Dale Ralph Davis, p. 318).
Joab began the census in southern part of Transjordan (24:5-9). He then proceeded in a wide arc through Gilead to Dan, then to Tyre and Sidon, then south to Beersheba in southern Judah. After almost ten months Joab returned to the capital and presented the king with the census figures. David apparently realized soon afterward that his motivation had been completely wrong and confessed his sin to God. Observe that David felt conviction apart from any prophetic intervention. Gad came to give David direction after his confession and plea for forgiveness, rather than coming to bring him to repentance.
God’s Mercy: The Three Options
God in His grace would allow David to choose what punishment he should experience because of his sin. The alternatives were seven years of famine, three months of flight before his enemies or three days of pestilence. David chose the third option, throwing himself on the mercy of God. “David knew that God would be more merciful than his enemies” (Laney, p. 129). “Somehow he imagines that the hand that strikes him will never-the-less spare him” (Davis, p. 320). This is a lot like being a child. As a child would you rather be disciplined by some stranger or by your parents? You know that your parents will exercise the discipline, yet you equally fully know that they love you. “When you sin greatly, turn back to God. To be punished by Him is far better than to take your chances without Him” (Life Application Bible, p. 489).
A Divine Purpose
The plague quickly hit and 70,000 men died, and yet David did not die. Obviously, David is not the only sinner here. For years I was puzzled as to why innocent people would die because of David’s sin and then I realized that innocent people were not dying, guilty people were dying. The Bible does not say why God was angry with the nation. Perhaps it had been due to their support of the rebellions of Absalom (chapters 15-18) and Sheba (chapter 20), or perhaps, there equally had put their trust in military and financial prosperity instead of God. God may have allowed the census, because David’s momentary pride was nothing more than a symptom of a larger problem. “God dealt with the whole nation through David who exemplified the national sin of pride” (Life Application Bible, p. 489). Thus God accomplished a twofold judgment in this pestilence. Israel might have been punished for tolerating the Absalom and Sheba rebellions. David was punished by seeing his potential military force devastated. Thus, when God allows a temptation to happen it can be something necessary to the life of an individual, life of a nation or life of a congregation. If God had not allowed this, then David may have never faced up to the sin that had been lurking in his heart. Yet, we equally know that David was not tempted against his will (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Mercy
“The Lord was grieved... Enough!” (24:16)
As the angel of the Lord approached the major population center of Jerusalem, God stayed his hand. David had been right about God’s mercy! God was grieved or “sorry” over the disaster, and yet do not interpret this “sorry” as meaning that God feels that He had made a mistake for punishing Israel. Israel needed to be punished, yet even when God punishes, He does not enjoy the process. God is like a loving parent, who knows that punishment is necessary, and yet who never looks forward to punishing their children. “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies... Therefore, repent and live” (Ezekiel 18:32). “Not long ago newspapers told of an episode at the Brookfield (Illinois) Zoo. A three-year-old toddler fell eighteen feet into an area inhabited by seven gorillas. The lad would still be alert when taken to a hospital where he would be listed in critical condition. But how did he ever get out of gorilla-land? A seven-year-old female gorilla, picked up the child, cradled him in her arms, and put him down near a door where zoo keepers could get him. I suppose the story seems amazing to us because we do not customarily associate gorillas with kindness. I wonder if in our gut-level thinking we don’t have a gorilla view of God’s mercies? We tend to look upon mercy as a divine exception rather than as the divine character. Not so with David”(Davis, p. 320).
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“For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it” (Genesis 18:32)
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“When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand... for the Lord was merciful to them” (Genesis 19:16)
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“Thy mercy is great to the heavens” (Psalm 57:10)
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“Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Thee” (Psalm 86:5)
Therefore, I am not impressed by those who say God is cruel because He allows people to end up in hell. Let’s tell the real truth about this situation. Individuals who end up in hell are those who have persisted in their sin – until the very end. Individuals who had rejected countless pleas and countless offers of forgiveness. Individuals who have chosen to love their rebellion, whatever it is, rather than love goodness. God wants to extend mercy and the reason that hell exists is only because a number of individuals will refuse God’s offer of mercy. Mercy cannot be extended, because the rebellion never stopped.
The Necessity of Atonement
David was quickly told to erect an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah (a ROW nah) the Jebusite (24:18). Observe that David actually sees this angel (24:17). When I read this text, I wonder, “How close have I come to God’s judgment in the past?” Do we feel that we always have plenty of time to repent or get it together? Maybe a clear picture of the angel of the Lord with a sword in his hand is a healthy image to remember when we are being tempted.
David’s words on this occasion have challenged believers ever since, “I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which costs me nothing”. 1 Chronicles 21:25 mentions 600 shekels (15 pounds of gold), which is the total price for the entire lot of land which surrounded this threshing floor. This would be the same spot on which Solomon would later build the temple (1 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 3:1). “David understood the religious imperative of true sacrifice. For him, religion that cost nothing was worth nothing, either to God or humanity” (Bergen, p. 480). In verse 16 the wrath was stayed, but not satisfied. The plague ceases in verse 16, but the wrath behind the plague must not merely be curtailed or put on hold, it must be dealt with, therefore the necessity of the altar and the sacrifices.
Closing Observations
Do we really appreciate what it means to have a God-provided, God-directed means of atonement? We can stop sinning or stop a sin, but that never solves the problem. Wrath is still present even after people stop a sin. The problem is never resolved until there is true repentance, atonement and forgiveness.
