1Chronicles 21.01 “1
Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.”
In our reading for today, the
chronicler records David’s sin of numbering the people and the punishment of
the LORD, which led to the purchase of the future site of the Temple, as well
as the numbering of the divisions of the priests (kohen) from the tribe of
Levi.
The LORD allowed Satan to tempt
David to number the people just as He permitted Satan to attack Job (Job 01.12).
Whenever a census was to be taken in Israel, every male who
was twenty years old or older was required to pay a tax to help with the upkeep
and maintenance of the tabernacle (Exodus30.12-16).
David, filled with pride, wanting to know how many people
were in his kingdom, especially those in military service (1Chronicles 21.05),
had Joab (despite his objections-1Chronicles21.03) go through the country and number the people (1Chronicles 21.04).
So because of his sin, David was asked by the LORD through
the prophet Gad to choose his punishment (1Chronicles 21.09-10). Instead
of choosing, David placed himself in the hands of the LORD (1Chronicles 21.13).
The resulting punishment caused 70,000 men to die (1Chronicles 21.14). Our sin
affects others.
The Angel of the LORD (the pre-incarnate Christ) appeared to
David at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (1Chronicles 21.18). Remember,
the Jebusites were the original inhabitants of Jerusalem (Jebus) who David
defeated to take control of the city of Jerusalem (1Chronicles 11.04-05).
Ornan was willing to give the plot of ground to David, along
with all that was needed to offer sacrifices (1Chronicles 21.23). But David, showing
that he was a man after God’s heart, told Ornan that it’s not an offering
unless there is true sacrifice (1Chronicles 21.24).
So David then purchased the plot
of ground and offered the necessary sacrifices (1Chronicles 21.25-27).
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