Re:Verse passage – 2 Samuel 24 (day three)
“Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
We recognize David least when he is behaving most like a clichéd tyrant—employing his power to bend the world to his will. The writer of 2 Samuel makes apparent that God has established and nurtured the nation for his own purposes. David now behaves as if he has outgrown those purposes, and he moves Israel to a war footing to expand his geopolitical influence in the region. David had determined to take action, and the Lord said, in effect, “Okay, your will be done.” When human beings speak that phrase to God, the final result is good, always. When God speaks that phrase to human beings, things will not end well.
It is a reaffirmation of God’ power and authority over mankind. The same phrase used by God and human beings does not carry the same intent and does not deliver the same results.
We have to assess who is speaking to us and whether that voice has the absolute authority. When God speaks, we better listen!! Every other voice is irrelevant. He has supreme power and absolute authority on earth and over all of His creations.