Teague Bible Church

 

David wants to walk by sight

II Samuel 24:1-25     Teague Bible Church      10/6/13

 

Read –  II Samuel 24:1-5

 

Nothing wrong with a required census, Exodus 30: 11-16.

 

Question: But for what purpose is David taking this census?

 

Answer: Simply to feel secure, and he wants to feel powerful, and to feel

like he has control. Ever feel this way?

 

Psalms 33:16-17

Zechariah 4:6

John 15:5

 

II Samuel 24:1

 

This verse gives some of us pause; to think that God would use evil.

 

In the parallel passage in  I Chronicles 21 it says that “Satan” moved

David to do this faithless deed. It was written much later, and more in line

with how we would say it.

 

In Hebrew thinking; if God allowed it, then God is the cause of it; but only in the sense of  bringing a greater good out of the use of evil.   We would say God  “allowed” it.

Example: Neutron bomb- Oppenheimer- named the test bomb “Trinity,” after a poem by John Donne, in which it was said,

“God is the one who destroys, to bring greater good.”

 

Example: Pharaoh hardened his heart; God hardened his heart

 

Example: Poking a wasp nest- They are easily angered; I can time the attack;

very predictable.

 

Example: I Kings 22:22 God sent a “deceiving spirit” on the false prophets of Ahab so that they could only give false messages.

 

Example:  End times– II Thessalonians 2:1-11- God sent a “deluding influence” so they would believe false things;

because they had already decided to reject the Gospel.

 

READ II Samuel 24:8-17

 

Verse 17– The mark of a good leader to take more of the blame than he deserves, but this statement was not true. Israel had done plenty of wrong up to this point! Note the start of the passage. God is upset with Israel, and even though David sinned, at this point, it was Israel who had sinned all along!

 

In fact many believe that the “being angry with Israel, ” is about a lack of support for David, the true king of Israel !

 

Knowing the prophecy clearly, many still helped Saul try to kill David for 10 years, then supported Ishbosheth, then Absolom, then Sheba, then later Adonijah over Solomon!

 

READ II Samuel 24:24-25

 

This very site became the site of the Temple! The glue that held some of Israel together till the fulfillment in Christ.

 

What a long-range plan God has,

and how wonderful the wisdom He has,

so as to take the worst that rebellious man can dish out,

and all the devil tries to do to stop His plans, yet it always comes to nothing!

 

Psalms 76:10  “For the wrath of man shall praise You ( God takes evil and turns it around for good for those who love Him) with a remnant of wrath you will gird Yourself.”  (God wears it like a badge of honor to show He is over all things and all outcomes!)

 

Man has free will, but God has the final say!

 

Great personal blessings for all who will walk with Him, in faith; because just looking at circumstances,

it all looks like an unredeemable mess!  Philippians 1:6