1 Chronicles 21:7 - Meaning and Application

David is here under God’s rod for numbering the people, that rod of correction that drives out the foolishness rooted in the human heart, especially the foolishness of pride. Let us notice briefly how he was corrected.

If God’s dearest children do wrong, they must expect to suffer for it. First, David is told that God is displeased, and that is a heavy thing for such a good man. God notices the sins of his people and is especially displeased by pride of heart. Nothing humbles, grieves, and breaks a gracious soul more than knowing it is under God’s displeasure.

Second, David must choose his punishment, whether war, famine, or pestilence. Punished he must be, and by one of these. This was meant to deepen his humility, because he was placed in a terrible dilemma and made to feel the fear of all three judgments at once. No doubt he was deeply troubled while deciding which one he would choose.

Third, he hears that 70,000 of his subjects were struck down by pestilence in a few hours (1 Chronicles 21:14). He had been proud of the size of his people, but divine justice took a way to make them fewer. What we are proud of is often what God justly takes from us, weakens, or makes bitter to us. David had wanted the people counted, saying, “Bring me the number of them, so I may know it.” But now God counts them in another way, counting them for the sword (Isaiah 65:12). David received another count, one that brought him more shame than satisfaction, the number of the slain, a dark death toll that cut across his muster roll.

Fourth, he sees the destroying angel with his sword drawn against Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 21:16). That must have been deeply frightening to him, because it showed God’s anger and threatened the destruction of that dear city. Pestilence causes the worst damage in the most crowded places. Even a peaceful angel has made strong men tremble; how much more terrible was this sight, an angel with a drawn sword, a flaming sword like the cherubim’s sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. While we are under God’s wrath, holy angels stand armed against us, even when we cannot see them, as David did.

Now consider how David bore this correction. First, he made a sincere confession of his sin and prayed earnestly for forgiveness (1 Chronicles 21:8). He admitted that he had sinned, sinned greatly, and acted very foolishly. He also begged that, though he might still be corrected, the guilt of his sin would be taken away.

Second, he accepted the punishment of his wrongdoing. “Let your hand be on me and on my father’s house” (1 Chronicles 21:17). He submits to the rod, but asks that he be the one to suffer, because he is the sinner. The guilty head should be the one the sword is aimed at.

Third, he cast himself on God’s mercy, even though he knew God was angry with him, and he did not allow himself to think harshly of God. “Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great” (1 Chronicles 21:13). Good people, even when God frowns on them, still think well of him. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.”

Fourth, he showed deep concern for the people, and it went to his heart to see them punished for his sin. “These sheep, what have they done?”