2 Samuel 24

Why was it so evil for David to number Israel on his own initiative? Was it an issue of pride? Was there some other purpose of God that we cannot fully understand in this account at the end of 2 Samuel?

We know that whenever a census was taken, there was to be a tax collected. Taking a census was supposed to be costly. It also took much time and effort on the part of the army. Why would David undertake such a project without the Lord's command?

Yet this census was from the Lord, though David did not know it. The Lord was angry with Israel, and he incited David against them. The census was a part of the mysterious plan of God for His people and their king.

It was only after Joab and the army had completed the census that David saw his sin. David confessed his fault before the Lord, and made a choice before God concerning the Lord's discipline that would come upon Israel. In speaking of that choice, He acknowledged the God's great mercy toward His people even in the midst of this time of discipline and death.

The pestilence from God came to an end at an appointed place in Jerusalem. It was through this strange and difficult series of events that the Lord identified the site of the temple that would be built by David's son, Solomon.

David's words on this occasion were full of important meaning. He was willing to have the hand of God come against him in order that the people would be spared.

In desiring to die as a substitute for others, he acknowledged that he was the one who was at fault. But when Christ died for us, our Savior had not done anything deserving of death. He was innocent of all transgression.

God instructed David to build an altar to stop the plague against Israel. It would be through a sacrifice to God that the mercy of God would be accomplished.

Through many episodes such as this the Lord provided us with a way to think about His saving plan for the earth. A plague of death came upon Adam's descendants because of our sin. The only way to stop that plague was to find a substitute that would be acceptable to the Lord. The King of Glory came to earth to offer up the necessary appointed sacrifice to God.

This is what Christ has done for us. He is the King. He is the Sacrifice. The plague of death has ended. For the one who believes in Him, Jesus said in John 11:25, “though he die, yet shall he live.”