Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 24:1, 3, 10
"And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, and hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said 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 didn't get what happened here. Wasn't David told to number Israel? Once it's done David says he sinned in doing it. Then the Lord calls his prophet Gad to go to David to choose which of three punishments would come upon the people. I had to think about this one. Hadn't Moses been told to number Israel? Why was it now a bad thing for David to have done?
I realized that the Lord was angry at Israel, but who was "he"? I turned to the footnote and learned,
"And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." (1 Chronicles 21:1)
I went back to Joab words "why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?" Then I asked myself why did Moses number Israel? It was for the Lord's purposes. From those numbers they order the leaders of the tribes, and armies. They divided inheritances. There was great purpose in numbering Israel at that time. What was David's purpose? Why would he delight in this? If he was inspired by Satan then it wasn't for a good purpose. It had to be for his pride. He delighted in what he had control over. That is what he was tempted in. His purposes were his own and not the Lord's. That is the evil that came into his heart.
As I sat and pondered on this and reflected on my life, I can see it's not always easy to tell when Satan is driving me to puff myself up. When those things happen I am headed for a great fall.
Day 866
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