Read: 2 Samuel 24
The book of 2 Samuel ends on a somewhat disappointing note. David’s
pride draws him into another act of sin. David commands Joab to take a census
of the people. This is an act of pride, showing both that David does not trust
the Lord to defend and protect his kingdom, and also that David boasts in the
number of those under his command. Verse 1 tells us that the Lord incited David
to take the census. 1 Chronicles 21 recounts the same story and says that it
was Satan who incited David to this act. And so we conclude that the Lord
allowed Satan the authority to tempt David in this way, and David succumbed.
Joab knows this is a bad idea and tells David so, but David has his mind made up
and sends Joab out to number the people.
It doesn’t take long for David to recognize his sin. Pride is an ugly
thing. We have just read the list of David’s wonderful mighty men, and now we
see David giving himself the glory for such commitment in his kingdom. God
hates when we steal His glory. David is nothing without the Lord. It is Yahweh
who called him out of the pastures and into the palace. It is Yahweh brought
him out of the desert and into his domain. It is Yahweh who showered him with
His presence, with friendship and with sustenance. When we take glory for God’s
gifts, God gets angry. David should have known better, and so consequence
ensues. He is given three options: 1) three years of famine in Israel, 2) three
months on the run from his enemies, or 3) three days of pestilence in Israel.
David’s response is so true to form: “I
am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercy is
great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.” Even in the midst of
punishment, David trusts in God’s mercy. And so we learn – mercy does not
always mean being let off the hook. In fact, sometimes punishment is merciful because what we learn from
it far outweighs being let off the hook. Whatever would come, David trusted in
God’s mercy and the love God had for His people. And so Israel falls into three
days of pestilence and 70,000 men die before David calls out for deliverance
and God stays His hand. The mercy of the Lord spares the nation and retains the
promise of an everlasting dynasty.
In worship and obedience, David buys the field where the angel of the
Lord ceased his destruction and built there an altar to the Lord. Again, a
poignant principle is shown to us by David. He offers to buy the field from
Araunah, but Araunah kindly offers it for free. David will not take it and says:
“No, but I will buy it from you for a
price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD that cost me nothing.” There
is nothing we can do to repay the Lord for the kindness and salvation He has
shown us. But a sacrifice without sacrifice is nothing. When we give tithes and
offerings faithfully, even though it means we cannot afford something else that
we would like to buy, God is pleased. When we take some of our spare time to
spend with someone who needs a friend, even though we would like to rest, God
is pleased. When we abstain from something we enjoy for a time in order to grow
our intimacy with God (fasting), God is pleased. Our sacrificial actions show
that we value Him above all else. David models this for us.
And so we end 2 Samuel on the cusp of a change. David is old in age,
having written his final psalm. His kingdom is promised to remain forever, but
the time is nearing for the kingship to pass to another. Who it will be and
what will happen to the nation of Israel is further developed in the books of
Kings and Chronicles and through the prophecies of the Major and Minor Prophets.
God has chosen a people and a nation. Now He has chosen a kingdom and a family
line. One is coming who will reign forever on David’s throne. He has come once
and He will come again. We look with joyful expectation to that glorious and
terrible day when “the sun will be
darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in
heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will
mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with
great power and glory.” (Matthew 24:29-30) And we will cry: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the
Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the
marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation
19:6-8). And He will defeat Satan and all who oppose His throne, and then, finally, “the dwelling place of God [will be with] man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God
Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying,
nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation
21:3-4) Amen.
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. Ask God
to show you if and how you have taken personal glory in the gifts He has given
to you. Ask Him to reveal pride to you and to give you a repentant heart, like
David. Confess this pride to God. Ask Him to show you any consequences that
have been in your life because of your pride.
2. Do you
sacrifice for the Lord? Have you accepted His sacrifice only to go on doing whatever
you want, or do you seek to lay down your life for Him out of love and worship
for what He has done for you? Ask God to grow a sacrificial heart in you. Listen
for a way that you might need to sacrifice your time, money or something else
for His kingdom.
3. Think
back over the book of 2 Samuel and how God has been working out his plan of
salvation throughout the book. Thank God for this plan that He laid out in
scripture. Thank Him for the salvation you have received. Ask God to grow in
you a joyful expectation of His second coming.
a. How can
you proclaim the message of salvation to others today?
