August 12, 2002
LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Aug. 25
God soothes the repentant heart with his mercy
___2 Samuel 24:1,10,15,17,21-25
___By Roy Cotton
___BGCT DFW/Metroplex Church Starting Center Consultant
___Since the '70s, Americans have repeated the words of Flip Wilson: "The devil made me do it." We, like Adam and Eve, Saul and others like to have someone else to blame for our "missing the mark."
___Do you know the difference between Saul and David? Though both sinned, perhaps the difference in David, "a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14), is that he not only confessed his sin but he repented of the sin, accepted the consequences and begged for God's mercy.
___This week's lesson is on repentance. When we are truly repentant, we have a change in mind because of the consequences and sinfulness of our sin. David, unlike Saul, when confronted with the sinfulness of his sin, never tried to make excuses for the act of sin. Sin is repulsive to God, and therefore, one who truly repents is sorry for the separation sin makes inthe relationship between the believer and God. In FAITH training, we learn God wants us to turn from sin and turn to God.
___David demonstrates lessons in faith and frailty throughout this unit in 2 Samuel. He exercised great faith in consulting God first. He also is an example of human frailty when he sinned but repented of his sin as soon as he was convicted by his conscience or by the prophets Nathan and Gad.
___The LifeWay commentator suggests we are to repent of sins as God convicts us, because his mercy is experienced through repentance and faith. The lesson follows a four-point outline--sin (v. 1), confession (v. 10), consequences (vv. 15, 17) and mercy (vv. 21-25).
___Sin
___"Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel" implies the Lord had been angry with his people before this time. Earlier, the book records a time when the Lord brought a plague on his people during David's reign (21:1-14). Upon inquiring of God as to the reason for the famine, he learned it was due to his predecessor's sin. Saul had broken an oath against the people of Gibeon. David responded properly and the Lord terminated the famine.
___David is the one who sins in this passage. The problem is that the verse implies God incited David to take the census, while the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 21:1 states: "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census."
___This presents a problem for us since Scripture reveals: "God cannot be tempted by evil, and he does not tempt anyone" (James 1:13). How then do we interpret the passage?
___The problem is not with the census. God instructed Moses on two occasions to take a census of the people (Numbers 1:2; 26:2). I suggest David was incited by his own pride and motivation. He ordered the census without God instructing him to do so and without inquiring of God to do it. The number of fighting men was an opportunity to glory in himself and his accomplishments rather than in total dependence and reliance on God. Therein lies the root of sin for us as well.
___Confession
___The Bible speaks of David being "conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men" (v. 10). Robert Bergen states David's "heart struck him." This is a credit to the character of David who, according to Joyce Baldwin, "had a tender conscience."
___Confession is agreeing with God regarding sin. David confessed his sin, praying immediately for the removal of the iniquity and guilt of the sin. We are reminded to confess our sin as the Holy Spirit convicts us.
___Consequences
___David had three tough choices--famine, sword or plague. He considered how unmerciful men could be. He chose to "fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men" (v. 14). Even in genuine confession, he had to endure the consequences of his sin. The results were tragic, but God extended great mercy because of David's faith.
___God commanded the death angel to stop before destroying Jerusalem. David saw the angel at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite (v. 16). He took the full responsibility for the consequences of his sin. Contrast his actions with leaders of our day who shirk their responsibility and shift the blame to everyone else.
___Mercy
___The prophet Gad instructed David to go up to the site where he saw the angel at the threshing floor of Araunah and build an altar to the Lord (v. 21). Araunah offered to donate everything for the offering, but David refused, saying: "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (v. 24). This is true stewardship. It is the joy of worship and giving to God the best we have.
___Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve. It is God's benevolent pity for misery brought about by our sin, his pitying love that is extended for the alleviation of the consequences of sin. Grace is the gift of God's favor he chooses to give us though we cannot repay him. His grace is free. If it were not for God's mercy and grace, we could not bear the consequences of sin.
___Questions for discussion
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