Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 21:1-30
David wanted to remind everyone that he was king of a powerful nation, so he ordered that the Israelite army be counted. Sadly, that was not only a bad decision, it was
disastrous!
God allowed David to choose the punishment for his sin of pride: three years of famine in Israel, three months of death in Israel by enemy attack, or three days of plague. David chose to put his fate in the hands of God and suffer three days of plague. 1 Chronicles 21:15a says, “And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, ‘Enough! Withdraw your hand…’” Thus, the punishment began. Thousands died.
The plague ended as suddenly as it had begun. The death and destruction that the plague caused in Israel broke God’s heart. God cared for and loved David and the rest of the Israelites so deeply that He couldn’t watch them suffer any longer, so He ordered the death angel to stop spreading the plague.
God doesn’t want to have to punish us either. He only punishes us when necessary and with the hope that the punishment will prompt us to stop sinning and return to obeying God.
Even as He punishes us, God loves us. It breaks His heart to see us suffer. Our suffering hurts God so deeply that He sent His Only Son to suffer and die in our place. No one could love us more than that.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6, 8
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I’m so sorry I’ve hurt You by being disobedient. Thank You for forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.