Satan seduces David into counting his people, focusing on his strengths, his success, and his victories. He is being tempted to place his confidence in his numbers, his chariots, his horses, and his troops. Changing your focus to your strengths spells trouble, and will bring great heartache and grief to each of us.
David is tempted to look at his hand, his power, and his strength his wins as if it's something that he has made happen. You and I better always remember that if we have had any wins at all, it's because of the mighty hand of God that has done it for us.
Joab resisted David in counting up of all their people. This census got Joab very nervous in what it would do with their connection with their holy God. Joab was concerned that this attitude was going to get them in trouble and he was right.
When the count was over, there were 1,100,000, over a million in numbers. Compared to the other armies in the region, I'm sure David was feeling pretty comfortable. The whole thing offended God that David was putting his trust into his chariots and in his great army. Psalms 20:7 "Some trust in chariots but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."
This is what is so offensive to God when we put our confidence in our resources, our talents, our strengths, our abilities, our know how, our wisdom, our experiences to get us through life. Anytime you do this, you are saying to God, I'm really not dependent on your opinion in my next move, my next decision, my next difficulty, and my next battle because I already have it under control.
Pride goeth before destruction. When you think you have it all together because of what you can do with your hand, you are headed for a huge fall. When David defeated the giant, the bear, the lion, it was all on the basis of "I come to you in the name of the Lord my God," not in the name of my gift, my talents, my resources, my doings. Paul says, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me."
Great sorrow came to Israel because of David's sin. He was given a choice of 1of 3 punishments for his sin. David chose not to be destroyed by his enemies, or 3 years of famine, but rather 3 days of God's sword, an epidemic unleashed on the country by an angle of God.
70,000 in Israel died as a result of his sin. David cries out, "Lord I am the one to blame not my people, take it out on me not them." David makes things right by building an altar to God at the threshing floor of Araunah. David pays for the place at market price, 600 shekels of gold. Then God told the angle to put his sword back into its scabbard.
Friend God will allow all of us to get in a place of discomfort as a reminder that none of us can do this thing without the hand of the Lord at our side. It's okay to be in need of something from the Lord. Never get to the place that you think you can do it on your own. Place your confidence today in the Lord alone.
"For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken." Proverbs 3:26
Oceanwayag.com Danny Baggett
No comments:
Post a Comment