"We are the Fallible Ones"
Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. "Go and count the people of Israel and Judah," the Lord told him. (2 Samuel 24:1 NLT)
Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. (1 Chronicles 21:1 NLT)
When I was in college, I got invited to a small group Bible study for a local church in the home of one of my professors. He led the Bible study & for some reason they were studying this very passage. They read 2 Samuel 24:1 & he said, "Now, we see here that God told David to sin."
(Insert record scratch here followed by crickets)
What in the world? Did he just say that God told David to sin? My newly molded Christian Studies major mind was in shock & I immediately sprang to the Bible's & God's defense (as if he needed that). "Um, no he didn't," I said or something scholarly like that. I didn't know this passage or the context or what in the world it could possibly mean but I was pretty sure God had never told anyone to sin.
This whole passage is a mystery really. The Bible in general can be like this at times as well. Things are kind of hazy & it seems there are contradictions or at least confusing parts. What do we do with these?
David here is guilty of sin but we aren't told why it is sin. We know why his dealing with Bathsheba was sin but what about wanting to count the people was sinful? We could speculate but it's hard to say. Not only this but he is given his choice of punishments. Weird. And, 70,000 people die because of this foolishness. This event kind of leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.
We need to acknowledge first off that we don't know all the facts. Sometimes the Bible just doesn't say. We don't need to try to speak for the Bible where it doesn't speak. We don't need to try to defend the Bible where it doesn't need defending. Sometimes we just have to say, "I don't know." Shocking I know!
Also, just because passages are difficult to understand or don't seem to add up doesn't mean the Bible is inconsistent or full of errors. A lack of information doesn't necessarily mean misinformation. The Bible is still the inspired, inerrant Word of God.
Another truth we see here is that one passage says God told David to take the census & one says that Satan did. Well, who was it? Yes! God was angry with his people & allowed the devil to lead David to a sinful decision. That doesn't sound all nice, neat, packaged & clean but that's what the Bible says.
Sometimes we overreact to mystery. We read passages like this & just can't seem to get it while acknowledging God created everything on earth in just seven days. No mystery there right? God had a man build a boat before there was rain because he promised a flood. God parted a body of water and a million people walked on dry land. They came safely across until their enemies entered the dry sea bed. Then, he closed the waters over on their enemies. No mystery there?
God became man, dwelt among us, lived, loved, taught, gave, healed, suffered, bled, died, & rose again purchasing the salvation of millions. Mystery? Nah. Got that nailed down.
I digress. You get the point. Thing is, the Bible is God-breathed & yet mysterious. We have so much that is clear & some that is mysterious. We have so much that we must obey & believe & some where we must embrace the mystery. The key is realizing that we are the fallible ones, not God & his Word.
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