David Numbers the People (2 Samuel 24)

Just For Starters:

Taking inventory (or census) can be tricky business for a merchant or a king. It will tell them how much they have, and make us proud and self-satisfied. Or it can tell them how much they lack, and cause them to be greedy an want more.

Whatever David's reason for taking a census of the fighting men in Israel, it would cost him more than just time and manpower.

What's the Story?

At the instigation of either the Lord (2 Samuel 24:1) or Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1), David decides to take a census of all the fighting men in Israel. Against their wishes and pleadings, Joab and the other commanders are ordered by David to accomplish this task. After 9 months and 20 days they return to David to report a fighting force of 800,000 men in Israel, and 500,000 men in Judah.

But by now, David regrets what he has done and repents. God, through the prophet Gad, gives David 3 choices as to a form of punishment for what he has done: 3 years of famine; 3 months of fleeing from men; or 3 days of plague. David chooses 3 days of plagues and places himself at the mercy of the Lord. In the course of time, 70,000 people would die before its over.

Before it did stop, David pleads with God for mercy on innocent people that had nothing to do with his sin and begs for God to punish only him. David is told to build an altar at the threshing floor of a man called Araunah and to sacrifice there to the Lord. David goes to the house of Araunah and states that he wishes to buy from Araunah his threshing floor and his animals. Araunah attempts to give it all to David for free but David will have none of it for free and insist on buying it all stating that he will not sacrifice to the Lord that which costs him nothing. Araunah relents, and David sacrifices to God.

The plague stops there at the threshing floor, but not until many people have died.

Just the Facts

* David decides to take a census of all his fighting men in Israel.
* It is reported that there are 800,000 men in Israel and 500,000 in Judah.
* David regrets taking the census and repents of it.
* David is given 3 choices of punishment by God:

* - 3 years of famine
* - 3 months of being pursued by men
* - 3 days of plague throughout Israel

* David trusts himself to God's mercy and chooses 3 days of plague.
* 70,000 people die of the plague before it stops.
* David must build and altar to the Lord at the threshing floor of Araunah and sacrifice to the Lord there.
* David does so and the plague stops where he sacrificed.

So What?

* Innocent people can die (or can be hurt physically, emotionally, spiritually) when we choose to sin. Many died because of Saul's sin. Bathsheba's child died because of David. Here 70,000 died because of David's decision!
* Still, when David is confronted with his sin, he does repent of it!! Have the courage to face our sin, admit to it, and do something about it - repent!