The Feed Mill

Today’s Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 21-23

Today’s Devotional: 1 Chronicles 21:1-8

Not by power or by might…

David steps out and takes a census of the children of Israel. With the culture of the day a man was only allowed to number what belonged to him. Numbering Israel was not necessarily wrong, but it did require a sacrifice in place of every male and the manner and heart behind the numbering was specific on how it was to be conducted, Exodus 30:12.

The census could only be directed by the Lord because Israel belonged to the Lord, but instead Satan impressed upon David a spirit of pride and of glory for himself and what he had accomplished.

When we are led and directed by the Lord there is a confirmation in the hearts of others that the Lord does if you recall from 1 Chronicles 17. Instead there was no unity of God’s Spirit amongst His people in David numbering, and this numbering took 10 months to complete and David at any moment in those 10 months should have stopped but didn’t. The Lord has specific commands against measuring and relying on ones own strength, then the pride which follows in doing so. David had rejected sound council; this council was not sound because it was opposite of David in number or volume of those opposing, but because it was in line with God’s Word as well as God’s confirming Spirit.

1 Chronicles 1:28 we then see David’s amazing heart and God’s even more amazing heart which follows. David’s repentant heart, and God’s amazing Grace.