Theological Commentary: Click Here
1 Chronicles
21 is all about the census. God had told
the leaders of the Hebrew people to not do a census. As a math guy, this inherently offends
me! What’s so wrong with numbers? What is so wrong with counting? In order to solve problems, we usually need
some kind of measurement.
The difference
here is that David’s numbers aren’t going to be used to solve problems, David’s
numbers are going to start problems. This
chapter is about the heart, not the head.
In this chapter, God cares about what the numbers are going to do to
David’s heart, not his head.
When we
count things, we become less content. I
can be completely happy if I have money in my bank account. If I count it, however, and start comparing
how much I have versus my monthly bills, I may worry, doubt, and have
fear. I can be completely happy knowing that
I am getting to the end of a year in teaching.
When I count the days, however, the days pass more slowly because the
amount seems too large!
God knows
that when David knows the size of his nation that he’s going to start comparing
it to the nations around him. He’s going
to start comparing armies. He’s going to
start making decision based on human power and human prowess and not based on
his faith in God. David’s heart is going
to start to lean towards what he can do, and that’s when people get into
trouble.
So long as
our heart is pointed towards God, we live out our faith. Yet, when our heart focuses on worldly means,
we turn away from God’s ways. We abandon
living out our faith and living in opposition to our fear. This is why God is angry with David. He is disobedient, but his disobedience will
lead him down a dark path.
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