David Builds An Altar Where Abraham Offered Up Isaac: The Future Site Of Solomon's Temple Series

Here we find the last chapter of 2nd Samuel, the very last overview of the life of David and all that was done in the name of the Lord. King David had done so many great things, from defeating Goliath, to conquering enemy nations, to building up the nation economically and militarily. He had made his choices in the fear of God, trembling before the Lord and carefully ordering his life. He’d also made mistakes, terrible mistakes, but had repented from them, and given Himself into the hands of God almighty.

Now, we see in the last chapter of 2nd Samuel, a strange account, we see the account of when David called a census of the nation, to count all the young men of fighting age throughout Israel.

Something similar is done in the United States, I recall when I reached a certain age I had to register for a possible future military draft if it was necessary.

But this entire situation was connected with trouble in Israel. God was displeased with Israel, and the conduct of Israel.

This had to do with Satan, the adversary, provoking this census in David’s heart. According to 1 Chr. 21:1 Satan provoked the census. But God also provoked David toward this decision as well.

I’m tending to believe that Israel was involved in corruption, worship of foreign gods, and mistreating the poor.

Both God and Satan push it forward. I recall in my life, there’s been times where I’ve plotted to do something bad. Satan is influencing me to do something bad. I start making a plan to do something bad. Then I’m sure, for the purpose of teaching me my lesson, God says alright do it, see how it goes for you. Sometimes you parents know that as your kids get older, you can’t protect them anymore, and if they’re heart set on doing something bad, you end up saying well, good luck, and you’ll find out how bad it is if you go this route.

So I think something similar is going on here. David and Israel are doing bad, Satan is provoking it, David is allowing, so God says alright, fine, do it, let’s see how it goes for you.

It says this, in 2nd Samuel 24: 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.”

2 So the king said to Joab and the army commanders 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.”

3 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?”

4 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.”

So Joab advises David against it, but David overrules Joab and moves forward with the census.

The census ends up taking 9 months and 20 days, and then they return, it says, this: (verses 5-9)

“After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. 6 They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. 7 Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

8 After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.”

9 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.

So it’s reported back to King David, you have about 1.3 million fighting men available in both Israel and Judah. But David quickly realizes he shouldn’t have taken this course of action.

It’s interesting there will be times when I attempt to take a bad course of action, and God will prevent it. But then there are times when God will allow it, even move it forward, and it seems to be for the purpose of teaching me not to sin in the future. But at the time he allows it, even provokes it, to teach me something, or change me in some way.

David is immediately troubled by what he’s done.

It says in verses 10, “David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “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.””