1 Chron 21:14 So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and 70,000 people died as a result.
David was moved to take a census of his army and as a result angered God. The Lord sent the prophet, Gad, to King David to give him three choices of judgment. The first judgment was three years of famine, the second was three months of war and destruction by the enemy, and lastly, the third was three days of severe plague. What would you have chosen if you were in King David's shoes.
King David chose option number four. He humbled himself and gave up his choice to God. The Lord chose the plague and 70,000 Israelites died. King David was very remorseful as his sin had caused others to die.
Why did 70,000 Israelites pay the price of King David's sin? Why wasn't King David punished personally?
Rather than continuing to totally depend and trust on God, King David had in his heart to reply on his amry. He was relying on people and the strength of people for his future victories. He was now depending on people over God. King David was moving by sight rather than faith.
If God told us to build a church, rather than listening to HIM in faith,
we may be taking a census by determining how much money, how many people, and how capable we are before deciding to build the church. If there are only two people, would we not build the church HE has commanded us too if we only look at the number of people?
If God told us to move to another city or country to do HIS Work or to move to another church, rather than moving in faith, we may start to assess the job market, the cost of living, and the physical requirements to move to determine if we have enough money or resources for the move. Assessing the physical ability would be our census to determine if we should move rather than just moving in faith.
If God told us to go and fulfill HIS calling in our life, rather than moving in faith, if we listen to our spouses and not go or if we decide that our children's future is more important than God's command, then the word of our spouses or the importance of our children's education or future is our census.
Why did 70,000 Israelites pay the price of King David's sin? Because King David was relying on people, God took what King David was relying on. God took the people or the object of King David's trust.
If you put anything or anyone above God or if you rely on anything or anyone over God, HE will take the object or the people away from you as your punishment or discipline.
To stop the angel of Death from continuing, King David had to buy the threshing floor and offer peace and burnt offerings. In order to stop the spiritual bleeding from your sin, it will cost you something valuable and you will have to offer to God burnt and peace offerings. The burnt offering is of yourself. God requires you to dedicate your lives to HIM.
The peace offerings can be monetary or of something you need to sacrifice of yourselves. Nevertheless, it will cost you. You will have to lose or give up something.
The threshing floor is where the altar is built. The altar or church is a place in which you are to be crushed, winnowed, and broken for God. HE will take anything away from you that comes between you and God and HE will use such discipline to CRUSH and humble you.
Our God is a jealous God and HE is a consuming Fire! May you know and Fear HIM and give HIM the Glory and Praise HE deserves.
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Amen. Glory to Him
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