David was provoked to number Israel

Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21 & 22; Psalm 30

1 Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Why was it a sin for David to take a census? The answer is that God did not instruct David to number Israel as he had instructed Moses to do. This was David's idea and unfortunately it has to do with pride.

David was trusting in resources rather than in the name of the Lord. It was not always so, but at this point in David's life, he fell to the temptation to glory in the size of his army.

God always wants his children to know that it is not the resources that win battles in the spiritual war, it is God. He gives the victory. The battle belongs to God. David knew this, but in his success as king, he gave in to the temptation to trust in his own powerful army.

1 Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord 's, and he will give you into our hands.

This was a costly lesson for David and all of Israel. The size of their army was decimated by God through a plague that he brought because of David's census.

Can a Christian do something like this? Yes. When we start counting the size of our budgets or glory in the number of converts we have we are doing the same things. We must always remember that Jesus is to get the glory and all battles are won by him! He is our rock and our strength!

In Christ,
Rody