1 Chronicles 21

“So Gad came to David and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Choose for yourself, either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.” Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.’ And David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress.  Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.’” 1 Chronicles 21:11-13 (NKJV)

When I was a boy living in Shreveport, Louisiana, I recall opening the door of our home and chatting with a man who was holding a clipboard.  He asked me about various aspects of our lives, and I was happy to oblige.  When I think about that moment today, I would be terrified to know my own children would open the door to a stranger, much less carry on a 30-minute conversation!  But those were different days, and people had more trust back then.  It turns out the man was with the United States Census Bureau, and he was gathering information for our government.  

Given my pleasant experience with census takers for many years, I was perplexed why King David’s census was considered evil by the Lord.  Furthermore, why was Joab, the head of David’s army, so against it?  David’s census was sinful because David was not taking God at His Word, that He would establish David’s kingdom.  David was not interested in counting heads; he counted who was “for” or “against” him.  He had stopped walking by faith and trusted his own eyesight, what he could see and account for.  Obviously, the census must have revealed that the majority of “Israel” was against David’s anointed kingship.  (**At that time, the kingdom was divided by those who were still influenced by Saul’s hatred of David {aka Israel} and those who supported David {David’s family tribe Judah, plus some of the Levites}).  Hence, God’s fury broke out against “Israel.”

Once David saw the gravity of his sin, (that his lack of faith had led to the destruction of the very people he was anointed to shepherd), his heart for his “enemies” turned toward empathy.  David, the fearful king, turned back into David, the shepherd.  He pleaded with the Lord that His discipline would be turned from the people and directly onto himself; it was his own sin that led to their plague.  (Hebrews 12:5-11)

“And David said to God, ‘Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered?  I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done?  Let Your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.’”  1 Chronicles 21:17 (NKJV)

We are reminded of the sinless One, the “Son of David,” who gave His life for us.

“I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 10:11 (NKJV)