Here read the verses first:
1Ch 21:1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.
1Ch 21:1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.
1Ch 21:2 So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, "Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number."
1Ch 21:3 Joab said, "May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"
1Ch 21:3 Joab said, "May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"
2Sa 24:1 Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to sa...y, "Go, number Israel and Judah."
2Sa 24:2 The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, "Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and register the people, that I may know the number of the people."
2Sa 24:2 The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, "Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and register the people, that I may know the number of the people."
David's sin was taking refuge and having faith in numbers. It is the old worldly principle: "The more the mightier."
David forgot about Psalm 33:16-17:
Psa 33:16 The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
Psa 33:17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Psa 33:17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Apparently, king David and the nation Israel placed their faith in numbers and not in God. God seeing this, He allowed Satan to have his way with David and Israel. With David's heart bent on placing his trust in numbers, all it needed was a little nudge from Satan.
God can deliver with or without a mighty army. Just like He can cure any disease with or without medication. Whether He uses means or not, our trust should not be in the means but in God.
There are great armies who could not trounce small armies and there are small armies who easily toppled great armies and there are people who are cured without medication at all and there are sick people who remain in their condition even with the most expensive and effective of all medicines. Because deliverance is ultimately God's granting.
Does this mean that we will do away with our military or medications etc.? No, because, again, God can use means to effect deliverance, but our trust should not be in them but in God.
