The census and what it reveals of David’s heart

The concluding chapters of Samuel have taken us through some central truths relating to David’s kingship that are also applicable to our Christian lives. The heart of the message in the two songs (chs. 22-23) focused on David’s trust in God’s immense power (2 Sam 22:1-18), faithfulness (2 Sam 22:19-28), enabling (2 Sam 22:29-51) and ultimate grace that overruled even when David fell into sin (2 Sam 23:1-7). Surrounding this understanding of God at one end were military incidents showing David in his weakness and the support he had from his warriors (2 Sam 21:15-22). These demonstrated that leaders need help from others and the humility to acknowledge their limitations. The corresponding reflection on David’s mighty men at the other end (2 Sam 23:8-39) emphasised that victory came from God even in moments of strength and that a leader should not use others for self-serving purposes. Finally, the outer edges of this conclusion are bracketed by two national disasters, the one caused by Saul’s sin (2 Sam 21:1-14), the other by David’s (2 Sam 24:1-25). In the first incident, David showed covenant faithfulness in dealing with his predecessor’s sin and making atonement. How will he act when his own sin causes a plague?

A sensitive conscience and an intimate knowledge of God

David is no weakling when it comes to making decisions and he is determined to push through his plan of having his warriors counted despite Joab’s and the army commanders’ resistance (2 Sam 24:3-4). Yet, when he comes to his senses and his conscience troubles him, he is equally quick and determined to show remorse and acknowledge his sin. Unlike Saul, who forever looked for ways to minimise his guilt, blame it on others or find excuses to avoid the consequences (1 Sam 13:20-21, 24, 30), David repents wholeheartedly calling his sin great and a very foolish act (2 Sam 24:10-11). Neither does he need prophetic confrontation as in the case of his adultery with Bathsheba and its aftermath (2 Sam 12:1-12). It is also striking that when confronted with a choice of punishment, he begs to be placed in God’s hand because ‘His mercies are great’ (2 Sam 24:14)! What a testimony to David’s understanding of God that even when disciplined, he knows the Lord as immensely compassionate.

Punishment and a shepherd’s heart

The penalty for David’s self-reliant move to count his fighting men is, appropriately, a decimation of his forces affecting people from one end of the country to the other (Dan is at the northernmost border of Israel, Beersheba at the southern; 2 Sam 24:15). When we become puffed up in our esteem, God frequently bursts our balloon of self-sufficiency and strength. Yet, compared to the numbers counted (2 Sam 24:9), this is a restrained response that also stops short of Jerusalem (2 Sam 24:16). God’s mercy is greater than His judgment. Our individualistic outlook may find this collective punishment nevertheless difficult, but it highlights the fact that leaders’ sins can cause terrible damage in their community. The issue may also have to do with God’s initial anger against Israel (2 Sam 24:1), which suggests an underlying sin of the people themselves. In all this, David’s distress reveals a true shepherd’s heart in that his concern is for the devastation among his people. He would rather suffer himself than watch ‘the sheep’ entrusted to him do so on his account (2 Sam 24:17).

Lessons from David

David’s sin reminds us that not one of us is sinless and, when we fall, it is not the end of the story. Acknowledging sin and turning away from it is our way back to God and He receives those who repent. David’s story also teaches us that sometimes consequences or God’s discipline follow, and we need to submit to it knowing that what we deserve is so much worse than what God gives to us. When we are entrapped by sin, our instinct is to hide like Adam did in the garden and be afraid of God because we are vulnerable (Gen 3:10). Yet what we truly need to learn is David’s perspective that it is better to ‘fall into the hand of the Lord for His mercies are great’ (v.14).

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