16th.: When Prompted by Others
“And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say,
‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” (2nd Sam. 24:1).
Over the years God had commanded several censuses.
Furthermore, there are no verses per-se that forbid censuses.
Nevertheless, it was understood that David should not have taken the above mentioned census.
David’s sin could then perhaps fall under the category of Rom. 14:23b,
“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
Either way, David’s faithful right-hand man, Joab, tried to convince David,
“Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold,
and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing.” (2nd Sam. 24:3).
Unfortunately, Joab could not convince David to not take this census (2nd Sam. 24:3-4).
Nevertheless, it would have been a good time for David to go to the Lord to make sure the Lord was ok with this census.
Likewise, when others caution us about something that is a good time for us to go to the Lord, and ask His thoughts about that something.
Return to Home“Better is a poor and a wise child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.” (Eccl. 4:13)