I. The King’s Pride. (2)

“The High Cost of Pride” 2 Sam. 24

In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea, just off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction—or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.

Pride is costly and it is a sin we all struggle with, C.S. Lewis once said that “Pride has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began!” This text is an example of the high cost of Pride and should be a reminder to us of the penalties of sin and our need for repentance.

CPS: Being Prideful has consequences, and we need to guard ourselves from pride so that we will completely rely on the Lord. .

I. The King’s Pride. (2)

God had given David victory after victory, but somewhere along the way pride had crept in and David began trusting his own might. David ordered a census so that he could know how many fighting men were in Israel. Taking a census is not a sin, throughout Israel’s history censuses had been taken before. But, a census that praised men would never glorify God. David desired to bask in his own success.

Pride is the deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from our own achievements. Pride rob’s God of His glory and it ascribes it to man. Isaiah 42:8 says “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another.” Pride is self-reliance and relying on ourselves never ends well!.

Verse 1 is difficult, 2 Sam. 24:1 “Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”. 1 Chron. 21 is the parallel to our text and sheds more light to the scene. The first verse reads, “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.” God is not the author of confusion or sin. But, there is a tempter who is the enemy of God and man; his great desire is to sift us like wheat. One preacher said, “It was Satan who precipitated it, David performed it, and God permitted it.”

We are responsible for our sin, and the Pride of life is as old as the fall. Satan uses it often to tempt us as he did David. He wants us to rely on ourselves instead of God who gives us life, breathe, and all things.

Pride is easy to fall victim to, we take our eyes off God for one moment and we become puffed up and convince ourselves that we are invincible.

ILL: During the Battle of the Wilderness, Union general John Sedgwick was inspecting his troops. He came to a parapet and gazed out in the direction of the enemy. His officers suggested that this was unwise and that he should duck while passing it. “Nonsense,” snapped the general. “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist—.” then he fell to the ground, fatally wounded.

Pride is a deadly sin, it is detestable to God and nothing but trouble follows it!

II. The King’s Suffering. (15)

Sin always has consequences! The Bible teaches us that the wages of sin is death! There will always be consequences to sin, David confessed his sin, but there were still consequences! Perhaps before we sin we should weigh the costs and ask ourselves if are willing to pay the price.

Vs, 10 reads, “Now David’s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

The bible teaches us that when we confess our sin Jesus will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness! However, every decision on earth has its consequences. God gave David 3 choices, 7 years of famine, 90 days of fleeing for his life, or three days of pestilence. David entrusted himself to God’s mercy and chose pestilence.

Pestilence is the Hebrew noun dě·ḇěr, it means disease or plague. It’s a sickness that causes widespread death. Because of David’s pride 70,000 MEN died. Note the Irony, David wanted to number his forces and bask in his might. But Pride precedes a great fall! Pro. 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.” And God diminished his forces by 70,000!

Sin causes suffering and our sin effects not only us but others as well! We may not think that pride is serious, some of us may simply say that “sin is sin.” But David said, “I have sinned greatly.” Greatly is the Hebrew noun meʾōḏ, it means very greatly. It’s the idea of a very high point, or degree on a scale. Pride is a great sin and it produced greater sorrow and tragedy in David’s life than his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah..

2 Sam. 12:13 “I have sinned against the Lord. David acted hastily, he was suddenly overwhelmed with desire for Bathsheba but in his census he carried it out with cool and calculated precision. From a human point of view, numbering the people does not seem a greater sin than adultery and murder; yet from God’s point of view, taking the census was a sin greater in its disobedience and consequence.

When Jesus was on the earth, He was forgiving toward the publicans and sinners but severe with the proud and rebellious. Both sins are serious and we should not be involved in either one, but we dare not underestimate the awful results of pride and stubborn disobedience!

We should know the high cost of pride. I believe with all my heart that Covid-19 was judgment (pestilence) sent from God because of the prideful self-reliance of this world. People trusting in everything but God and 6.6 million people have died.

David was aware of his sin, his heart troubled him,, but sin always has its consequences. Pride brought suffering, and I am convinced that suffering on earth is meant to bring repentance and faith. I thought that Covid-19 would turn the hearts of man to God but it hasn't. Church’s are empty and people have no desire for a relationship with God!

The difference between David and us is that He acknowledged his sin and returned to the Lord! I pray that this world will repent of its pride and turn to God so that it can be healed!

III. The Kings Sacrifice (25)

Sin demands sacrifice! (Heb. 9:22), without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin brings judgment, but God’s desire is for none to perish. God did not want David to fall into sin and he doesn’t want us to fall into sin. God gave David many chances to change his mind about the census.

Being rich in mercy and slow to anger God gave David 9 months and 20 days to change his mind. But David continued in his Pride. David rejected the counsel of Joab, the commander of the Army who asked “why do you delight in this thing.” In 1 Chron. 21:3 “Joab said, Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” Joab knew this was not a good idea and there was to be consequences.

God’s Word also was a warning, Exodus 30:12 warns that God would plague the nation if the people ignored giving redemption money. READ EXODUS 30:11-16 . There was redemption money required by the people during a census. This money was a reminder that they were God’s purchased possessions and that a plague would strike the people if it were not paid.

As pestilence crossed the land and as death entered Jerusalem; David, deeply troubled over his sin pled with God, 2 Sam. 24:17 “Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father’s house.” God hears our pleas, and He responds to repentance and faith and the Bible says God stayed His hand as the angel of the Lord entered the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Sin demands justice and blood is the only currency God takes. The Prophet Gad was sent to David and he was instructed to build a alter in the threshing floor where the Angel of the Lord had stood, and to offer a sacrifice to God. All the O.T. points to Jesus, and it was Jesus who stood in the threshing floor (the angel of the Lord), it was Jesus who stayed the hand of God. On that very site the temple would eventually be built and countless sacrifices offered. All the sacrifices offered were merely a shadow of what was to come. A thousand years later, on that hilltop Jesus would make the only sacrifice that was eternally please to God, He would die for the sins of the world, the redemption money that God’s people couldn’t afford!

God detests pride and wants us to know that we were bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus! So trust Him and only Him!

Application: David is a fascinating person to me; I’ve been reading of him for the past month and I’m in awe of all the times “he inquired of the Lord.” But before his affair with Bathsheba he did not inquire of the Lord nor before he ordered the census. I believe with all my heart that if he had he would have escaped the temptation to sin and been spared the suffering each brought. In verse 25, we read “ the Lord was moved by prayer.” Often times we wait until the suffering of sin falls to inquire of the Lord, proving that we have been trusting in ourselves. Let us always inquire of the Lord before it’s too late and the harm has already been done.