Year 1, Week 40, Day 5 Bible Reading Observations
Year 1, Week 40, Day 5
I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 1 Chronicles 21.
Today’s reading is best if it is coupled to 2 Samuel 24, which was read as a part of yesterday’s reading. Both 1 Chronicles 21 and 2 Samuel 24 record the same historical event. David, contrary to what he would later feel was unlawful, took a census of his fighting forces. While Joab tried to dissuade him, David’s orders stood and the men were counted: “In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword” (1 Chronicles 21:5). The writers of both Samuel and Chronicles provide a couple of bits of information to give some important backstory to David’s census. The issue leading up to the census was the LORD’s anger: “Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah” (2 Samuel 24:1). The Chronicler adds supplemental information to this backstory: “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1).
Throughout the rest of the narratives, the versions presented in Samuel and Chronicles parallel pretty closely. As the accounts reach their conclusion, they continue their parallel and yet provide complementary information. Both accounts describe the sacrifice that David offered that subsided the judgment: “So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel” (2 Samuel 24:24b-25). The Chronicler adds an important description of the angel of the LORD: “So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. And David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath” (1 Chronicles 21:25-27). The Chronicler had also added something related to this just a few verses earlier: “And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. 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 Chronicles 21:16-17). David was acting in place of the Israelites by willingly taking the judgment upon himself instead of it continuing to fall upon Israel.
One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the challenge of grasping God’s ways: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it” (Psalm 139:6). Thus, the need to trust in the LORD when His ways are higher than our ability to fully grasp them: “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psalm 131:1-2). Today’s reading illustrates the challenge that humans face in making sense of the ways of God. David’s actions in taking a census resulted in him confessing what he did as a sin before God: “But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly” (1 Chronicles 21:7-8). The LORD held David accountable for his sin.
And while David was responsible as a free moral agent for the sin of taking a census, today’s reading also underscores that the LORD was sovereign in bringing about David’s choice to sin: “Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah” (2 Samuel 24:1). The LORD “incited” David to take the census. But there is another twist in the matter of David’s sin—Satan was also involved: “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1). Satan “incited” David to take the census. So who caused David to number Israel? Was it God, was it Satan, or was it David himself? We should offer that the answer is all three. However, this does not require that we ascribe the cause to each of the three parties in the same degree, the same manner, or the same purpose. Perhaps it is a matter of different layers or levels of causation, whereby the LORD is the ultimate cause of what unfolds, while Satan could be thought of as the proximate cause, and David was the efficient cause. In other words, there are primary, secondary, and tertiary causes; and each layer of causality operates within their sphere of freedom to carry out their intentions; and no layer of causality violates the will of the moral agent in another layer. In the illustration from today’s reading, each party—the LORD, Satan, and David—freely chose in accordance with the desires of their own heart. But each party expressed different intentions: Satan’s intentions were probably to entice rebellion against the LORD; David’s intentions might well been pride; and the LORD’s intentions were as they only and always are—good and holy. The LORD’s agency in this whole ordeal was to secure a place—an ancient place (this threshing floor was located on Mount Moriah, where Abraham offered his son Isaac. See 2 Chronicles 3:1)—for the Temple to be built. The LORD worked through David’s sin as well as Satan’s opposition, to bring about His plans to have a place of worship. It is fitting that a God of such power, wisdom, and goodness, be worshiped.
What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?
Pastor Joe