COUNT the cost!

Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. (1 Chronicles 21:1 NKJV)

This was Satan's idea. But it was Davids fault.
We can't blame Satan every time we fall for one of his tricks can we?

We can, but the truth is David shouldn't have been 'moved' to do something that God didn't want him to do.

WE shouldn't move!
Satan should move!
He's in OUR way!
God says we don't have to!
We shall not be moved!

I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psalm 16:8 NKJV)

David wanted to count the people. You think what's so bad about that?
We take census nowadays and think nothing of it.
Was it a false security for David?
Was it a prideful issue?

We do that in our own armed forces I'm sure! We feel safer...better about ourselves if we have many warriors!

We look at mega churches and think...wow...so many people!
So many services...count them...
Four, five, six...wow!

We have a fat bank account!
We count it over and over, go over the stocks, go over the interest, go over the numbers!
We're safe!
How foolish! It can be gone in seconds!

We're impressed by numbers!
David wanted to know them! How many people? Count them!

So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it. ”
” (1 Chronicles 21:2, NKJV)

But his commander knew better! He tried to talk him out of it!

And Joab answered, “May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants?
Why then does my lord require this thing?
Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?” (1 Chronicles 21:3 NKJV)

But David's mind is made up!
He knew better !
But he didn't care!
And I know how this is, don't you?

But what we forget is that there are consequences to sin, and maybe even more so when we sin with an attitude!

Do it anyway Joab! It's an order!
I don't care! I want to know!

But the king commanded Joab, so Joab left and went through all Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
(1 Chronicles 21:4 NCV)

He began to count....counted all of them he could, till he could do no more!

But Joab did not count the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he didn’t like King David’s order.
(1 Chronicles 21:6 NCV)

Maybe Joab stopped the census because God started in with the punishment on David, or maybe he just couldn't stomach doing this, knowing someone would have to pay for this sin!
And...someone did!

First of all the people suffered.

David had done something God had said was wrong, so God punished Israel. (1 Chronicles 21:7 NCV)

Then David had to pay the price too!
He had to pick his punishment!

“Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I offer you three choices. Choose one of them and I will do it.’ ”
Choose three years of hunger.
Or choose three months of running from your enemies as they chase you with their swords.
Or choose three days of punishment from the Lord, in which a terrible disease will spread through the country.
The angel of the Lord will go through Israel destroying the people.’
Now, David, decide which of these things I should tell the Lord who sent me.” (1 Chronicles 21:10, 12 NCV)

David whinces...

David said to Gad, “I am in great trouble. (1 chronicles 13a NCV )

Oh yeah David, you are!
And so are YOUR people!

3 years...3 months...or 3 days!

David picked # 3.
It was the least amount of time!
Maybe more people would be spared
pain if he chose the shortest punishment!

Let the Lord punish me, because the Lord is very merciful. Don’t let my punishment come from human beings.” (chronicles 13b NCV)

David trusts God more than man!
And rightly so!
Man may have had him executed!

So the Lord sent a terrible disease on Israel, and seventy thousand people died. (1 Chronicles 21:13b 14 NCV)

70,000 people lost loved ones!
70,000 families may have stoned him if they'd been in charge if punishment!

All because he counted people.
NOW he would have to count the COST!
Oh boy...he wasn't thinking about that..
he forgot to count the cost!
The cost was great, and it was HIS fault!

When God tells David to build an alter on Araunah's threshing floor, he offers Araunah full price for it, and although Araunah wants to give it to David , he insists on paying full price!

But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the LORD. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!” (1 Chronicles 21:24 NLT)

Maybe that's because the sin he committed cost so much....
It was a costly sin indeed,
Could he offer God a sacrifice that COST HIM nothing?

I wonder if we count the cost when we sin?

That affair may cost you your marriage!
Then that divorce may cost you your children.
Then the alcohol you turn to may cost you a D.U.I.
Then the D.U.I can cost you jail time..
Jail time may cost you your job...
Sin cost all the way around!
Count it up! It's costly!

Count the cost of your sin!
And then count the value of your sacrifice.
He gave His life...shouldn't we give ours?

Created 8 months ago