Beginning of the End
David Falls Again to the Sin of Pride
Dealings with heathen peoples led to a desire to follow their national customs and awakened ambition for worldly greatness. To extend his conquests, David determined to increase his army by requiring military service from all who were of proper age. To make this happen, he needed to take a census of the population. Pride and ambition prompted this action. The numbers would show the contrast between the weakness of the kingdom when David came to the throne and its strength and prosperity under his rule. The Scripture says, “Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.” The prosperity of Israel under David had been due to the blessing of God, but increasing the kingdom’s military resources would give surrounding nations the impression that Israel’s trust was in her armies, not in Jehovah. BOE 377.3
The people of Israel did not approve of David’s plan for greatly extending military service. The proposed census caused a lot of dissatisfaction, so military officers were used in place of the priests and magistrates who had formerly taken the census. The purpose was directly against the principles of a theocracy. Even Joab protested: “‘Why ... does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?’ Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.” BOE 377.4
David was convicted of his sin. Self-condemned, he “said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’” BOE 378.1
Next morning the prophet Gad brought a message: “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.’” BOE 378.2
1974
BOE
Beginning of the End
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