Sin and Consequence

Day two hundred sixty-seven

Friday is cleaning day at my house and although I am not always thrilled with the action of cleaning I am always pleased with the results.  I thanked God for the ability to have a clean house, for the blessing of work, and for the feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction that come from having a clean house.  It is really quite therapeutic! 

2 Samuel 24

The Sin
When I first read chapter 24 I didn't understand why God would be so angry with David for conducting a census (verse 1).  Why would counting your men be considered a sin?

One thought:
First, we need to know the purpose for taking a “census”. It was not to know your nation’s “demographics”. The purpose was to raise an army. The people that were counted were the men who were able to fight.

We see this in the book of Numbers.  Twice there was a census taken, one at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness, and once at the end (Num 1:1-3; 26:1-2).  God had a law regarding the taking of a census.

"When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them."  (Ex 30:12)

Money was to be collected for each person counted. This was to keep Israel from a “plague”. The amount of the ransom was to be ½ a shekel per person. The money was to go towards the upkeep of the Tabernacle. This eventually grew into the custom of the “temple-tax” that was used to pay for temple expenses. (Ex. 30:12-16)

The Jewish historian Josephus records (Antiquities, 7:12:1), "Now king David was desirous to know how many ten thousands there were of the people, but forgot the commands of Moses, who told them beforehand, that if the multitude were numbered, they should pay half a shekel to God for every head."

There is no record of a ransom being paid.

Second thought:
"David, in all probability, slackening in his piety and confidence toward God ... was naturally curious to know whether the number of fighting men in his empire was sufficient for the work which he had projected...He therefore orders Joab and the captains to take an exact count of all the effective men."  (Institute Old Testament Student Manuel pg 299)

Do you see the problem?  David had the census done because of his will not because of God's will. It was for David's purposes, not for what God had planned.

Consequences
It will take Joab and his men almost ten months to complete the census and return with the results.  It is after the results have been giving to him that David starts to realize the gravity of his sin.  We know that David understands the severity of the situation because in verse 10 he pleads unto the Lord, "I have sinned greatly in that I have done; and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly."

I found the Lord's response so interesting:

"Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee." (v 12)

"Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land?" (v 13)

I don't know about you, but I don't know how comfortable I would be choosing any of those, especially when it is made clear that I would not be the only one affected by the choice!

David's answer is quite brilliant, he says he will count on the Lord's mercy and allow Him to choose (v 14).

The Lord chooses three days of pestilence and thousands of people die.  This was the merciful choice.  Can you imagine what the other consequences might have brought?  What a tough way to learn the lesson that sin brings with it consequences, not only for you, but for those around you.

We may not be given a choice of what happens to us like David was, but still, there is consequence to sin. We may confess our sin, and God may forgive us, but sometimes the consequences still remain. If you pound nails into a board, you can remove the nails, but the holes will still be there.

I can only imagine what David must have felt when the news of the deaths were reported to him.  The guilt must have been overwhelming.  So much sorrow and heartache.  I'm not sure how I would deal with that. 

How does it end?
David does make amends with the Lord, and in the way only the Lord can, he turns a bad situation into something good.  David follows the Lord's instructions and purchases Araunah's threshingfloor.  The threshing floor was in the same place where Abraham had offered Isaac (Gen. 22:2), on Mount Moriah. This would also be the same place where Solomon would build the temple (2 Chron 3:1).  God was able to take David’s sin of pride and turn the entire situation around so that this place became not just “a place” of worship, but “THE place” of worship.

I think the Lord will do the same in our lives, if we let Him.  He will teach us a lesson and at the same time create a situation to fit future needs.  It will be interesting to look back on our lives and see how all the pieces fit together.  I just hope there is more good, and less sin and consequences, when it all comes together!