Day 77: 2 Samuel 24:11–17

When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong” (v. 17).

If we are not careful to study this text, it seems that seventy thousand men died solely as a result of David’s sin. So let’s apply our method from yesterday once again. What is the first thing we do not know? We do not know why God’s anger burned against Israel. But what can we know in order to shed light on Israel’s action that angered God?

Based on Deuteronomy, we can conclude that Israel’s sin against God angered Him. Deuteronomy 28:1–24 contains the promises of blessing and cursing. In general, God promised blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience.

We don’t know what Israel had done to make God so angry, but we do know that His judgment was consistent with that which He had promised for rebellion against His commands. Somehow Israel had severely disobeyed God. Several scholars suggest God may have been judging Israel for their quickness to desert David, God’s sovereign choice, and follow Absalom.

Why, then, was David also wrong? I’d like to suggest three possible reasons David was involved in the anger of God toward Israel.

1. He deserted the throne God had given him and did not trust God to fight his battles for him. Earlier, David had trusted God to direct his battles and to fight them for him. This time David ignored God and depended on human resources and wisdom.

2. He did not stand in the gap and intercede for the sins of his nation. In Exodus 32–33, God revoked a portion of His judgment on Israel as a direct result of the humility and intercession of Moses. David saw the evil ways of his nation and did not intercede or take any responsibility. David finally arrived at a place to cry out on behalf of the people, but not until the angel threatened his own area.

3. He possessed wrong motives for taking the census. David fell to the temptation of counting his fighting men either out of the sin of pride, distrust, or both. Anyway, as king of Israel, David’s heart was wrong toward God. God had proved Himself many times in the life of this king. David had no grounds for pride or distrust.