Miracles at the last moment -13

Miracles at the last moment -13

II Samuel 24:25 “And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”

                Here we see David has reached a final point in his life. He has been victorious in all his trials that he has faced in his past. Many undesirable things happened in the life of David yet the hands of the Lord was with him. Let us discuss on how the Lord God trained David to be the victorious one in his life.

God’s will was fulfilled

II Samuel 24:1 “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.”

                In the above passage David was incited by the evil spirit and not by the Lord God. Interestingly, the Lord uses Satan as an instrument by permitting to incite David to fulfil his purpose. But David did not discern his intuitions. Similarly in Luke 22:31 ‘And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:’ Though the Lord himself allows Satan in this situation yet he prays for Peter. When David and Peter was given into a situation to fulfill the Lord’s will, they advanced to the next level in their lives.

Learnt humility

II Samuel 24:2 “For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

                There is nothing wrong in numbering the people but it could have been David’s pride that he has won all these people. When we read I Chronicles chapters18-20, it talks about the victories of David. Only in chapter 21, David asks to list his number of victories out of sheer pride. Due to this, the Lord teaches humility to him. The Lord almighty expects his children to stay humble and grounded. We must submit all glory and honor to the Lord almighty and should never take any credit for our achievements.

Hard-heartedness changed

II Samuel 24:8 “So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.”

                We see David did not seem to understand that his intuitions are not from the Lord God. As a matter of fact, the Lord never punishes him for his mistakes. The Lord gave time to David. The Lord waits for almost ten months for David’s hard heartedness to change. He gave him time to reform and repent. In II Samuel 24:3-4 ‘And Joab said unto the king, 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 doth my lord the king delight in this thing? Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.’ Since David failed to discern his intuitions, God send Joab to remind him that his intuitions were wrong. But David did not agree as his hard heartedness prevails over the Lord’s alert call.  As recorded in Exodus 30:11-16, it is the commandment of God that one must pay ransom for his life during the time of counting. While numbering, David fails to conform this commandment. Even in our lives, we must analyze our decisions that are based on our intuitions.

                Therefore, let us all submit ourselves to the hands of God and let the Lord purge our soul and make us victorious in our lives. Amen.