A Better Devil. [Part [9] 03/17/2024 (Evening thought)

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.

Even to David who had sinned in his capacity as king it seemed unfathomable, that apparently innocent persons would have to suffer for his misdeeds, but that is what sin does, especially deliberate sin, when it is cheered on by the masses of people. Many of the folks who perished that day were also partakers of David’s perspective and therefore, even though they were not directly involved in David’s decision, they inwardly agreed, and supported him in his endeavors, and as such were part and parcel of the whole scheme, as far as God was concerned.

Thus, there are some grave questions that must be answered before we move forward, so that we here in the land of the free and the home of the brave do not fall into that unfortunate situation, of having to choose a better devil. Question: How is it that David and all his household were spared from the carnage while others who had no direct input suffered for David’s sin?

Question: Is it true that the citizenry of a nation may fall victims to the doings, and decisions of their dear leader, and the dear leader can get off scotch free? Question: Can the citizenry of a nation participate in the spirit, ideologies, and philosophies of the leader without making a direct contribution to the decision -making processes?

1st Chronicles 21:17 And David said unto God, isn’t it me, who 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.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!

A Better Devil. [Part [8] 03/16/2024 (Morning thought)

1st Chronicles 21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

Finally, David decides that the stakes are too great if he were to choose either number one or two devils, and thus, with his back against a wall, and with only bad options before his face, he decides to choose a better devil, meaning that the third option of falling into The Lord’s hands seemed to be the only viable path forward, since David believed it would produce the least amount of damage.

And even though the number of resulting casualties may seem high, the other two devils, or bad options would have resulted in significantly more fatalities, multiplied many times over, for if God is merciful as David claims, and indeed He is, yet 70,000 men fell dead, one can only imagine what the final death toll would have been if David had chosen differently.

The reason why this Bible study is so grim is because it contains information that greatly disturbs persons, as they consider the fallout, in collateral damage to individuals, and families, who seem to have nothing to do with David’s executive order to Joab, and the decision by the army general to knowingly do that which he himself confessed was wrong.

1st Chronicles 21:14 So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. 15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!