The Effects Of A “Minor Sin”

Throughout his reign, David had sought to follow God’s lawto the best of his ability.  Unfortunately, the people were not all as dedicated to the Lord as David, as is obvious from their having followed Saul when he was going against God, and as well as their readily turning to followIshbosheth, Absalon and Sheba.   Over the years, David’s pride had grown almost imperceptibly, and when the people continued to  turn away from the Lord, God used that pride to bring judgement on the people, as we see in II Samuel 24:1-2.  “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.  For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

Joab was not a spiritual man at all, having murdered at least three men, yet even he realized David’s motivation in taking the census was motivated by pride rather than any godly impulse, as II Samuel 24:3 tells us.  “And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?”  Knowing exactly how many people they had would serve no useful purpose unless they wer eplanning to invade some other country, and would cost a lot of unnecessary time and money. 

Even godly men can become focused on the wrong things, and David overruled Joab and all his advisors, with the result they took the census as commanded, in II Samuel 24:4-9.  “Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.  And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon, And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.  So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.  And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.”

When David saw the results and realized how much time and money he had wasted, he realized he had not been thinking about what was right, or about trusting God at all, but had been focusing on what he could do in his own power.  It was the same kind of sin many Christians today make, worrying about how big their retirement account is or how much insurance they have, rather than trusting to use what they have been able to save.  While we need to exercise good stewardship with what he gives us, we must not get to depending on our earthly things to save us. 

David did not fully realize what he had done until the prophet Gad told him what the consequences of his sin would be, in II Samuel 24:10-14.  “And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.  

For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.  So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.”

Given a choice as to which punishment he would prefer, David chose to allow the Lord to choose, knowing God was far more merciful than other people would be if they were allowed to invade Israel, as II Samuel 24:15 tells us.  “And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.  So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.”

God showed his mercy, stopping the epidemic before it affected Jerusalem, although seventy thousand people had already died.  David repented and took responsibility, asking that God not allow any others to be hurt by h is actions, in II Samuel 24:16-17,  “And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.”

Far too often we do not realize the impact even what we consider a minor sin has on the people around us.  David had understood the seriousness of his adultery and murder, but he only understood the seriousness of shifting his faith to hiwn power when he saw the effects on the people around him.  David’s heart was proken when he saw the effects of his sin.