So, here's the deal. I have never not believed God. I have never doubted that He was real or questioned my faith. I know that I don't have all the answers and I don't believe anyone else does either. Questions about how dinosaurs and cro-magnon man fit into creation don't bother me. I have never felt that God doesn't care for me or doesn't love me. Maybe I just don't think deep enough but I mostly feel that whatever distance there is between God and myself comes from me and my disobedience rather than from Him. The point I'm trying to make is that so far in my life, I have not "struggled" with my faith. It just is. And I'm okay with that.
However.
Sometimes, I read verses that I just don't get. Not because I don't understand what they are saying (although that happens too) but because I don't understand the intent behind them. And I am a big believer in intent. A for instance would be the plagues in Egypt. Every time it appeared that the Pharaoh wanted to relent, God hardened his heart. Well, for some one like me, I find that puzzling. After all, didn't God want Pharaoh to let the Israelites go? If so, then why harden his heart. Well, after much study and thought, I've come to the conclusion that God hardened Pharaoh's heart because He had something He wanted to reveal to the world. And I'm okay with that. (and don't get me started on Judas. Maybe we'll discuss him when we read the gospels.)
However.
Sometimes, I read verses that I just don't get. Not because I don't understand what they are saying (although that happens too) but because I don't understand the intent behind them. And I am a big believer in intent. A for instance would be the plagues in Egypt. Every time it appeared that the Pharaoh wanted to relent, God hardened his heart. Well, for some one like me, I find that puzzling. After all, didn't God want Pharaoh to let the Israelites go? If so, then why harden his heart. Well, after much study and thought, I've come to the conclusion that God hardened Pharaoh's heart because He had something He wanted to reveal to the world. And I'm okay with that. (and don't get me started on Judas. Maybe we'll discuss him when we read the gospels.)
So.
I'm slap happily reading along last week when I came upon 2 Samuel 24. The part where it says "Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah." Joab is hesitant but he obeys his king. Then, "David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD,"I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg of you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing." Of course, God gives him three choices for his punishment and ultimately 70,000 Israelites died. And I don't get it. My basic understanding of the verbiage used was that God Himself incited (to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action) David to this action so why was He punishing him?
Well, here we are, a week later and I'm not sure that I am really any closer to understanding. However, I did find a couple of commentaries that shed a little light on some things. The New American Commentary focuses on the fact that God was already angry with Israel. (Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel and He incited David...) This writer says, "In order to bring judgment against Israel, the Lord "incited David" to take a census of Israel and Judah". Yahweh is Lord of the universe, exercising dominion over all powers and authorities, whether in heaven or on earth. From this position of utmost strength the Lord apportions power to lesser beings to be used in enforcing the moral aspects of the created order. (This addresses the apparent contridiction found in 1 Chronicles 21:1 where the writer credits Satan for inciting David to conduct the census.) He goes on to say, "Since the Lord explicitly permitted censuses to be taken and even ordered their undertaking in the Torah, David's sin does not seem to lie in the mere fact that he conducted one. It was either David's motivation for the census or the manner in which it was carried out. Perhaps it was undertaken for purposes of self-aggrandizement----David may have wanted to know how many Israelite males above the age of 20 there were in Israel in order to be able to boast more accurately. Alternatively, it may be that David did not require all enrolled males to pay the half-shekel ransom required by the Torah, an oversight guaranteed to bring a plague against Israel." Ray Stedman has this view in Adventuring through the Bible, "A plague came upon the people of Israel when David, in his pride, began to rely on his own resources and upon apparent military might, instead of relying upon the power of God. What does this teach us? That our old nature is always there, ready to spring into action the moment we cease to rely upon the Spirit of God. Sin never dies of old age. No matter how long you walk with God, it is still possible to fall. The only thing that maintains the spiritual life is the quiet, day-by-day, moment-by-moment walk of faith." p172.
Okay.
That's probably good enough for me. I don't have to understand everything. What's important for me to understand is that my old nature is always there. Waiting. Discouraging. Or encouraging. You don't have to read tonight. Give yourself a break. You're not smart enough to understand what the Word says. You're too old to memorize anything. Come on, take a break. What will a few days hurt? The question is...how will I respond? Who will I listen to? Who wins the battle today?
Well, here we are, a week later and I'm not sure that I am really any closer to understanding. However, I did find a couple of commentaries that shed a little light on some things. The New American Commentary focuses on the fact that God was already angry with Israel. (Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel and He incited David...) This writer says, "In order to bring judgment against Israel, the Lord "incited David" to take a census of Israel and Judah". Yahweh is Lord of the universe, exercising dominion over all powers and authorities, whether in heaven or on earth. From this position of utmost strength the Lord apportions power to lesser beings to be used in enforcing the moral aspects of the created order. (This addresses the apparent contridiction found in 1 Chronicles 21:1 where the writer credits Satan for inciting David to conduct the census.) He goes on to say, "Since the Lord explicitly permitted censuses to be taken and even ordered their undertaking in the Torah, David's sin does not seem to lie in the mere fact that he conducted one. It was either David's motivation for the census or the manner in which it was carried out. Perhaps it was undertaken for purposes of self-aggrandizement----David may have wanted to know how many Israelite males above the age of 20 there were in Israel in order to be able to boast more accurately. Alternatively, it may be that David did not require all enrolled males to pay the half-shekel ransom required by the Torah, an oversight guaranteed to bring a plague against Israel." Ray Stedman has this view in Adventuring through the Bible, "A plague came upon the people of Israel when David, in his pride, began to rely on his own resources and upon apparent military might, instead of relying upon the power of God. What does this teach us? That our old nature is always there, ready to spring into action the moment we cease to rely upon the Spirit of God. Sin never dies of old age. No matter how long you walk with God, it is still possible to fall. The only thing that maintains the spiritual life is the quiet, day-by-day, moment-by-moment walk of faith." p172.
Okay.
That's probably good enough for me. I don't have to understand everything. What's important for me to understand is that my old nature is always there. Waiting. Discouraging. Or encouraging. You don't have to read tonight. Give yourself a break. You're not smart enough to understand what the Word says. You're too old to memorize anything. Come on, take a break. What will a few days hurt? The question is...how will I respond? Who will I listen to? Who wins the battle today?
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