ArchivedSOME CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE :: Re: SOME CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLEThis will lenghtly but those that love the ture word of God will not find it a burden to read. It comes from the Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties by Gleason L. Archer, Zondervon Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1982. In 2Samuel 24:1 we read, “And again the anger of the Lord was kindle against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go number Israel and Judah.” In the parallel account in 1Chronicles 21:1-2 it is stated: “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, God number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.” The wording of 1Chronicles 21:2 is very similar to that of 2Samuel 21:2; there is no significant difference. But so far as the first verse of each chapter is concerned, it appears in 2Samuel 24 that God himself incited David to conduct the census, whereas in 1Chronicles 21 it was Satan, the adversary of God. This would seem to be a serious discrepancy, unless both statements are true. In neither book are we given a definite context for this census taking, and we have no way of knowing whether it took place before or after Absalom’s revolt. But since it led indirectly to the acquisition of the hill (MT. Moriah) that became the location of the temple and of the royal palaces, it must have occurred several years before the end of David’s career. Only thus could he have had opportunity to amass the large amount of costly ornamentation and material that Solomon was later to use in fashioning that temple (1Chron.29:3-5). Without being fully aware of what was going on in his heart, David had apparently been building up an attitude of pride and self-admiration for what he had achieved in the way of military success and economic expansion of his people. He began to think more in terms of armaments and troops than in terms of the faithful mercies of God. In his youth he had put his entire trust in God alone, whether he was facing Goliath with a slingshot or an army of Amalkites with a band of four hundred men. But in later years he had come to rely more and more on material resources, like any hardhearted realist, and he learned to measure his strength by the yardstick of numbers and wealth. The Lord therefore decided that it was time for David to be brought to his knees once more and to be cast on the grace of God through a time of soul-searching trial. He therefore encouraged David to carry out the plan he had long cherished, that of counting up his manpower resources in order to plan his future military strategy with a view to the most effective deployment of his armies. Quite possibly this would also afford him a better base for assessment of taxes. And so God in effect said to him: “All right, go ahead and do it. Then you will find out how much good it will do you.” Though he was a hard-bitten and ambitious commander, General Joab felt a definite uneasiness about this whole project. He sensed that David and his advisors were becoming increasingly puffed up over their brilliant conquests, which had brought the Palestinian, Syrian, and Phoenician kingdoms into a state of vassalage and dependency on Israel. Joab was fearful that the Lord was displeased with this new attitude of self-confidence and self-esteem, and he tried to dissuade David from his purpose. First Chronicles 21:3 records Joab as saying, “The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” There is a definite sense in which Yahwah gave David a final warning through the lips of Joab, before David finally committed himself to the census. It was not that census taking was inherently evil. The Lord was not displeased with the two censuses taken in the time of Moses; in fact, He gave Moses positive directions to number all his military effectives (Num.1:2-3; 26:2), both at the beginning of the forty years’ wandering in the desert and at the end of that period, as they were on the threshold of the conquest. The second census was designed to show that the total of Israel’s armed forces was actually a bit less than it had been forty years earlier. And yet with that smaller force they would sweep all their enemies before them, rather than cowering in fear at the prospect of was as their fathers had done at Kadesh-Barnea. The second census would also serve a useful purpose as a basis for the distribution of the conquered territory among the Twelve Tribes. The more numerous tribes should be awarded the larger tracts in the apportionment of land. But this census on which David had set his heart could serve no other purpose than to inflate the national ego. As soon as the numbering was complete, God meant to chasten the nation by a disastrous plague that would cause a considerable loss of life and a decrease in the numbers of their citizens. But as we turn to the opening verse in 1Chron. 21, we are faced with the statement that it was Satan who with moved David to conduct the census even over Joab’s warning and protest. The verb for “incited” is indentical in both accounts. (wayyaset..straight line over the 2nd “a” and straight line under the “t”). Why would Satan get himself involved in this affair if God had already prompted David to commit the folly he had in mind? It was bcause Satan found it in his own interest to do so. The situation here somewhat resembles the first and second chapters of Job, in which it was really a challenge to Stan from God that led to Job’s calamities. God’s purpose was to purify Job’s faith and en-noble his character through the discipline of adversity. Satan’s purpose was purely malicious; he wished to do Job as much harm as he possibly could, and if possible drive him to curse God for his misfortunes. Similarly we find God and Satan involved in the sufferings of persecuted Christians according to 1Peter 4:19, 5:8. God’s purpose is to strengthen their faith and to enable them to share in the sufferings of Christ in this life, that they may rejoice with Him in the glories of heaven to come (4:13,14). But Satan’s purpose is to “devour” them (5:eight), that is, to draw them into bitterness or self-pity, and thus drag them down to his level and his baneful destiny. Even in the case of Christ Himself, it was Satan’s purpose of deflect the Saviour form His messianic mission by the three temptations he offered Him. Also, at the Crucifixion it was Satan’s purpose to have Jesus betrayed by Judas (whose heart he filled with treachery and hate [John 13:27]); but it was the Father’s purpose that the Lamb of God should give His life as a ransom for many and this was symbolized by the cup that Christ was forced to accept at Gethsemane. And in the case of Peter, Jesus informed him before his triple denial in the court of the high priest: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen they brethren.” Luke 22:31-32. Here, then, we have five other examples of incidents or situations in which both Satan and God were involved in soul-searching testings and trials, God with a benevolent motive and a view to eventual victory and increasing usefulness for the person so tested, but Satan with an altogether malicious motive, hoping to do as much damage as he possibly can. Therefore we can say without hesitation that both accounts of David’s incitement were correct. God incited him in order to teach him and his people a lesson they needed to learn and to humble them in a way that would promote their spiritual growth. Satan incited him in order to deal a severe blow to Israel and to mar David’s prestige before his subjects. As it turned out (and this is true of virtually all the other examples as well), Satan’s success was limited and transient; but in the end God’s purpose was well served and His cause substantially furthered. |
🌈Pride🌈 goeth before Destruction
When 🌈Pride🌈 cometh, then cometh Shame