Quiet Time with God: Daily Devotional Reflections

MONDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2024

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 21:1-13

1. Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.

2. So David said to Joab and the commander of the army, Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.

3. But Joab said, May the LORD add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord’s servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?

4. But the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem.

5. And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew he sword.

6. But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

7. But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel.

8. And David said to God, I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.

9. And the LORD spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying,

10. Go and say to David, Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.

11. So Gad came to David and said to him, Thus says the LORD, Choose what you will:

12. either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel. Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.

13. Then David said to Gad, I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.

(English Standard Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: BEWARE OF EVIL INCITEMENT

Satan incited King David to take a census of Israel against the purpose, plan and supremacy of God. And even when Joab warned David that his directive would have negative repercussions on Israel, the king overruled him.

David deliberately closed his eyes and hardened his heart Joab's wise counsel.

Even today, some leaders routinely refuse the advice of their subordinates whenever it does not suit them.

When some leaders succumb to such evil incitement, they hardly look back. But David took full responsibility, admitted his fault and asked God for forgiveness.

This shows that: confession and repentance must come before forgiveness and when God forgives us, the consequences of the sin follow as we see in David's case.

QUESTION: Have you beer incited into falling prey to the devil's temptation?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, guard my heart from yielding to the evil incitements of the devil to go against You, in Jesus name. Amen.