Word of Encouragement (11/19/2024)

And David said to God, "Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father's house. But do not let the plague be on your people." (1 Chron. 21:17)

Because of his sin of taking a census in Israel, the Lord gave three options to David for his punishment. David chose “three days of the sword of the Lord,” saying, “Let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (v. 13). So, the LORD sent a pestilence in Israel, which killed 70,000 men. As the angel approached Jerusalem with the plague, the LORD commanded him to stay his hand (v. 15). Not knowing this, David and the elders came out. David “saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem” (v. 16). That was when he prayed this prayer in v. 17.

Having heard of the devastation that ravaged his country and now seeing the angel of the LORD about to strike Jerusalem (so he thought), a deep sense of guilt and sorrow pierced his heart. When the prophet Gad confronted him about his sin, David was already greatly troubled by guilt and fear. Can you imagine how he must have felt as he heard the news of the Israelites dying by the thousands as the plague ravaged the country? They had done nothing. It was for his sin that they were dying. Even though he sinned against the LORD, his heart was still in the right place. He did not feel relieved that he and his household were not affected by the pestilence. He understood that, as king, he was Israel’s shepherd. As such, he was supposed to protect, feed, and tend to the sheep. He learned this early as a shepherd boy, taking care of his father’s sheep. What is more, he came to see the way the LORD took care of him as his Shepherd. He realized how utterly he was failing as the shepherd of Israel when the people were dying on account of his sin. Oh, the heinousness of sin!

So, David confessed his sin before God again: “Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil.” He was specific in his confession. He did not hide his sin before God even though the elders were there with him. He no longer cared about his reputation. What others thought of him was no concern to him. Others could not think worse of him than how he was feeling about himself and his sin.

As he confessed his sin, David reminded God that he alone sinned and the people of Israel had nothing to do with it. Yet, they were dying while he was still alive. He was learning the painful lesson of being Israel’s covenant head: his sin was not his private business; it affected his covenant people. Under the unbearable weight of that responsibility, David desperately pleaded with the LORD to direct his hand of punishment against him and his family, not his innocent people. The LORD relented when David raised an altar to the LORD according to His command.

David was a great king, but he was no perfect king. He did a lot for the nation of Israel, but he also brought this disaster to Israel by his sin. How grateful we should be that we have a greater King in David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ. He did not sin that His people should suffer on account of His sin. Instead, He willingly laid down His life for the sins of His people. Unlike David’s prayer, His prayer is, “Did I not die for these sheep of Mine and pay the penalty of their sins? Did You not strike Me with Your infinite and righteous wrath for their sins? Forgive them, Oh Father, on account of My sacrifice!” Oh, how good is our King and Shepherd! Let us give thanks to Him and trust Him in all our ways.

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