Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
READ: 2 SAMUEL 24:1-10 THE NUMBERING/ISRAEL BY DAVID (PART ONE)
The previous chapter concentrated on telling us much about David's mighty men.
How privileged David was to have such a fine band of men around him.
From the first three who appear to have been untouchable, right through
to the three in the second rank and then the larger group/thirty, David
had men any army would crave after.
They were men who were noted not merely for their fighting skills and bravery, but also for their spirituality and godliness.
It is the latter, especially, which counts with God.
Had these men not have been men/Word and men/prayer and godliness…they would not have made these august lists.
This may be seen in the absence of Joab from these lists.
Even though he was David's general and without a doubt an extremely
brave/successful soldier, yet his name is mentioned in relation to
those who are on the lists, namely his brother Asahel (23:24) and his
armour bearer Nahari (23:37) Joab himself was not a spiritual man and
this is seen in his absence from these lists which God drew up.
When we move into this chapter, God draws our attention by the use of the contrast.
Here we see David, surrounded as he was by mighty me (both of war and of the things/God) having an off day.
Lest we should think to ourselves: If these men were mighty, then how
much more was David himself mighty? the Spirit/God, whose thoughts are
not our thoughts, shows us just how weak David really was.
He shows us here how David failed to put his God given strengths into
context, and so overstepped the mark and brought great trouble upon his
head. 4 main thoughts:
1) WHO MOVED DAVID TO NUMBER ISRAEL AND WHY:
Two accounts of these happenings: 2 Sam 24/1 Chrons 21
[i] Here: Strongly implied (grammar) that God moved David against Israel to number the people
[ii] In 1 Chrons 21:1 the act is clearly attributed to Satan
The Bible sceptics blow the whistle and shout "Mistake!"
But do they cry "Foul!" too soon?
Can these two accounts be reconciled?
A/ The numbering/COI was clearly a sin
[i] Whatever Satan moves a man to do is a sin
Satan never moved a man to do good…or if he did, it was to further a wicked cause (cp Acts 16:16-18)
[ii] David's heart smote him on the matter (v10)
[iii] David confessed it as a great sin (v10)
[iv] It brought the wrath/God upon the people (v11-25) which was only lifted by the blood sacrifice - the only remedy for sin
Can be no doubt but David did wrong and sin was committed
But again…who moved David?
Was it Satan alone or was it God also, as implied in our passage?
Answer: Both and (obviously) this needs to be explained
B/ In/Bible, a person is said to do what he permits to be done
Seen in several places:
[i] Ex 4:21/8:32 Hardening/Pharaoh's heart when God simply left him to
his innate wickedness and allowed him to pursue his sinful ways.
God could've graciously intervened but he didn't
[ii] Jer 4:10 where Jeremiah said that God had greatly deceived the
people and in Ezek 14:9 when the Lord Himself spoke of deceiving the
false prophet and in 20:25 where God Himself said that He gave them
laws/were not good i.e. In His sovereignty, He allowed these things to
happen. He could have intervened.
It only happened because He allowed it to happen, but in the idiom/Bible - there are also NT examples e.g.
When the Lord sends a strong delusion upon the wicked (2 Thessalonians 2:11) - this is stated that the Lord Himself did so
C/ This means that more than bare permission
Anything which happens to the child/God (even in his sinning) will
ultimately fallout for his own good - although no excuse to sin (Romans
6:1-2) but Romans 8:28 is only true if such permission is more than a
bare permission
Because we cannot understand the why/wherefore of God's will, does not mean we should make His sovereignty fit our puny minds
D/ Although both God/Satan are involved/same act (Numbering of Israel) yet we know they did not have the same motives
Seen in the sin/Joseph's brethren in selling him as a slave/Egypt
(Genesis 50:20) They were full of bitterness/hate. God is love
Here: Satan wanted to destroy David
God wanted to chastise him for his own good and benefit and at the same time, use his folly to punish wicked Israel (v1)
2) DAVID'S RESPONSIBILITY IN NUMBERING ISRAEL:
A/ As seen, David took full responsibility for his actions
[i] David was a firm believer in the Sovereignty/God
Consider the following: Psalm 33:9-11/115:3/135:6
These OT believers really did believe in letting God be God
They were living proof (as every believer is) because God had passed by
a whole world - left it to sink it's own heathen darkness and chose
Israel purely on basis/grace (Deut 7:7)
[ii] Furthermore, within the confines of the people/God, David 's rise to be king was only due to the sovereignty/God
See him as he sits before God: 2 Samuel 7:18ff
B/ Yet David never took any refuge in God's sovereignty when it came to his own personal sin
C/ Neither should we.
