1 Chronicles Book Bible Lesson 19
Just for your thoughts:
David’s sins,
and God’s mercies and plan.
1 Chronicles Book
Bible Lesson 19
Scripture Portion for Meditation: 1 Chronicles 21:28, 29, 30
You can meditate on these three verses as follows:
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. Because of that act, the Lord’s anger was kindled, and as a result of the plague, seventy thousand men of Israel died. When David sought forgiveness, God instructed him to go and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (1 Chronicles 21:18). David obeyed and offered sacrifices there.
At that time, “the tabernacle of the Lord that Moses had made in the wilderness and the altar of burnt offering were at the high place at Gibeon.” (1 Chronicles 21:29)
However, David did not go to Gibeon to offer sacrifices at the tabernacle that Moses had made in the wilderness because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord. Therefore, he could not go there to inquire of God.
David desired to build the temple of the Lord at the very place where he had offered that sacrifice. This is also the same place where Abraham offered his son Isaac (Genesis 22).
Here we must understand one important truth. David committed two of the greatest sins in his life: first, he took Bathsheba from her husband and deliberately arranged for her husband’s death — a grievous sin. Yet, from that union, Solomon was born. This Solomon later built the temple of the Lord.
The second great sin David committed was numbering the people of Israel. Because of that sin, a great plague came upon the people, and David offered sacrifices to the Lord for atonement. But it was on that very spot — the place of his repentance and sacrifice — that the temple of God was later built.
So, both the man who built the temple (Solomon) and the place where the temple was built came as outcomes of David’s two greatest sins. In that sense, there is no mistake in saying,
“Out of those great sins, God built a temple.” — Wiersbe
I am not saying this to encourage sin, but to help us understand that we cannot fully grasp God’s judgments, His punishments, His grace, and the consequences of His divine actions. His wisdom and His ways are far beyond our imagination.
When we think about David’s failures, we must also think about these things. When we do, we will never publicize anyone’s sins.
When someone’s honor or reputation is in our hands, we must never make even the smallest effort to diminish it. This is a noble mark of true holiness.
If we do not feel remorse for how many people’s reputations we have unjustly damaged, then we are unworthy to call ourselves Christians.