Today’s reading – 1 Chronicles 19 – 21
In chapter 21 of 1 Kings we see David making the worst decision of his reign as king. He wanted the people of Israel to be numbered so that he could determine their strength in battle. David was warned by Joab that this was a mistake, but David decided to go against the counsel of Joab and have it done anyway. I often wondered why God was so upset about this. It appears from the judgment He inflicted upon the nation that God was far more upset about this than He was about David’s adultery with Bathsheeba and murder of her husband Urriah. God did not want David basing his military decisions upon the strength of his army, but rather upon the power of his God.
David’s decision caused much heartache and suffering for the people of Israel. The pestilence that God sent caused seventy-five thousand men to die. Can you imagine how David must have felt after having caused the death of all of those people. The decisions of leadership have a far reaching affect don’t they? Maybe the lesson we can learn from all of this is that we need to be very careful about our own decisions and choices. I am positive that if David had asked God about this before doing it, God would have stopped him. Perhaps if we would inquire of God through His Word; through prayer; and through godly counselors before making our decisions, we too could avoid much hardship; not only for ourselves, but also on those that we love and serve.
David did get it right in the end. He did what God told him to do to make it right. He sacrificed an offering to God upon what would become the temple mount; the very same place that Abraham offered his son, Isaac; and the very same place that God would offer His Son, Jesus. God was reminded of the death of His Son, and the pestilence was stayed. When we blow it like David did; let us Go to God and ask His forgiveness; and let’s remind Him about the death of His Son Jesus for our sins. God just may stay His hand of temporal punishment in our lives as well, just as He has promised to stay His hand of eternal judgment when we die.
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Thank you so much for this lesson. I recently had a conversation with someone regarding being a leader and having people watch you constantly. They explained that sometimes it's good to see leadership falter so we realize they are human also. But as a leader, it is less important to be perfect than it is to be the just man that riseth up again like in Prov. 24:16.
So true pastor; I have made so many bad decisions which have lead me into deeper and deeper sins. I am always waiting for God to take me to the woodshed but always without thought my heart crys out to God for forgiveness. I am so amazed of the amout of Grace God shows me in spite of my sin, but I do believe that repentance has been the key that has kept God's wrath from myself and my home. Praise God He is long-suffering and maybe oneday after I have fallen 7 times I'll have victory!!!
I have learned from personal experience and others around me that praying and asking God for guidance before decision making is a vital step a lot of us forget to make.
Loved the message pastor!
You are so right Brian. I find that I just go on living life without God's guidance all the time.
Remembering Proverbs 24:16 has helped me get back to where I need to be. The thing is about that verse is that I find that I'm not the one who picks myself back up...it has always been the Lord who has done that difficult job, for sure.