2 SAMUEL 24
JT The numbering of the mighty men in chapter 23 would be, as it were, by the Spirit of God. God writes up His people, as is said in Psalm 87:6: “Jehovah will count, when he inscribeth the peoples”. There is a great deal made of God’s counting in Scripture; it seems to be an exigency of love that the saints should be countable. Our dispensation began with a divine numbering. It is another thing to count the saints so that we might be able to speak of the size of our meetings or the number of meetings in a country or in the world. The almanacs give us the statistics of the denominations in Christendom, but that is just relying on mere numbers or human strength. David, according to the facts of this chapter as compared with those in 1 Chronicles 21, may have had political motives in the counting. “And the king said to Joab the captain of the host”; that would be military. 1 Chronicles says, “And David said to Joab and to the princes of the people”, 1 Chronicles 21:2. It seems as if the military thought is dominant in this chapter in the reference to “the captain of the host”, in verse 2 and “the captains of the army”, in verse 4. The princes are mentioned in Chronicles. Here it would be what David could reckon on in a military way, so we have the number given here, and, although variant, in Chronicles too: “eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men”, verse 9. The motive must have been to establish the military strength of the nation.
APT Is there any suggestion of the state of the people in it?
JT That is what is in God’s mind. The chapter says, “And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel”, not David, but Israel.
RWS How do you view Jehovah moving David in Samuel and Satan moving him in Chronicles?
JT It would be the same thought, only that according to Chronicles God used Satan. God uses Satan; after all he is only a servant. He moved Jehovah to afflict Job, and Jehovah did it knowing [p. 278] what was in Job; the defeat of the devil was intended. It would look as if 2 Samuel is typical of our own dispensation and God is bringing out what is in the dispensation, whether for good or evil. He is bringing out the fact that what is of Himself survives in spite of the evil. He knew what was in David. I think it is a great point in the history of our dispensation that there is that which can recover itself; of course, under God and by His help. Otherwise all would have been lost centuries ago. There is latent power, because of the Spirit’s presence here, for recovery. I think this chapter is to bring that out, and it is in accord with all we have had. The power of recovery is seen in David. We are told here that his heart smote him; whereas in Chronicles it is said that God was displeased on account of this thing and He smote Israel. But David’s heart smote him after he had numbered the people. There is latent power in Christianity, as there was in David, for recovery without God’s interfering. It is a tribute to the presence of the Spirit and the work of God; otherwise all would have been lost.
WR Would David be like one who has a new heart and a new spirit in him?
JT That is what the work of God implies. New birth implies the elements of cleansing introduced into man and along with that a new heart and a new spirit. That is what alone God can rely on. But God had already wrought in David, and this chapter shows that the work in him was revived; he judged himself for his sin. “David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in what I have done ... . I have done very foolishly”.
AR David recovers himself speedily here, whereas the government of God deals with seventy thousand men. God knew the underlying state of the people.
JT That is good. The low state was universal in the nation: “from Dan even to Beer-sheba”.
AFM Joab is not a man of faith but he seems to have an insight as to the actual conditions which prompted this movement.
JT Yes. He was superficial; but he could see that David was wrong, that is all you can say. He was obviously wrong; it did not require the cleansing element in mind and a new heart and spirit to discern that such a course was wrong. Men naturally are able to judge a thing like this; Romans 2:3 says “and thinkest thou this, O man, who judgest those that do such things, and practisest them thyself, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” He is not capable of discerning all things, but “the spiritual discerns all things”. (1 Corinthians 2:15) The natural man, however, is capable of judging mere political things.
Rem Earlier in bringing up the ark, David inquired of the captains of the host. It would seem as if it was a similar movement here. He again spoke to Joab instead of to the priests; the priesthood was not taken into the matter.
JT Just so, it was military. The power of recovery is not in Joab; he is a clever man but without conscience. The element of recovery in the believer is a, matter of great importance. But to have it is, of course, no reason for anyone to sin. Joab sinned as grievously as David, but there was no power of recovery in him, whereas there was in David, as is manifest here.
Rem This matter extended over a protracted period: nine months and twenty days. There was time for David to reconsider it. Dispensationally, people have had time to reconsider the failure that has come in in Christendom.
JT The work of God in us leads to discernment as to sin. David had more than nine months to think it over, but it was after the people were numbered that his heart smote him. When the sin is completed the renewed heart operates; for it was in the mind [p. 280] of God that it should go to the limit. Joab was not dealing with records but God was and the divine records are accurate and thus give a true account of matters. David was slow in judging himself and hence the sin was consummated. On this principle sin becomes “exceeding sinful” and this justifies God in dealing severely with it. In the wisdom of God, He judges this to be necessary at times.
