LESSON 11: A MILITARY CENSUS AND A PLAGUE
(1 CHR. 21-22)
1 Chr.
21:1-17 – David Numbers Israel
We must
remember that it was Satan who provoked David to number Israel. "And Satan
stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel" (1 Chr.
21:1). Joab, though guilty of some terrible crimes, in this incident gave David
good advice, but the king was so determined to number Israel that he rejected
Joab's advice. Joab attempted to reason with David but to no avail. "And
Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they
be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why then doth
my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?"
(1 Chr. 21:3). That David sinned in numbering Israel is certain for we read:
"And God was displeased with this thing: therefore he smote Israel"
(1 Chr. 21:7). David also freely confessed that he had sinned: "And David
said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now,
I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant: for I have done
foolishly" (1 Chr. 21:8). David further admitted his sin as the angel was
about to destroy Jerusalem:
"And
David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even
I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed: but as for these sheep, what
have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my
father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued" (1
Chr. 21:17).
The
numbering of the people by David was sinful. It was not that numbering the
people under all circumstances was sinful, for Moses numbered the people by
Divine authority. We are not distinctly informed of David's motive in this
matter, but in his motive must be found his condemnation. That there was some
thing grossly perverse in it is evident from the fact that even unscrupulous
Joab protested against it. David's pride and ambition, it appears, were
involved in his motivation to number the people. We must remember that God sees
not as man sees (1 Sam. 16:7). It is apparent that it was wrong for David to
number the people, and it was a great provocation to God, because he did it in
the pride of his heart; and there are few, if any, sins that are more offensive
to God than the pride of men's hearts (Prov. 6:16-19; Luke. 18:10-14).
David
confessed his sin, and was given a choice as to his punishment. "And David
said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now,
I beseech thee, do away with the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very
foolishly" (1 Chr. 21:8). God sent Gad, the prophet, unto David, and
offered him three things by which he might be punished: war, famine, or
pestilence. He was instructed to choose one of the three. "And David said
unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall into the hand of the Lord; for
very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man. So the
Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand
men" (1 Chr. 21:13-14).[1]
1 Chr.
21:18-30 -- David Is Instructed to Set up an Altar and to Offer Sacrifice
"Then
the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up,
and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshing-floor of Ornan the
Jebusite" (1 Chr. 21:18). Who is this"Ornan the Jebusite"? He is
also referred to by the name of "Araunah" (2 Sam. 24:16,20-22,24). It
is likely that he had both names, Araunah and Ornan. David had taken the
fortress of the Jebusites many years before; yet it is evident that Ornan was
proprietor of the soil at this time. It may have been that Ornan, a Jebusite,
had been proselyted to the Jewish religion, though by birth a Gentile, and was
therefore allowed not only to dwell among the Israelites, but to have a
possession of his own in the city (Lev. 25:29-30). It is said of Ornan,
"And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid
themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat" (1 Chr. 21:20).
In David
and Ornan two generous souls met. Ornan was very willing to give; but David was
determined to buy, and for a good reason: he would not offer to God that which
cost him nothing. He would not take advantage of Ornan's kind and generous
offer, but paid him fifty shekels of silver for "the threshing floor and
the oxen" (2 Sam. 24:24). Then it is recorded, "So David gave to
Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight" (1 Chr. 21:25).
It appears that the six hundred shekels of gold were paid by David to Ornan for
the surrounding grounds where the temple of Solomon was afterwards built (1
Chr. 22:1-5). This is borne out in the following Scripture: "Then Solomon
began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the
Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in
the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite" (2 Chr. 3:1). God accepted
David's sacrifice, for we read, "And David built there an altar unto the
Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the
Lord: and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt
offering" (1 Chr. 21:26).
True
Religion Costs: If our service to God avails it is a very costly matter. In
fact, everything that is worthwhile costs. In our time much emphasis is placed
upon education. However, education costs much in time, money, and effort.
Marriage is marvelous, and the home is one of God's Divine institutions.
However, to have a successful home, there are costs which must be paid by the
husband and wife. An ideal marriage requires a lifetime of love, devotion, and
effort. Living in such a way as to please God costs something. In order for
there to be a proper and happy relationship between parents and children, there
is a price to be paid.
True
Religion Costs: If our service to God avails it is a very costly matter. In
fact, everything that is worthwhile costs. In our time much emphasis is placed
upon education. However, education costs much in time, money, and effort.
Marriage is marvelous, and the home is one of God's Divine institutions.
