1Ch 21:9-13 | KingComments | STEP | As soon as the anger of God comes upon His people, David confesses his sin ( ; cf. ). This confession is necessary, because only through it does forgiveness come ( ). David’s iniquity is removed. However, the consequences of his sin are not removed ( ). God has forgiven sin. However, because it is a public sin, it must also be publicly punished. The LORD sends “Gad, David’s seer” to him to present to him three punishments from which he may choose one. Each of the punishments, when exercised, means a considerable reduction in the number of people he wanted to number to know how strong he was. God strikes him in his arrogant desire to know his strength. When Gad has finished speaking, he expects an answer from David to bring it “to Him who sent me”. Gad must bring only the message of the LORD to David and the answer of David to the LORD. He has no influence whatsoever on the word he must speak in the Name of the LORD, and he has no influence whatsoever on David’s answer which he must bring to the LORD. As the messenger of the LORD, Gad places the man whom he must address in the light of the LORD. He does nothing else and nothing more than that. This is the task of everyone who is sent to others with a message from the Lord. The word of the Lord must bring the hearts into the presence of God, and the reaction to that word must be brought back to the Lord. The three punishments which Gad present to David are 1. a natural disaster, 2. the sword, which is a punishment performed by humans or 3. pestilence, a punishment exercised by an angel. The punishments all come from the hand of the LORD. Yet there is a difference. The hand of the LORD is seen more indirectly in the first two punishments, while in the plague His hand is more directly perceptible. There is another difference. A famine that comes over all will certainly cost victims, but the rich can survive longer anyway. The sword of the enemy will also make casualties, but still mainly hit the soldiers. However, the plague will be able to affect every human being without regard to the person. The duration of the disasters is 1. three years in the case of natural disasters, 2. three months in the case of a disaster by men; and 3. three days in the case of a disaster by an angel. When Christ took our place on the cross, it was a disaster of three hours of darkness. He went through it because of God’s judgment on our sins. This has become the basis for the increase of His people. David chooses to fall into the LORD’s hand, “for His mercies are very great” ( ; ).

‏ 1 Chronicles 21:9-13

David Confesses His Sin

As soon as the anger of God comes upon His people, David confesses his sin (1Chr 21:8; cf. 2Sam 12:13). This confession is necessary, because only through it does forgiveness come (1Jn 1:9). David’s iniquity is removed. However, the consequences of his sin are not removed (Gal 6:7). God has forgiven sin. However, because it is a public sin, it must also be publicly punished.

The LORD sends “Gad, David’s seer” to him to present to him three punishments from which he may choose one. Each of the punishments, when exercised, means a considerable reduction in the number of people he wanted to number to know how strong he was. God strikes him in his arrogant desire to know his strength.

When Gad has finished speaking, he expects an answer from David to bring it “to Him who sent me”. Gad must bring only the message of the LORD to David and the answer of David to the LORD. He has no influence whatsoever on the word he must speak in the Name of the LORD, and he has no influence whatsoever on David’s answer which he must bring to the LORD.

As the messenger of the LORD, Gad places the man whom he must address in the light of the LORD. He does nothing else and nothing more than that. This is the task of everyone who is sent to others with a message from the Lord. The word of the Lord must bring the hearts into the presence of God, and the reaction to that word must be brought back to the Lord.

The three punishments which Gad present to David are

1. a natural disaster,

2. the sword, which is a punishment performed by humans or

3. pestilence, a punishment exercised by an angel.

The punishments all come from the hand of the LORD. Yet there is a difference. The hand of the LORD is seen more indirectly in the first two punishments, while in the plague His hand is more directly perceptible. There is another difference. A famine that comes over all will certainly cost victims, but the rich can survive longer anyway. The sword of the enemy will also make casualties, but still mainly hit the soldiers. However, the plague will be able to affect every human being without regard to the person.

The duration of the disasters is

1. three years in the case of natural disasters,

2. three months in the case of a disaster by men; and

3. three days in the case of a disaster by an angel.

When Christ took our place on the cross, it was a disaster of three hours of darkness. He went through it because of God’s judgment on our sins. This has become the basis for the increase of His people.

David chooses to fall into the LORD’s hand, “for His mercies are very great” (1Chr 21:13; Hab 3:2).