David wanted to build a house for the Lord. This was a good desire. Should he not take a census and collect revenue from the people to pay for it?
Numbering Israel had been done without punishment in the time of Moses. During that census, each person over 20 years of age was to make an atonement offering to the Lord of about $5 so that there would be no plague among them. The revenue was to be used to build a tabernacle.
“When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them.” “Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel.” “This half shekel is an offering to the Lord.” ”Those, twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the Lord.” “Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.” [2]
One problem here is that while God moved Moses to take the census, Satan “moved David to number Israel.” Jesus did not do what Satan asked him to do when Satan tempted Him. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, when the Lord moved Moses to take a census of the people, He told Moses to collect atonement offerings from the people so that there would be no plague among them.
David was a type of Messiah for Israel but fell short of perfect obedience to the Lord. David also suffered a similar setback when he moved the Ark of the Covenant inappropriately. See 1 Chronicles 13:9-10 and 1 Chronicles 15:12-15. Was it the fault of the priests for not instructing David during these two incidents or did David erroneously assume that he did not have to obey the Law completely? Whichever the case, the Lord blames the devil for moving David to take the census incorrectly. Sin brought about a plague on the people.
“God was displeased with this thing; therefore, He struck Israel. So David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’” [3]
We all are guilty of imperfect obedience to God. We all displease Him in one way or another. We all need to confess our sin and foolishness to God and ask Him to forgive us. We all need the atoning sacrifice of Christ to blot out our sins against God and others.
David responded correctly to the Lord’s displeasure with him. He confessed his sin and his foolishness and asked the Lord to forgive him. The Lord did forgive David. He even gave David three options concerning the plague that was to ensue due to the lack of atonement.
“Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, ‘Go and tell David, saying, thus says the Lord: I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.’ ‘Either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’” [4]
David chose option three, saying, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” [5]
“So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, the Lord looked and relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, ‘It is enough; now restrain your hand.’ And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” [6]
One angel of God slew 70,000 people with an plague and was about to destroy the city of Jerusalem as well. Throughout Scripture and especially in the Book of Revelation angels are God’s servants to execute His judgments on sinful humanity.
David saw the Lord’s angel with a sword stretched out over Jerusalem, so he and the elders fell on their faces before the Lord. David asked the Lord to place the curse on him rather than on the people. David was a type of Christ when he asked that the curse of the Law be placed on him rather than on the people, but God did not allow it, because only the sinless of Son of God could rightfully be the Substitute for sinners. Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath on sin so that sinners who believe in Him would not have to do so. [7]
The Lord’s angel commanded Gad to counsel David to build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. David purchased the property from Ornan, built an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. He called on the Lord. The Lord answered David from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering. The Lord commanded the angel to put away his sword. [8]
It just so happened that the property David purchased for the altar was on Mount Moriah close to the spot where Abraham had offered up Isaac. Also, near the place where Jesus Christ died on the cross to become the atoning sacrifice for our sins. In the Book of Revelation only those whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s book of life are accepted into New Jerusalem. How did they avoid the plague of an eternity in hell? The answer is that they had a relationship with the Lamb of God, that is, Jesus Christ. [9]
David did not need to collect revenue from the people to build a house for the Lord. He had all he needed. Before he died, he provided for his son Solomon, timber, stone, woodsmen, stonecutters, skillful workers, as well as gold, silver, bronze and iron without limit. [10]
The devil often tempts us with the “elsewhere” as though God has not already provided for us what we need for life and godliness. Let us always pray and wait on the Lord for discernment before acting on a decision. Ask the Lord, “Did You already provide for this?” Often the answer is right under our nose or it is on the way and we just need to be wait for it. We can ask the Lord, “What does Your Word have to say about it?” “Am I obeying You?” “Will it glorify You?” “Is it love?”
Let the Holy Spirit lead you! “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” “Walk in the way of love.” “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” [11]
Let the meekness of Jesus guide you: “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” [12]
Ask the Lord yes or no before you go!
[1] 1 Chronicles 21:1
[2] Exodus 30:12-14, 16
[3] 1 Chronicles 21:7-8
[4] 1 Chronicles 21:9, 11-12
[5] 1 Chronicles 21:13
[6] 1 Chronicles 21:14-15
[7] 1 Chron. 21:16-17; Mt. 26:39; Gal. 3:13-14; Rom. 5:9
[8] 1 Chronicles 21:18-27
[9] Revelation 20:15; Luke 10:20
[10] 1 Chronicles 22:1-16
[11] Romans 8:14; Ephesians 5:2; Galatians 5:15
[12] Psalm 34:18
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