However, to have a successful home, there are costs which must be paid by the
husband and wife. An ideal marriage requires a lifetime of love, devotion, and
effort. Living in such a way as to please God costs something. In order for
there to be a proper and happy relationship between parents and children, there
is a price to be paid.
What I have
said about athletics, business, marriage, and education is also true of
Christianity. Self-denial is a demand which Christ requires of His disciples
(Luke 9:23; Mark 10:21; Rom. 12:1). Jesus is "the way" (John 14:6) and
"strait is the gate and narrow is the way" (Matt. 7:14). The mere
dabbler in Christianity is more a disgrace than anything else, and will be lost
(Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46).
How much
does our religion cost us? We cannot give our money as the Bible teaches
without its costing us (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7). The poor widow and the
Macedonians serve as inspiring examples in sacrificial giving (Mark 12:41-43; 2
Cor. 8:1-5). How much does our religion cost us in time? When asked to perform
certain Christian services one might say, "I don't have time," but we
have as much time as the apostles had, as much time as the president and other
elected officials. Why is it that many members do not return for the Sunday
evening and Wednesday evening services, or even attend on Sunday morning? It is
not a lack of time, but of dedication. (Matt. 6:33; Heb. 10:25: Titus 3:1).
What is
the cost to you in the use of your talents? It cost the Samaritan something to
help the wounded stranger (Luke 10:25-37). You have a talent to teach your
neighbor the Gospel of Christ; why not put that talent to work? He has a soul
worth more than all the world (Mark 8:36-37).
A religion
that costs nothing is worth nothing. God abhors it (Mal. 1:7-8,10). We are
assured of a reward for our labor in the Lord's service. God will not let
anyone be a loser in His service. Jesus said, "And whosoever shall give to
drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a
disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward"
(Matt. 10:42). Paul wrote, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye
stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58). God
gives valuable rewards now to those who expend their energies or substance for
Him. Talents employed in His service will be multiplied (Matt. 25:29; 2 Cor.
9:8-10).
Finally,
great is our reward in Heaven. "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great
is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
you" (Matt. 5:12). "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ" (2 Pet. 1:11).
We need to
make our religion cost us something. Let us not give the Lord the scraps of our
time, talent, and means. Our religion cost God something: "For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Our
religion cost Christ something: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye
through his poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9). Therefore, we ought
to be willing to "present (y)our bodies a living sacrifice: holy, acceptable
unto God, which is (y)our reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1).
David
would not offer unto the Lord of that which cost him nothing: "And king
David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I
will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings
without cost" (1 Chr. 21:24). "And the king said unto Araunah, Nay;
but I will surely buy it of thee for a price: neither will I offer burnt
offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David
bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver" (2
Sam. 24:24).
Had
Ornan's noble offer been accepted, it would have been Ornan's sacrifice, not
David's; nor would it have served the purpose of turning away the displeasure
of God. It was David who sinned, not Ornan: therefore David must offer
sacrifice, and at his own expense. To serve Christ we must remember and
practice these words of our Lord: "So therefore whosoever he be of you
that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke
14:33).[2]
CHAPTER 22
Chapter
twenty-two describes plans made for the Temple. This was a primary concern for
David in the latter years of his reign. The expanding kingdom of Israel brought
many foreigners to Jerusalem. Some of these became proselytes or converts to
Israel’s religion. Others of them simply brought their skills as master workmen
and found ready employment under David and Solomon. This provided an
interesting preview of the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s kingdom. Men
skilled in building with stone and marble, men who were master craftsmen in
using copper, and others who were skilled workmen with wood came to David’s
assistance. Great marble slabs were prepared for the Temple. Some of these
measured twelve by fifteen feet and weighed as much as five tons, These stones
were quarried in Phoenicia not far from the great Lebanon forests. Some marble
was quarried in the Jordan valley. All of
the great stones were hewn to specific dimensions where they were quarried so
that no sound of hammers was heard at the building site of the Temple. The
Phoenicians from Tyre and Sidon were master craftsmen in wood. They were expert
builders of ships and houses. The great cedar logs and marble slabs were
floated down the Meditteranean on wood rafts, David knew that Solomon was to
build the Temple. Solomon would need much assistance if the House was to
approach the magnificance which David envisioned. “So David prepared abundantly
before his death.” To prepare for the Temple became David’s chief concern.
[1]
Garland Elkins. “David Numbers Israel, Charges and Crowns Solomon, and Dies” in
Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles.
Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[2]
Ibid.
[3] Robert E.
Black. The Books of Chronicles in
Bible Study Textbook Series. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1991.
No comments:
Post a Comment