JTJr Do you think that a spiritual element such as is in David might be allowed to go a certain distance by God to expose a latent condition?
JT Yes. It is remarkable that he should be allowed to sin so grievously. In other instances in the book we can see there are a number of weaknesses in David, unaccountably so; but throughout you observe the ability to recover himself. The only hope for us is in our ability to recover ourselves, because sin is so subtle. It comes up amongst us in some form or another; something happens to bring it to light. If there is not power of recovery there will be complete collapse. Right up to the end there is power of recovery in the leading man and the book closes with worship to God at the altar.
ANW We should really take great heed to the smiting of the heart; otherwise discipline will be for naught, the heart will get harder.
JT Quite so. Joab’s words must have pricked David’s heart during the nine months, but his will was strongly in the matter. His word prevailed over Joab and over the captains. He had nobody on his side. He was a man of tender conscience, but it shows how will, when allowed unjudged, overwhelms everything.
AR In spite of the failure that might appear on the surface, and the low state, God brings out from this failure the great spoil seen in 2 Chronicles. David begins to build here. He built an altar to Jehovah and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings.
[p. 281] The site is that on which Solomon built the house of God.
JT Quite so. David says, “This is the house of Jehovah Elohim” (1 Chronicles 22:1) before a stone was put there. This book finishes with David’s recovery — his altar and his offerings. It is a great moral triumph. The song in chapter 22 is also a moral and spiritual triumph, it is a man able to go over the ground and see what God has been to him during all his life. Chapter 23 is the record of his last words; that is a triumph too. It is the abstract view of David; God would bring out the very best. Then we have the thirty-seven mighty men, another triumph. And now this great failure coming after all that! Is there going to be a cleavage? No! There is power of recovery. That is in type, practical Christianity: the power of recovery. We noticed that Ezekiel 36 is constructive, and indeed the whole book is constructive right up to chapter 36. The basis is in new birth; there is something that God can trust at bottom. So in 2 Samuel we see that in spite of all the failures of David throughout the book there is recovery; there is in the latent moral element in David the power of overcoming the worst evil. “And David’s heart smote him after he had numbered the people”. There are thirteen hundred thousand men! A large army like this would naturally make David feel important and independent; but instead his heart smote him. We should always maintain a good conscience. Paul says, “I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day”, Acts 23:1. That is the secret. We may fail or turn aside or be influenced — not that there is any licence to sin — but the work of God in the believer overcomes all. It is marked by self-judgment.
Rem So that when Paul stood and witnessed the martyring of Stephen God saw him; afterwards though witnessing that, he became [p. 282] more wicked than ever, but in that wicked state God arrested him.
JT There was something in the man all the time, hidden or restrained. His will was active, but his conscience was active too. It says of him, “Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into the houses one after another, and dragging off both men and women delivered them up to prison”, Acts 8:3. You could hardly conceive of a man more wicked than he. He was “breathing” it out.
APT Is not the man that owns his sin the man God accepts?
JT Quite so. How do I recover myself? Peter went out and wept bitterly. That was not the completion of the recovery; the latter comes in John 21; but note, he wept bitterly.
APT I was thinking in regard to Saul the king that his error was disobedience, whereas in David’s case it was adultery and murder; and now this sin in numbering the people. God did not use Saul because he did not judge his sin, but David judged and confessed his guilt. Is there not something for us in that now? We are all failing, but if we judge ourselves and own our sins God will help us. Some do not do it, and God is not helping them.
JT The power of preservation lies in maintaining a good conscience; this will lead to the confession of sin if it takes place. We are told that David’s heart smote him after he had numbered the people, and then he tells Jehovah that he is the guilty one; he said he was the one that had sinned. “And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the angel that smote among the people, and said, [p. 285] Behold, it is I that have sinned, and it is I that have committed iniquity; but these sheep, what have they done?” True shepherd that he was at heart, he says, “Behold, it is I that have sinned”. That is the secret of recovery and coming back to the place of service.
Rem This first confession seems to have been [p. 283] made during the night, according to verse 11. It says, “And when David arose in the morning”, as if it was a night matter with him.
JT The night season would afford time for reflection. Things are brought to bear upon us forcibly by God during times of wakefulness.
ANW Should we look for the prophetic word to come after confession is made?
