Placing Our Confidence In God

Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

 

1 Chronicles 21:1

 

God always requires total trust in Him alone for our victories in life. Throughout Scripture we are cautioned not to place our trust in the strength of horses, other men or our own abilities. In 1 Chronicles, David's decision to take a census was a failure to keep his trust totally upon the Lord.

 

David's purpose in counting his population was to assess his military strength, much like the second census taken under Moses (See Numbers 1:2–3). David found 800,000 men eligible for military service in Israel, and 500,000 men in Judah (See 2 Samuel 24:9), more than double the previous head count.

 

David's commander evidently recognized the grave error that his king was about to make. "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 Chronicles 21:3).

 

Joab was right—the census displeased the Lord. David was falling into the temptation of trusting in the size of his army rather than in the Lord. In consequence, God punished David and reduced his forces by bringing a plague that killed 70,000 men.

 

How do we avoid placing our trust in God today?

 

Do we trust our bank accounts, our skills and the security of our job?

 

When we begin to place our faith in these things instead of in the Provider of these things we get into trouble. Today and always, place total trust in the Lord for all of your needs and He will provide beyond all that you can imagine or think.