Trust Questioned

1 Chronicles 21:2 ² 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.” 

It can often be hard in life to determine what trust looks like in everyday situations. Making decisions based on trust in the LORD is a hard thing. We must constantly be battling our own pride and self-reliance.

Is wearing a mask or not wearing a mask trusting the LORD? Does wearing a mask or not wearing a mask have anything to do with trusting the LORD? Can we tell from the outward appearance of someone whether they are trusting the LORD in any particular decision?

Our passage in First Chronicles is preceded by a quick summary of the battles that David won against his enemies. One victory after another, with the LORD getting the credit. The author of the book goes to great lengths to show David’s good side. There is no mention of Bathsheba!

In the course of time David disobeys the LORD’s directive. He orders a count of the soldiers he has at his disposal. This contradicted the LORD’s intention for them outlined in Deut 8:13-17.

But we can look at the previous verse to learn that this was not an act of trust. Satan, the accuser, has incited David to do the count. Why did David listen to this prompting? In what form did the prompting take? Why was David so unaware of the origin of the prompting? We will never know.

Many of the questions we would like answered just aren’t answered in the text. What we do know is that by ordering the count David sinned. We know this because after the count is finished and reported, David recognizes that it was sin and wants forgiveness for his actions.

By knowing the number of soldiers ready for battle, battle decisions became within his grasp. He could do the calculations about whether or not he could or should engage in a battle. This is in contrast to going to a battle because the LORD had instructed them to do so.

David’s rebellion involved moving the locus of control out of the LORD’s hands and into David’s. The LORD had promised to take care of Israel if the trusted in Him. By taking control of battle decisions, David was rejecting the kingship of the LORD. He had become like every other earthly ruler.

David’s top military leader, Joab, objected to David’s decision over the count. He tried to stop David from doing the count, but was overruled. The value of good advisors can’t be overstated. If only David had listened to his trusted friend Joab. Perhaps David sense of importance had grown too great!

In order to teach David, and everyone else, including us an important lesson, the LORD sends word to David through a prophet. Judgment for the decision was coming. David had to make a choice. He put his trust in the LORD’s mercy.

You see obedience costs us something. We have to say “No!” to our own desires and “Yes!” to what the LORD desires for us. This takes faith. We must trust that the LORD knows what is best and that the best is a good thing, even when we don’t completely understand the way the LORD wants to bless us.

Often the LORD’s means of blessing us is very different from the way we want to be blessed. Are you willing to accept the LORD’s blessing in a package that doesn’t make sense to you?