THE MERCIFUL HANDS OF GOD
I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men. 1 Chron. 21:13, N.I.V.
David had gone against the explicit word of God; he had taken a census of Israel. Insecure about the military strength of the surrounding heathen nations, he numbered the fighting men of his own nation as if to assure himself that his army could withstand an onslaught from an enemy. Joab, general over all the armies, tried to dissuade David from taking this action. " 'May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?' The king's word, however, overruled Joab" (1 Chron. 21:3, 4, N.I.V.).
David knew God. He had spent many years trusting in Him for wisdom and strength. When he realized that he had done wickedly in looking to human armies for security instead of to the Lord, he immediately repented. "I have done a very foolish thing," he told God (verse 8, N.I.V.). Perhaps later, as he reminisced about this very time, he wrote, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'...There they were, overwhelmed with dread where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you" (Ps. 53:1-5, N.I.V.).
God knew that David needed an opportunity to reexpress his faith in Him. He sent word to David: "I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you....Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three day of the sword of the Lord" (1 Chron. 21:10-12, N.I.V.). Because David did know God--that His justice is always flavored with fairness and mercy--he answered, "Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men" (verse 13, N.I.V.).
Seventy thousand of David's men died of a plague that swept through the land, yet God intervened and stopped its deadly onslaught. Had heathen warriors been slaughtering Israel, they might have continued until the nation no longer existed. David chose wisely to fall into God's hands, the hands He knew so well to be full of mercy.
I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men. 1 Chron. 21:13, N.I.V.
David had gone against the explicit word of God; he had taken a census of Israel. Insecure about the military strength of the surrounding heathen nations, he numbered the fighting men of his own nation as if to assure himself that his army could withstand an onslaught from an enemy. Joab, general over all the armies, tried to dissuade David from taking this action. " 'May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?' The king's word, however, overruled Joab" (1 Chron. 21:3, 4, N.I.V.).
David knew God. He had spent many years trusting in Him for wisdom and strength. When he realized that he had done wickedly in looking to human armies for security instead of to the Lord, he immediately repented. "I have done a very foolish thing," he told God (verse 8, N.I.V.). Perhaps later, as he reminisced about this very time, he wrote, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'...There they were, overwhelmed with dread where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you" (Ps. 53:1-5, N.I.V.).
God knew that David needed an opportunity to reexpress his faith in Him. He sent word to David: "I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you....Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three day of the sword of the Lord" (1 Chron. 21:10-12, N.I.V.). Because David did know God--that His justice is always flavored with fairness and mercy--he answered, "Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men" (verse 13, N.I.V.).
Seventy thousand of David's men died of a plague that swept through the land, yet God intervened and stopped its deadly onslaught. Had heathen warriors been slaughtering Israel, they might have continued until the nation no longer existed. David chose wisely to fall into God's hands, the hands He knew so well to be full of mercy.
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