God was quite displeased with David his disobedience of the census and Israel was punished for it. David admitted his sin to God and asked, “Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing.” God spoke to Gad, David’s seer and told him to relay the following message to David: “These are the choices the Lord has given you. You may choose three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of your enemies, or three days of severe plague as the angel of the Lord brings devastation throughout the land of Israel. Decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.”
“I’m in a desperate situation! But let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great. Do not let me fall into human hands.” David replied to Gad. David chose the latter; he preferred to rely on God’s mercy! He knew the consequences of his wrongdoing affected the nation of Israel.
We, too, must be careful when we submit to our “fickleness and pride” not only for our own sake but for that of those it affects directly and indirectly as well. The plague was, after all, the most direct form of punishment from God and in it, they could only look to God for relief!
In his 18th Psalm, David tells us, ” As for God, His way is perfect” If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust that whatever He does and whatever He allows is also perfect. But, we have a responsibility in all of this.
Our responsibility to God is to obey Him, to trust Him, and to submit to His will. And, we do this whether we understand it or not!
God was grieved because of the things happening to his people as a result of his punishment to David. In 2nd Samuel 24:16 we find that He called off the punishment. It hurt Him too much! Think about that! This is the great God we serve. This is God, our Father who loves us more than we will ever understand. His love and His mercy endures to us and all generations.
Remember when we overstep our boundaries we can waver to the extent of creating more havoc by oversight and lack of focus. The Psalmist wrote, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a loyal spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”
Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
ritasalomon 