The Costliness of All—LOVE
When we think of counting, of putting a total number to a group of people, we do not think of SIN. In like fashion, when we consider taking a census, we are not prone to think, ‘Now, that’s just a foolish action.’ Nevertheless, the Bible reveals how both the counting and then boasting are SINFUL because PRIDE remains our motive rather than LOVE.
Let us first ask ourselves:
Do you believe in the circumstances of life being happenstance, as in chance-happenings?
OR
Do you believe that God’s providential hand touches everything? (all we do & everything we become)?
AND
Do you believe that God’s providence even orchestrates the sacrifices we lay before HIM?
In the Bible, many years ago, GOD tested a man (Abraham) to see if he trusted Him. When we read in Genesis 22, we see the narrative when Abraham carried the fire and knife to the top of Mount Moriah, while his son Isaac carried the wood for the burnt offering. We hear Isaac’s questions about the sacrificial lamb and Abraham’s reply about the LORD’S provision.
If we read long enough, we will see how the narrative concluded, how Abraham built an altar, placed the wood on top of the altar, tied Isaac’s hands, and then placed his only son on the altar to GOD. We see how Abraham stretched out his hand high above his only son, ready to sacrifice him to the LORD, and then miraculously, we see caught in the thicket by his horns—a ram—the LORD provided.
Oftentimes, we read narratives within the Bible and consider the truth we are to see within that single lesson, but truly the magnificent teachings of the LORD and the providential hand of GOD are so much greater. We know because the Bible proves it so!
“Abraham called the name of that place The LORD will Provide,
(Genesis 22: 14 NASB)
as it is said to this day,
“In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”
The name of that place was Mount Moriah.
Fast-forward several centuries to the time of King David, to a time when he was tempted by Satan to SIN. In order to fully understand this Bible narrative, we need to read parallel texts: the reign of King David found in The 2nd Book of Samuel 24 and record of the king found in The 1st Book of the Chronicles 21: 1. The time was late in David’s reign as king, and we read how he was tempted to take some of the glory that belonged only to GOD. It is a fact that King David looked at how Israel had grown into a mighty number and had prospered immensely. It’s as if David saw his kingdom and thought: ‘My, my, look at what I DID.’
The Word of God speaks plainly about ‘vainglory’ (Pride), and we may even know the adage—Pride will cause one to fall. It is here that we are able to read God’s Word and see—
- How Satan tempts us, not GOD.
- How SIN separates us from the LORD.
- How God offers reconciliation & restoration, not annihilation.
- How the LORD provided the Only Way (JESUS) for our salvation from our SINFUL nature.
- How we may humble ourselves before GOD, cry out to HIM, and be forgiven of our SIN.
As the narrative in the Old Testament displays, King David ordered that a census be taken of all of Israel.
“Then Satan
(The 1st Book of the Chronicles 21: 1 NASB)
stood up against Israel and
moved David to number Israel.”
Notice the instigator of the action & notice the verb ‘against.’
According to ancient culture, a man only had the right to number what truly belonged to him.
- Israel did not belong to David.
- Israel belonged to GOD.
Oftentimes, when we take account of all that we have collected or gained or worked to purchase, we trust in numbers and forget it is the LORD GOD WHO PROVIDES!
The census that David ordered took almost ten months to complete (9 months & 20 days), meaning there was a long enough passage of time for David to see the error of his decision and to call off the census, but he did not. David continued in his foolish action.
Now the truth was that David was not a sinless man; no, he was a mere man just like you and me. Also, it was truth that David sought after the heart of God, so his heart was sensitive to SIN that crept into his life. Furthermore, it is true (because of all this) that David kept a close account to when he SINNED AGAINST GOD.
Immediately, the tide changed.
“Now David’s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people.
(The 2nd Book of Samuel 24: 10 NASB)
So David said to the LORD,
“I have sinned greatly in what I have done.
But now, O LORD,
please take away the iniquity of Your servant,
for I have acted very foolishly.”
The Bible reveals how both the counting of what we have accomplished & the boasting of what we think we have done is SINFUL & PRIDEFUL. When we are convicted by God’s Holy Spirit of our sin, we are to seek GOD’S FORGIVENESS. That’s exactly what David did.
Then David set out to build an altar and offer up a sacrifice to God to atone for his SIN, knowing that his sacrifice must cost him something.
“However, the king said to Araunah,
(The 2nd Book of Samuel 24: 24 NASB)
[when he offered to give his threshing floor to the king as a place to build his altar]
“No, but 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.”
Mount Moriah was the name of the place where the threshing floor was located.
David did not look for the cheapest way to please God because David knew the Truth.
LOVE—IT IS THE COSTLINESS OF ALL!
At this point, it might be good to pause and listen to Casting Crowns sing the melody “Loving My Jesus” reminding us of the consequences of our SIN and prompting us to recall the LOVE & FORGIVENESS PROVIDED BY GOD THROUGH HIS ONLY SON—JESUS.
“I heard You call my name
Casting Crowns “Loving My Jesus”
I felt You lift my shame
And I made a vow that day
That I’d spend the rest of my life
Loving my Jesus
Showing my scars
Telling my story of how mercy
Can reach you where you are
And I pray the whole world hears
The cry of my heart
Is to see all the ones I love
Loving my Jesus.”
Do you believe in the circumstances of life being happenstance, as in chance-happenings?
OR
Do you believe that God’s providential hand touches everything? (all we do, everything we become, & the sacrifices we lay before HIM)?
AND
Do we believe that GOD FORGIVES OUR SIN—is the truth?
Like Abraham, we must trust that GOD will provide. & Like David, we must trust that GOD will accept a prayer of humility for our SIN, receive our sacrifice to HIM, and provide restoration and reconciliation back to HIS AMAZING GRACE.
Foreign to Satan’s nature is the righteousness of GOD & the repentance of GOD’S people.
“So he then handed Him [JESUS] over to them to be crucified.
(The Gospel According to John 19: 16-18a NASB)
They took Jesus, therefore,
and He went out, bearing His own cross,
to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.
There they crucified Him, . . .”
Mount Moriah was the name of the place where Abraham placed Isaac on the altar to God & where David purchased the threshing floor for his altar to God, & even where Solomon, King David’s son was instructed by GOD to construct the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, a distinct place outside the city walls of Jerusalem, near the Temple Mount.
LOVE—IT IS THE COSTLINESS OF ALL!