When the Godly Are Foolish

In this sobering message from 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21, Chuck Swindoll addresses a perplexing question: How can a "man after God's own heart" commit such a foolish, devastating sin? Swindoll explores the final years of King David’s reign, where, following a military victory, David succumbs to pride and orders a census of the people. Motivated by a desire to "replace trust with statistics" and measure the vastness of his power, David ignores the wise counsel of Joab and proceeds with an unaccountable, stubborn spirit. The sermon details the three-stage anatomy of this tragedy: the decision, the consequences, and the repentance. Swindoll highlights that while David’s conscience eventually woke up—leading him to confess, "I have sinned badly"—the fallout was catastrophic. God offered David a choice of three punishments, and David chose three days of pestilence, reasoning that it is better to fall into the hands of a merciful God than the hands of men. The resulting plague claimed 70,000 lives, illustrating the terrifying truth that a leader’s private sin often results in public devastation. The message concludes at the threshing floor of Araunah, where David intercedes for the people. Swindoll emphasizes the principle of costly worship, noting David’s refusal to accept the land as a gift because he would not offer to God that which "cost him nothing." The sermon ends with three warnings: living without accountability invites danger, ignoring consequences rejects truth, and failing to take God seriously denies His Lordship.

Message Key Facts:

• The Sin of Numbering: David’s sin was not merely counting heads; it was a shift from trusting God to trusting military strength. Swindoll notes that David wanted to know "how big his land really is," revealing a heart infected by pride and a desire for security in numbers rather than in Jehovah.
• The Danger of Unaccountability: Swindoll points out that David had reached a "peerless position" where he answered to no one. Even when Joab—his military commander—warned him against the census, asking, "Why does the king delight in this thing?", David overruled him. Swindoll warns that an "unaccountable life is a dangerous life".
• Satan’s Role: Comparing the account in 2 Samuel 24 with 1 Chronicles 21, Swindoll notes that Satan "stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel." This highlights that the battle often takes place in the mind, where the enemy implants wayward thoughts.
• The Three Choices: God gave David a unique choice of punishment:
  1. Three years of famine.
  2. Three months of fleeing from enemies.
  3. Three days of the sword of the Lord (pestilence). David chose the third, stating, "Let me fall into the hand of the Lord for His mercies are very great".
• The Ripple Effect: The most painful lesson of the sermon is that "no man is an island." David sinned alone, but 70,000 families grieved. Swindoll illustrates this with the story of a wealthy shipyard owner whose private immorality devastated his wife and four children, proving that sin leaves a "devastating wake".
• Costly Worship: When Araunah (Ornan) offered to give David the threshing floor, oxen, and wood for free, David refused. He established a timeless principle of worship: "I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing." He paid 50 shekels of silver, and God answered by staying the plague.
• God’s "Enough": In a moment of profound grace, as the angel stretched his sword over Jerusalem, God felt the pain and said, "It is enough." Swindoll notes that while the sword was sheathed, the consequences (the fresh graves) remained, balancing God's mercy with the reality of sin's toll.

Message References:

• 2 Samuel 24: The primary narrative text detailing the census, the judgment, and the purchase of the threshing floor.
• 1 Chronicles 21: The parallel account providing additional details, such as Satan’s role in inciting David.
• James 3:1: "Let not many of you become teachers... knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment".
• 2 Samuel 24:10: David’s conscience activates: "Now David’s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people".
• 2 Samuel 24:14: David’s rationale for his choice: "Let us fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great".
• 2 Samuel 24:24: The principle of sacrifice: "I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing".

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll