1 Chronicles 21

May 8, 2022

Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.

Reading along with us in 1 Chronicles? Here’s today’s reading:

1 Chronicles 21 (NIV)

David Counts the Fighting Men
1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”
3 But Joab replied, “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?”..........Continue Reading

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This Post Has 6 Comments

  1. So I had to look up and remind myself why God did not want the census taking and it was because you counted only what belonged to you and these were God’s not David’s. God allowed Satan to ask this of David and despite wise counsel to the contrary David did it. His disobedience and pride in this situation led to much pain and death.
    Even men of David’s faith and close relationship with God can easily fall victim to selfishness and pride. It is a reminder to us to keep our eyes fixed on God and avoid falling victim to sin.

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  5. Satan is always lurking in the background. “looking to see who he might devour.”
    This is infiltration from within. Satan convinces David to count his men, to rely on his human army rather than on God.
    This caused me to think of all of the ways that Satan has infiltrated our nation and the minds of our leaders and the people and even Christians.

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  6. Well said all. It is always tempting to trust in our flesh rather than the Spirit, to accomplish things in our power/ability rather than God’s, or not remain dependent on Him because we can handle it. All our expressions of what David does here, putting confidence in the number of fighting men rather than trusting in the God who has granted him so many miraculous victories. And how much more culpable David is when he rejects Joab’s strong counsel. Joab has made his mistakes, but he is spot on in this case. And yet in the end David admits his sin and then accepts the fact that judgement should come on him and his family. David was also right to put himself in the hands of God rather than man, because all though dire consequences were suffered because of David’s independence, God was merciful in the end. As CS Lewis writes, He is not a tame lion, but we can trust Him to do what is right for and to us.

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