It was a chaotic morning in Israel and Judah. Seventy thousand people dead in one morning: Why? “So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men” (2 Sam 24:15). This was a huge blow to the nation; mourning everywhere.
King David had ordered a census to be taken against the express will of God. We learn from verse one of chapter 24 of second Samuel that David was incited to do so. A parallel passage in 1 Chronicles tells us that Satan was the agent of the incitement (1 Chronicles 21:1 “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel”. The reason behind the incitement was that the nation was guilty of some unspecified sins and was ripe for judgment. What could have caused David to make such a mistake even after being persuaded not to carry on the operation by his military commander- Joab? Pride was the basis of his decision. David wanted to assess his military power to rely on besides relying solely on God.
Simply because we have done something before does not mean that we must always do it. It is important that we seek the will of God every time we want to do something. Previously, census had been taken in the book of numbers. Let us examine the circumstances under which these censuses were taken:
The first census was taken in the second year after their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. “And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies”. (Numbers 1:1-3)
The second census took place towards the end of their sojourning in the wilderness. “And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORDspake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel”. (Numbers 26:1-2)
Among those who were counted during the first census, only two were alive during the second census namely Joshua and Caleb.
Two things worth noting in these two censuses;
- It was within God’s prerogative to count people for any reason.
- The operation was for military organization.
What we need to understand here is that God is in charge of every situation in life. His sovereignty cannot be questioned. We must consult and seek His will in every decision we want to make. Furthermore we have to check the motive of our decision before acting and watch for the red flag-PRIDE; it comes before a fall and that is what Satan is waiting for to destroy you.