Monday, April 20, 2015

1 Chronicles 18-21: Strength in Numbers

Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”
But Joab replied, “May the LORD multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?” - 1 Chron. 19:1-3 NIV

When will we ever learn that God's might cannot be measured in earthly terms.  Over and over in the Old Testament, and even in the New, circumstances illustrate that numbers have nothing to do with anything.  One small stone was all it took to kill the giant, Gideon's army of 300 was all it took to defeat the Midianites, five loaves and two fishes was enough to feed five thousand.  Yet, like David, we're always trying to measure our strength.  If Christian candidates won every election would it prove anything?  Would that mean that we have turned back to God?  Hardly!  It would mean we are counting on our strength and power more than on God.  The results would be as disastrous as they were for David.  Anytime we think our strength is in numbers, we are being misled.

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