David’s Census

 

Question: Who is responsible for the census ordered by David – God (2 Samuel 24:1), or Satan ( 1 Chronicles 21:1)?

 

Answer:

2 Samuel 24:1 Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah."

1 Chronicles 21:1 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.

 

These verses appear to be contradictory, because on reading them the first thought that comes to mind is that in 2 Samuel 24:1, apparently it was God who got this thing done; whereas in 1 Chronicles 21:1 is seems that it was Satan who got this done – creating a confusion.

Before analyzing the situation to come to is understanding, it is necessary that we keep in mind the fact that God can use Satan too to accomplish His purposes, but He also sets and establishes the limits for Satan before he does anything against God’s people, as we see from the life of Job and the Lord Jesus’ conversation with His disciples before His being caught (Job 1:12; 2:6; Luke 22:31-32). Moreover, God had already warned His people, the Israelites, that if they break their covenant with Him, then He will hide His face from them (Deuteronomy 31:16-17), and if they provoke Him by their foolishness and vain works, He too would provoke them by foolish things (Deuteronomy 32:21). Another fact to be kept in mind is that from both accounts of the census, it is apparent that primarily the people of Israel were at fault, and David got involved secondarily, he was provoked into doing something  foolish.

Now let us come to 2 Samuel 24:1 – from its context, i.e., the previous chapter, chapter 23, we are able to understand that this incidence occurred at the latter time of David’s reign, during the years when he had become a great, powerful and dominant king of that region, not just within his own kingdom and people, but also amongst the surrounding kingdoms as well. Chapter 23 also tells us about his valiant military leaders and Generals, and their valiant deeds as well. With this background, we see that this chapter (2 Samuel 24) begins with the words “Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.” So, we can surmise that something had come into the lives of the Israelites and David, that angered God, and it became necessary for Him to teach Israel and David a lesson. From these aforementioned facts, the situation that comes to mind is that although throughout Israel there was an atmosphere of security, contentment, and prosperity, but now they thought of this security, contentment, and prosperity as not a result of God’s benevolence and grace upon them, but because of their great King and his mighty, valiant army and military leaders. Quite likely this feeling, of security because of the large count of his people, his huge army, and the valor of his army and its leaders had brought, or was bringing pride in David as well. That is why, firstly his General Joab tries to reason with him against doing this census, but is unsuccessful and has to go for it (2 Samuel 24:2-4; 1 Chronicles 21:2-4); and, secondly, after the census David holds himself guilty and repents of doing this (2 Samuel 24:10; 1 Chronicles 21:8).

Because of the Israelite’s shifting their confidence regarding their security, contentment, and prosperity to their great and powerful King and his valiant army, and David, who knew God so well and closely, too paying attention to the thoughts being given by Satan, his not paying heed to the warnings against doing so, not first asking God about doing it, and his succumbing to the provocation of Satan, displeased God (1 Chronicles 21:7). As long as David was running for his life from Saul, he consulted God about all his decisions. But now that he had become honorable, the King over all Israel, he became complacent and started to take decisions on his own – his deciding to carry the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1-8), the ordering of this census, his act of adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 23:7-10), etc. are all examples of this complacency that had crept into him. David and Israel were guilty of taking God for granted and lightly, and denying God His glory and honor. God is very particular and jealous of His glory and honor and does not take its being disregarded lightly (Isaiah 42:8; 48:11; Psalms 50:21-22). Therefore, God had to teach the lesson, to both, Israel and David (Malachi 2:2). 

Satan is always on the lookout; the moment some inappropriate or wrong desire crops up in the hearts of God’s people, he immediately steps in to stir it up into a flame that will severely harm the Believer (James 1:12-15). Israel and David broke the sanctity of God’s wall and stepped out of it, and immediately the serpent bit them (Ecclesiastes 10:8). To teach this lesson to David’s people and to David, God allowed Satan to provoke him (1 Chronicles 21:1). After the census, David realized his grave error and was very penitent for it too, but he and his people had to go through the chastening. 

Through the consequences of that census God had to firmly teach Israel and David that their security, contentment, prosperity, and help was neither in the number of the people, nor in the strength and valor of their army and the greatness of their King. But it is God and God alone who is their security, the cause of their contentment and prosperity. For God’s people to trust in anyone or anything else is not only dangerous, but is also very harmful – and this is a lesson for us today as well.