Summary of the Bible in 52 Weeks: 10. Record

'Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but did not finish. Yet wrath came upon Israel for this, and the number was not entered in the chronicles of King David. '

1 Chronicles 27:24 ESV

It's ironic that Chronicles, that is literally a record of Israel's history, would chronicle that there was an attempt to record the number of God's people that was sinful. After all, there was a census in Numbers. Why was a census okay in Numbers but not in Chronicles?

The census in numbers was to record God's goodness to the children of Israel. He had grown them from one man to a great company, by his grace, and in the face of great opposition. They could celebrate his kindness to them.

In the book of Chronicles, David sinned in attempting to count his people because he was trusting in his military capabilities rather than in the Lord his God. Chronicles records genealogies so that we can trace the family tree of the Son of God, but it doesn't record this census because it was wrong of David to call for it. Elsewhere, we're told that satan incited David to call for it.

In another place we're told that God incited David to call for a census. So was it God or the devil? God is sovereign, so the devil could only tempt David to sin because God allowed it- he tests us rather than tempts us- there's a distinction.

'God, forbid that we would sin against you, even though you allow the devil to tempt us. Please help us to pass the tests you set us. For your glory we pray, amen'.

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