Sermon Tone Analysis

There are some interesting scriptural truths mentioned in this passage.

2 Samuel 24:1–4 (NIV)

1 Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.” 2 So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

3 But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it.

But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” 4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

State: The first statement in the story says “ Once again the anger of the

Lord burned against Israel”

State: “Once again” This is referring to the last time Israel’s sin was a reason for her

troubles

Going back to chapter 21 we find out about God’s last time of anger with Israel

State: 400 years earlier, Joshua made a treaty with the Gibeonites that

they would never be attacked by Israel

They were part of the inhabitants that were to be evicted from the promised land

The Gibeonites tricked Joshua into making the vow

Saul’s Mistake

Saul in his zeal to expand Israel’s borders killed most of the Gibeonites

State: David had to resolve Israel’s guilt and the famine that came from it by handing over 7 of Saul's descendants (sons) to be killed by the Gibeonites

Saul’s sin impacted the generations that came after him

example of how someone’s behavior before you effects you

BACK TO THE TEXT

This same event is recorded for us in

State: There seems to be some confusion about who actually incited David?

The devil or God

What we know so far:

God is angry with Israel for something (we do not know what)

He appears to be allowing the devil access to David to achieve a divine purpose

Examples of this:

Job: God allows the devil access to show Job’s good character

Paul: The devil was used to counter-act Paul's great revelations creating humility

Peter: The devil sifted Peter and showed the fear that was in Peter’s heart

Example of God’s authority over the devil and purpose for the devil

What was the divine purpose?

Somewhere sin/disobedience had happened or was happening and God needed to respond

He is a just God

God often used neighbors of Israel to bring judgement / awareness to their wrong behavior

In this case he used the devil

It says “ He ( God) incited David against them”.

The census

State: What is wrong with taking a census?

3 other times in scripture a census was taken

Possibly David did not collect the ransom.....

State: But Job gives us a hint

The implication of Joab’s statement is that David’s mind was set in some improper way on the importance of numbers and that he was more concerned with how many fighting men he could muster than he was with trust in the Lord’s promise to make the nation great and to protect his people from their enemies

State: David for some reason wanted to know how strong he was militarily

This is the same David that said.......

State: The Lord used the devil to bring David’s thinking to the surface and into the light

Maybe this was the sin that God’s anger was burning against Israel for?

Maybe he knew this wrong thinking was bubbling up into David’s heart?

Getting Caught Up In The Numbers

State: David was wanting to trust in what HE had instead of what GOD had

David got caught up in putting his confidence in the numbers

We do the same thing:

What do we feel when we look at the number of dollars we have in your bank account?

Alot- secure....not alot -insecure

What do we feel when we see how many people are NOT in church

What do we feel when a tough situation goes on for days and days and weeks and months?

Saul made a very big mistake when Samuel was not back when he said he would be

State: Whatever the reason......David took a census that he eventually confessed was wrong

State: God brought judgment on him for it that cost 70,000 lives over 3 days

Living In A Time of Need

Ray’s story from Southland:

His daughter’s situation

We will NEED miracles!

Grocery Stores with no produce

Monica speaking about Africa - no foodbanks or social assitance

Western independance from needing God