We have all made sinful choices in our lives. Because we still have our old nature, we will probably make other sinful choices. How we respond to our sinful choices will have a great impact on our lives. David learned this when he chose to number the people.

Transition

This evening we are going to divide this event into four sections as we look for principles for our daily lives.

David’s Sin of Numbering the People (v.1-9)

1. The unseen motivation
   1. God was angry with Israel. We are not told why. Perhaps it had to do with their joining with Absalom and Sheba. It could have been lack of spiritual commitment. Many in Israel were half-hearted followers of the Lord.
      ☆ God wants our loyalty. He longs to control every part of our hearts. He wants us to glorify Him in every area of our lives. In 2 Chronicles 35:18 we read, “And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Josiah lived about 500 years after Samuel. During that whole time, Israel never had a Passover like the one of Josiah, including all the days of David.
   2. Satan stood up against Israel (1Ch 21:1). He testified against Israel or accused them to God as he had Job.
      ☆ In Revelation 12:10, Satan is called “the accuser of our brethren”. He watches Christians to find faults that he can bring up to God. This is one reason God says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” It ought to matter to you that the way you speak to your spouse or to your parent glorifies God. It ought to matter to you that the clothes you wear truly glorify God.
   3. God allowed Satan to stir up David to number the people. He gave him a human motivation.
2. The human motivation
   1. Failure to trust God may have been his human motivation. Twice the people had left him and sided with rebels. Enemies nations around were powerful and fearful. Perhaps David failed to trust God as he should.
   2. Though we do not know David’s human motivation, I think it may have been pride. He wanted to see just how many people were under his leadership. Pride is a terrible enemy.
      ☆ We have talked about pride on several occasions, yet the reminder is needful. God hates pride. Pride keeps unbelievers from God. (Psalms 10:4) The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. Pride causes shame. (Proverbs 11:2) When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. Pride brings men low. (Proverbs 29:23) A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. May we seek to lift up God and lower ourselves!

David’s Confession of His Guilt (v.10-13)

1. His heart smote him
   1. If you are trying to walk close to God, you know well how David felt when his “heart smote him”. He felt guilty. He felt convicted. He felt distant from God. He knew he was out of fellowship with God. He longed to get it right with God. He admitted that he had sinned.
      ☆ If God the Holy Spirit does not smite your heart when you sin, you seriously need to question your salvation.
   2. David asked God to take away his sin. He admitted that he had acted very foolishly. He was transparent with God because he knew that God could see the secrets of his heart (Psalm 44:21). Young people, you may hide a sin or bad attitude from Dad and Mum, but you can never hide it from God. God is always with you. (Jeremiah 23:24) Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
   3. David was not looking for excuses. He was not blaming his wife or his circumstances. He was not even saying, “The Devil made me do it.” Instead, he humbly admitted his sinful human motivation.
      ☆ The thing that may be keeping you from God’s blessing is that sin you have not gotten right with your spouse or with your parent or with your boss or with God. Do you want God’s blessing? Then get right with those you have wronged.
2. God’s response was startling
   1. Nothing in the text suggests that God did not forgive David as he asked. I believe God did forgive him.
   2. However, the consequences of his sin must follow. God gave David a choice of three consequences (v.12-13).
      1. Seven year of famine
      2. Three months of fleeing from his enemies
      3. Three days pestilence (plague) in the land
         ☆ Sin is cruel. Confessing our sin does not always remove painful consequences. (God can forgive a thief, but he still may go to jail. God can forgive immorality, but it does not replace lost purity. God can forgive parents who fail to rear their children for God, but their children may still grow up as rebels.) The devil is a deceitful liar. Do not listen to him. The consequences of sin are cruel! Run from temptation!

David’s Sin’s Consequences (v.14-16)

1. David chose the hand of the LORD
   1. He felt that he was in a strait (a narrow tight spot). He had not good options.
   2. He did not want the enemies to attack so he chose to let God decide between the famine and the plague. Note in verse 14 what he said about God, “for his mercies are great”. God is far more merciful that we deserve.
      ☆ (Psalms 86:5) For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
2. God sent a pestilence or plague
   1. 70,000 people died from Dan to Beersheba, from the top to the bottom of Israel. That was a terrible plague. If in three days 70,000 Australians died, that would be a major disaster.
   2. As God’s angel prepared to smite Jerusalem, God in mercy repented of the evil – He changed His mind about the evil He was about to do to Jerusalem.
      ☆ David had been right. God is very merciful. We have a wonderful God! Have you thanked God for His mercy toward you recently?

David’s Request for God’s Mercy (v.17-25)

1. David prayed for mercy on his people (v.17)
   1. He took the blame for the sin himself. David did not know anything about the unseen motivation to get him to number the people. He did however know about his human motivation – whether it was pride or distrust or some other sin.
   2. He did not try to make excuses for his sin. He plainly said, “I have sinned”. He clearly acknowledged, “I have done wickedly”.
      ☆ Taking the blame for failures is a mark of a godly leader. Always shifting the blame is a mark of a fool. (Proverbs 14:9) Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
   3. He prayed for God’s mercy on his “sheep”.
2. God required of David an offering (v.18)
   1. David obeyed completely (v.19). He did not just obey in the easy ways. He did exactly what God told him to do.
   2. David bought the threshing floor and the oxen (v.24).
   3. David made an offering to God and the plague stopped (v.25).
      ☆ This reminds us of our memory verse. (Proverbs 28:13) He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. We can only enjoy God’s full blessing when we completely obey Him.

Conclusion

Does God have every part of your heart? Are you seeking in everything to glorify God instead of pleasing self? Does the Holy Spirit smite your heart with conviction when you do wrong? Is the devil trying to make you think that your sin has no consequences? Are you taking the blame instead of making excuses when you do wrong?

These are important questions each of us need to ask ourselves this evening. If God is working in your heart, yield to Him. Obey Him fully.

Song: His Way with Thee – 367
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David Numbered the People
6 December 2015 PM – 2 Samuel 24:1-25 – Life of David – Scott Childs