God could intervene and stop us from sinning. He doesn't.
When David sinned…he delighted in the matter (v3)
He did not delight in the thought/sinning but the sin itself had a hold upon him…that it seemed a good thing to do
When we sin, we do so because we want to.
We ignore our Bible enlightened conscience, we resist the pull of our
hearts towards the right, and we let the world and the flesh and Satan
lead us away: James 1:14-15
We cannot blame any one or anything else than ourselves
I know about Romans 7 and how it is the flesh rather than the Spirit etc., but we still feel guilty when we sin.
We have ignored that way/escape which God graciously provided and we can only and should only blame ourselves
It adds sin to sin to put the blame elsewhere, especially to plead the sovereignty/God for it
3) JOAB'S OBJECTION TO NUMBERING ISRAEL:
A/ Already slated Joab (introduction) for missing David's Hall of Fame.
His life didn't measure up.
Probably a true believer, but he epitomises one who is too wedded to the world
(Don't make this an excuse to likewise)
However, even old carnal Joab saw the wrong David proposed in numbering Israel.
That's how obvious it was.
B/ Not only did Joab object, but the captains likewise saw the folly of it all and they all pleaded with David to desist
C/ They used various arguments
[i] The Lord add 100 times more so that you can rejoice
[ii] Why? Why is this so delightful?
A call to reason. Pious arguments (rare from Joab) were used
But David ignored them all and for 9 months he pursued his wicked case (Could've stopped at any time)
D/ A passing insight into Joab's lack/testimony here
Probably would not have mattered...but his own position as a spiritual advisor to David was severely compromised
Like Lot when he tried to talk religion to his family (Gen 19:14)
E/ When we sin, we sin against the light of God's word
We sin against pulpit exhortations…speaking voice/God in the
Bible…advice of Christian friends…mature Christian
believers… even the unsaved may have warning words for erring
Christians
(Many a rebuke was rightly given to an erring Christian from a discerning unbeliever who had some knowledge/issues)
4) DAVID'S CONSCIENCE AWAKENED AFTER NUMBERING ISRAEL:
A/ For 9 long months (v8) when men were away doing his bidding (under protest) David's conscience lay undisturbed
It is no argument to say that we have peace on a matter
Unhealthy subjectivism in the church/Jesus Christ
We have replaced "What is written" by "What is felt"
That is not good. David felt good for 9 sinful months and 20 sinful days and then…his heart smote him
B/ It ruined the party. When he could have rejoiced that he had an army the size he did (v9) he felt the sting of his sin
His party was ruined - his joy was gone. He had allowed his flesh to
lead him into feelings of pride and self sufficiency and even though he
could feel strong militarily afterwards…what was that to a
screaming conscience?
C/ We may compare David here with Paul who said that he served God with a clear conscience (Acts 23:1) Paul was the stronger man
D/ David discovered (experimentally) his sin
Rightly confessed it fully unto the Lord
Note the "I" - Not "we" but stood as an individual
No excuses offered
Magnitude was acknowledged; "Sinned greatly"
And in confessing that sin…he would have found immediate pardon:
1 John 1:7-9 And so do we
E/ However, the matter wasn't over yet…but that is for another time