1st Chronicles 21:11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee 12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtakes thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
Yet, David thought there was an imbalance in the way God handled the matter, for, as far as he could see, the ordinary people were innocent, and did not deserve the severe judgments which followed. His sentiments are echoed in words that resonate with the spiritual darkness that has now enshrouded the earth on the issue of protection.
1st Chronicles 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. 17 And David said to God, Isn’t it I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
When the times spoken of by the prophets begin to take shape, when the time of trouble such as never was, since there was a nation, begins to unfurl, the same situation that unfolded after David numbered the people, will be repeated. And if persons have not understood the reasons for collateral damage, they will most likely go with the popular flow of thinking that God is arbitrary in His assessments and judgements. When you may hear statements such as “Where was God” in this or that adverse situation, in most cases, it is a rekindling of the same sentiments David once uttered.
1st Chronicles 21:14 So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!