“The anger of Adonai blazed up against Israel, so he moved David to act against them by saying, ‘Go, take a census of Isra’el and Y’hudah.'”-2 Samuel 24:1
Yesterday, I exegeted 2 Samuel 24:1 by affirming quite strongly that this verse does NOT mean that the Lord incited David to take a census.
Instead, David was expressing a thought that popped into his mind in response to God getting his evil inclination all riled up to act against Israel.
As a result, David ordered his chief military officer to “Go and take a census.”
Now I have a feeling a few of you almost lost your freakin’ minds at that assertion.
Well, calm down and look at this cross-reference from 1st Chronicles:
“The Adversary now rose up against Israel
and incited David to take a census of Israel.”
-2 Chronicles 21:1
So 2nd Samuel 24 says the Lord incited David.
But 1st Chronicles 21 says the Adversary was the source.
What gives?
First of all, most English Bibles don’t have the word “adversary” there.
Instead, they inserted the word Satan instead.
See, here’s the thing.
Satan is the Hebrew word for adversary.
That’s what the word means.
It doesn’t mean some freaky dude dressed in red ballerina tights with horns on his head, carrying a pitchfork.
Ya feel me here, homies.
It wasn’t until much later in history that the word Satan became a formal name for the devil.
Don’t forget what I told you earlier.
This chapter is jam-packed with a ton of metaphors and figurative speech.
I can really sense that the translator was struggling to convey the spiritual roots of David’s behavior and how the sinful census began in his own thoughts.
The answer comes down to the YETZER HARAH or wicked inclination that resides in every human being.
As I’ve mentioned many times before, every person on planet earth has two inclinations inside of them.
One that pulls them toward good, which is called the YETSER TOV.
And another one that pulls them toward evil, which is called the YETSER HARAH.
Godly thoughts originate from our good inclinations.
Wicked thoughts originate from our wicked inclinations.
I don’t buy the traditional Christian idea that we only have an evil inclination (what they call a sin nature) inside of us.
We have BOTH!
Notice what the Lord told Cain before he murdered his brother.
“Why are you angry?
Why has your face fallen?
If you do what is right,
will you not be accepted?
But if you do not do what is right,
sin is crouching at the door;
it desires to have you,
but you must rule over it.”
-Genesis 4:6–7
God told Cain that sin was waiting to take control.
But Cain still had a choice.
He didn’t have to give in.
He could master it.
Cain ignored the warning.
And then killed Abel.
My point is, you don’t have to be like Cain.
You can bring your evil inclination under the Holy Spirit’s control.
And that’s your takeaway for today.
When we fail to control our YETSER HARA, we sin.
That’s exactly what’s happening with David here.
God wasn’t pushing David to do something out of character.
David already had that evil inclination inside of him.
The Lord simply allowed that side (where Satan works) to flare up and bring fair judgment on Israel.
Done.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Let no one say when he is tempted,
‘I am being tempted by God,’
for God cannot be tempted with evil,
and He Himself tempts no one.
But each person is tempted
when he is lured and enticed
by his own desire.
Then desire when it has conceived
gives birth to sin, and sin when
it is fully grown brings forth death.”
— James 1:13–15
“For I know that nothing
good dwells in me, that is,
in my flesh. For I have the
desire to do what is right,
but not the ability to carry it out…
it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells within me.”
— Romans 7:18–20
“For the flesh desires what
is contrary to the Spirit,
and the Spirit what is contrary
to the flesh. They are opposed
to each other, so that you do
not do what you want.”
— Galatians 5:16–17
“No temptation has overtaken
you except what is common t
o mankind. And God is faithful;
He will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear…
so that you can endure it.”
— 1 Corinthians 10:13
“If by the Spirit you put to death
the deeds of the body, you will live.”
— Romans 8:13
“See to it, brothers and sisters,
that none of you has a sinful,
unbelieving heart that turns
away from the living God.”
— Hebrews 3:12
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