01.10.2025
2Sa 24:1 Later, God’s anger blazed forth against Israel, so he incited David to move against them by telling him, “Go take a census of Israel and Judah.”
Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, He moved David against them to say “Go number Israel and Judah” (NKJV)
2Sa 24:2 So the king ordered Joab, commander of the special forces, who was with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and take a census of the people so I can be made aware of the total number.”
2Sa 24:3 But Joab replied, “May the LORD your God increase the population of the people a hundredfold while your majesty the king is still alive to see it happen! But why does your majesty the king want to do this?”
2Sa 24:4 But the king’s order overruled Joab and the commanders of the special forces, so Joab and the commanders of the special forces left David’s presence to take a census of the people of Israel.
The Lord’s anger blazed forth against Israel. Why?
David after completing all the works feels complacent. Complacency is self satisfaction, gratification, self righteousness.
Let’s read 2 Sam 23:1-5
2 Sa 23:1 This was David’s last composition: The oracle of David, son of Jesse, an oracle by the valiant one who was exalted—anointed by the God of Jacob, the contented psalm writer of Israel.
2 Sa 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD speaks within me; his word is on my tongue!
2 Sa 23:3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has talked to me. “When one is governing men justly, he fears God while governing.
2 Sa 23:4 He is like dawn’s first light, like bright sun blazing on a cloudless morning, glistening on grassland that flourishes after a rain shower.
2 Sa 23:5 Is not my dynasty like this with God? Has he not made an eternal covenant with me, preparing every detail of it? And he has made it secure, including my complete salvation, has he not? He has been of continual help, has he not, even with the parts he has not yet brought about?
2Sa 23:6 But ungodly men are like thorns that are discarded because they cannot be safely handled.
2Sa 23:7 Whoever handles them wears heavy duty clothing, carries strong tools, and burns them to ashes on the spot!
Let us note the words
‘Contented Psalm’
‘the valiant one who was exalted’
2 Sa 23:5 Is not my dynasty like this with God? Has he not made an eternal covenant with me, preparing every detail of it? And he has made it secure, including my complete salvation, has he not? He has been of continual help, has he not, even with the parts he has not yet brought about?
When a person feels contented, complacent, it is a sign of danger. The original Church which was persecuted, vibrant, lively, which was a catalyst, entered into the state of complacency in 313 A.D. when the Roman Empire adopted Christianity. It took a lot of efforts and time for the Holy Spirit to raise a man who will stand for revival, who is bold enough to question all the atrocities committed in the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther paved the way for Protestantism in the Church.
But the Protestant Church, started by Martin Luther in 1517, also turned complacent and it reached its peak by 1900, about 400 years after its founding. The Lord has to resort to some other measures for revival. The result was the Pentecostal movement. The Pentecostal Church which was founded in 1906 by the Azusa revival ended up in the same complacency within 100 years of its foundation. Now the Lord is taking back the Church to its original roots (Acts 2:41-47). So we can believe this to be the final reformation.
What do you mean by complacency?
Feeling self content, self righteous, feeling proud of your achievements, taking the credit of past achievements, stealing the glory of God. In short forgetting God and claiming all the glory for yourself, for your physical, muscular, military, intellectual strength. It is simple pride and falsehood. Lucifer fell through this.
Let’s come back to David.
David, because he was self content, given to pride, wanted to check his military strength and power. He forgot his past how the Lord saved him from the hands of Saul. He forgot how the Lord made him king over the whole Israel and was with him while he was running through the desert hiding from the hunters of his life. The Lord protected him guided him, advised him, and saved his life when he had no military, no army, no bodyguard, no security etc.
We all know that kingship and kingdoms never originated from God. It was fabricated by human beings. It‘s origin is in 1 Sam chapter 8. In verse 1 Sam 8:9,18 the Lord tries to convince them about the evil effects of their choice of a king, on their generations for ever (including us) and how the whole humanity will be affected by that. But their evil hearts could not understand the warnings of the Lord.
King David was not an exemption. Since he sat in the same position as king, he also fell into the same trap.
It took 9 months and 20 days for Joab and his special forces to complete the census.
I believe most of the Pentecostal Church have this sad story. Founded from scratch, until the day of complacency, they would have run like Samson, Moses, Samuel, Joshua and all the other valiant soldiers of Bible. But the day they became self content, the spirit of self righteousness overtook them. These churches along with their shepherd, are given to greed, covetousness, power, position, and other sins. David at least realized his mistake after sinning.
2Sa 24:10 Later, David’s conscience bothered him after he had numbered the army, so David told the LORD, “I have sinned greatly by what I did. But now I am asking you, please remove the guilt of your servant, since I have acted very foolishly.”
All the mainline Churches which were started from zero, would have a long miraculous history to tell you. They will end like
But now……….We lost ………………….a long list.
So he incited David to move against them
The Lord incited = provoked, prompted, stimulated
by telling him, “Go take a census of Israel and Judah.” The Lord’s anger blazed not upon the king but on the whole of Israel. The Lord provokes the king . Here provoking does not mean that the instigated him to sin. His protection was withdrawn in such a way that he slipped into sinning. This is possible with all of us. That is why Jesus asked us to pray daily,
Lead us not into temptation but save us from evil. Unless the Lord saves us, we may fall down like a precious vessel from the hands of God and can be broken.
Since the Lord’s anger was on Israel, it was looking for a let out. The Lord takes David , the king into His hands as an instrument. When the anger of the Lord is against a nation, the leader will be prompted to take unrighteous foolish decisions which will bring severe damage to the nation. Here David was prompted by the Lord to take a decision which causes a heavy toll and penalty upon his people.
2Sa 24:12 “Go tell David, ‘This is what the LORD says: “I’m holding three choices out for you: pick one of them for yourself, and I will do it to you.”‘
2 Sa 24:15 That very morning, the LORD sent a pestilence to Israel until the conclusion of the time designated, and 70,000 men died from Dan to Beer-sheba.
All authority comes from God. The Lord uses those who are in authority to settle issues regarding their nation.
Rom 13:1 Every person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God’s permission. The existing authorities have been established by God,
Rom 13:2 so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
We have to pray for and give full cooperation to the Government in our nation; to the Central, State and local authorities. We, the Church (Troop Church) have to be the light and salt for the people of your Constituency. We are the guardians of our area. The Lord’s anger should never blaze against our nation, state, Constituency, Taluk, ward or street.
Troop Churches should represent our Nation in the heavenly court every day. They should report the important events of their nation, ask pardon for their sins, get new plans and projects for the growth of the nation . Also for the growth & multiplication of Troop Churches .
Heaven needs representation from the earth during Heavenly Court sessions.
How many times have your Troop Church appeared in the court of heaven in order to represent your area & soldiers? You are appointed for this.
Are you doing it on a day to day basis? How many plans and projects have you received from heaven for your Constituency?
Let’s pray.
Sr. Angelica