May 28, 2014 - Wednesday

Start Time: 6:05 A.M.

End Time: 6:31 A.M.

Title: David Enrolls the Fighting Men

Scripture: 2 Samuel 24:1 – 25

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.” So the king said to Joab and the army commanders^[a] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.” But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel. After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.  Then they went toward the fortress of Tyreand all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah. After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.  David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to theLord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”  Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer: ¹² “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three^[b] years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.” David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”  So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.  When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,^[c] have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.”

NOTES:

Ø God takes note of everyone of His people!  God commanded David to take a census of Israel and Judah because He wants to ensure that everyone is accounted for and David as the King and His representative at that time needed to know all this.  It took them nine months and twenty days but they were all able to account every single men.  In this chapter the reason why God was angry and why David was suddenly conscience-stricken was not mentioned but it has something to do with the number of fighting men.  It’s possible that David lost track of his men and was surprised to know that they only have 800,000 men who can handle a sword or if they have gone too far in number, which is which I don’t know but the truth is, God directed David for a specific number of men alone and if David went over it or did not reach it, it was an honest disobedient to God’s orders.  (Most like in my opinion, David’s men went beyond the number of men God instructed David to have).  So God had to remind David of his duty and responsibilities.  In layman’s term, they have overpopulated their race.

Ø God allows us to choose which consequences to take! David knew that he sinned and he asked God for forgiveness yet, God asked him what consequence he wants.  David’s reply was that he wants to fall into the hand of the Lord for His mercy is great and not let him fall into human hands.  So God sent plague on Israel and 70,000 died from Dan to Beersheba.

Ø God’s mercy is greater than any rule or law! God’s greater mercy is stronger as He stopped the angel afflicting the people and commanded it to withdraw his hand.  In our lives, many times we test God to the highest limit.  Good thing our measurement of limit is not the same as of God’s or else we would end up dead by now.  But many times, God will withdraw the hands of the angel allowing destruction to come upon us because of His greater love and mercy!  Hallelujah!

→ On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.  Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” “To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”  Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. Your Majesty, Araunah^[d] gives all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lordyour God accept you.”  But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to theLord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels^[e] of silver for them.²⁵ David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped

NOTES:

Ø God accepts a genuine offering with or without cost.  God saw Araunah’s heart who wanted to give everything to offer to God for free to David and at the same, God saw David’s heart who valued Him more than free, who wanted to give something that will cost him to God.  Both offerings were pleasing to God because in the end it was what’s in their hearts that matters.  Both Araunah and David’s heart were pleasing and true and good, which is what’s important.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus thank You because You are a God of order and when You have direct instructions to us, You never fail to remind us of it even when we simply forget always.  Lord thank You because You take note of everyone of Your people.  You have a plan and You want to stick to that plan.  Thank You because You also give us 2^nd chances and even in receiving the consequence of our actions, You give us the chance to choose.  Lord, let me have the heart of David who was willing to be subject to Your hands instead of the hands of the people, knowing that Your love and mercy are greater.  Lord let me have that kind of confidence in me that though I know, You alone have the power to ultimately destroy me, I still would rather want myself be subjected to Your hands of justice for I know Your love and mercy are greater than any law or rule set.  Let me have that faith like David Lord who can put his trust and heart to You alone completely.  Thank You lord because Your Grace is greater than any other.  Thank You because in the end, You choose to accept my offerings based on the content of my heart.  That’s what valuable to You.  Not the gift of offering, not the altar but my heart and You see if my offering is genuine or tainted.  Lord give me a heart of a genuine believer and giver.  I want to please You Lord.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!