“After they had gone through the entire land,
they came back to Jerusalem at the end of
nine months and twenty days.”
-2 Samuel 24:8
Verse 6 tells us the census concluded in Judah at Beersheba.
This was the southernmost city in the Kingdom of Judah.
After that, we’re told something fascinating.
We’re told that this census took exactly 9 months and 20 days to complete.
Now ain’t that interesting?
The Bible doesn’t normally provide time periods in detail like this.
So there must be some special reason why Scripture is going out of its way to be so specific here.
Wanna know what the ancient Rabbis tell us?
They say this time period is the same as a human pregnancy period.
A lunar month is a little shorter than our modern calendar month.
So, when you do the math, it comes out to about 294 days, or 42 weeks.
This is about the time it takes for a baby to be born.
Now I get that we’re normally taught that 40 weeks is the pregnancy period for a human female.
But that’s just an average number that’s bantered about.
So don’t get all worked up over it.
Medically speaking, the longest normal pregnancy is about 42 weeks…which again just happens to be how long this census was.
So the picture is clear.
An evil thought formed in David’s mind.
It grew over time.
And when it finally “gave birth,” it exploded into disaster.
Scripture uses this birth analogy often.
What is said to happen to us once we’ve accepted Yeshua as our Lord and Savior?
We’re said to have been “born again,” right?
Or what is the terrible Day of the Lord compared to?
The analogy of a woman having birth pangs and going into labor is used.
The idea is that a thought takes time to grow (about 9 months and 20 days in this case) before it gives birth and enters the world.
So what takeaway can we extract from this?
Simple.
Sin doesn’t explode out of nowhere, homies.
It starts as a thought.
It’s allowed to grow.
It’s carried for a while.
And if nothing stops it, it eventually gives birth.
By the time the damage shows up in the world, the real problem has already been growing quietly on the inside.
Ya feel me?
That’s why Scripture warns us not to let evil thoughts gestate in our minds.
Because once the process reaches the “labor” stage…
It’s too late to stop it.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“But I tell you that anyone who
looks at a woman lustfully has
already committed adultery
with her in his heart.”
-Matthew 5:28
“Then, after lust has conceived,
it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown,
gives birth to death.”
-James 1:15
“For out of the mind come evil thoughts
—murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
theft, false testimony, slander.”
Matthew 15:19
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