JT That is the next thing. Gad is called David’s seer here.
ES I was wondering why Gad’s message was so severe after David had admitted his sin in verse 10.
JT Gad is called David’s seer; he is really God’s seer. Why should he be David’s? I think the thought is that David always wished to face the truth. “He that practices the truth comes to the light, that his works may be manifested that they have been wrought in God”, John 3:2. David is like a brother that would confess his sin. Gad would be able to tell him the truth; whereas it is said of Ahab, with whom Jehoshaphat allied himself to go to war, that he hated Micah, the reason being that Micah always convicted him in telling him the truth. But there is no such thing with David. Gad is his seer; this failing man is maintaining a man near him that will tell him the truth. That attitude is our safeguard. He is not God’s seer here, he is David’s; David is keeping him on.
ANW After Paul’s rebuke of Peter, Peter says, “our beloved brother Paul”.
JT I am sure he would often say, That was a faithful word of Paul’s. He would probably tell his young converts about Paul. When David arose his heart had already smitten him. There had doubtless been some exercise through the night, and he said to Jehovah, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done; and now, I beseech thee, Jehovah, put away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly”. That may have been during the night. He tells us in the Psalms about “night seasons”. He must have gone through things seriously. Here the word is, “David arose”; there must have been something in David’s arising that pleased God. “And when David arose in the morning, the word of Jehovah came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, go and say to David, Thus saith Jehovah: I impose on thee three things; choose one of them that I may do it unto thee. And Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine adversaries while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? Now be aware and consider what word I shall bring again to him that sent me”. Our brother asked why this penalty should be inflicted. I think it is the people that are in mind. The whole matter had relation to the state of the people. So that while sin may be confessed in the leading individual. God has deeper things to deal with in others.
ES Do we have to suffer governmentally for what, in this sense, we have part in?
JT Quite so. We might have to suffer even on account of the state of others. If sin exists among the saints in a locality we all have to share in the consequences.
Rem Do you think that typically this is an assembly matter? David confesses his sin; that is a great help in assembly matters.
JT Yes. It becomes very difficult when there is no confession, no voluntary confession; when the sin is confessed only when it is discovered. But here David evidently discovered it first. God did not have to convict him.
Ques Would he be already eating the sin-offering?
JT I think so; especially as seen in verse 17:
“Behold, it is I that have sinned, and it is I that have committed iniquity; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be on me, and on my father’s house!” He is not only eating the sin-offering, but he is ready to be penalised, to suffer for his own sin.
RWS No doubt Nathan’s word to him in the matter of Bath-sheba would be recalled. Now he gets the prophetic word from Gad; he is more sensitive to this condition.
JT That seems to be the case: the place the prophets have is indicated. The question is, Have we any prophets? Is the prophetic spirit tolerated? Is my conscience ready for anything that may come?
It seems to be the element that runs right through in Samuel, collateral with the power of recovery. Have we anyone in our meeting that has prophetic power? You want the truth. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”. (Proverbs 27:6) You want to have someone to tell you if you sin. If there is a brother that tells me truth in grace he will be a help to me if I get into a bad state. Gad is called a seer, that is, a man that sees things. It is not so dignified a title as prophet. But by seeing things and conveying the mind of God, he would become more and more dignified. The first book of Samuel brings that out. Gad is a prophet, but he used to be called a seer; the one now called ‘prophet’, it is said, used to be called a seer. The idea of a prophet is progressive.
Prophecy is a gift. The title ‘seer’ simply denotes the power you have; it is not the commission, but the power you have — you have eyes to see. I suppose David knew Gad’s ability. The first time we meet with Gad is in 1 Samuel 22:5: “And the prophet Gad said to David, Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah”. I think that is his first service. He was with David from the very beginning of his rejection. David must have known [p. 286] what a faithful man he was; David regarded him as his seer.
Rem Judah was willing to take the full blame in connection with Joseph.
JT Quite so. The point here is that David was the one that sinned; although Judah had sinned too, but he had not sinned so grievously as the others. But here David is directly responsible for this act of sin. There were three things offered David. He chooses one. He would fall into the hands of the Lord. He sees that the judgment must go through and he would not have it fall on the sheep; it was to bring out that God was pleased with the shepherd heart.
AR It was the spirit of Christ. I was wondering if there was some suggestion of the death of Christ in it? You would not have the house built except for the death of Christ.
JT Quite so, we have an altar and sacrifices. These are evidences of the power of recovery; there is a right spirit in the man. I suppose in Psalm 51 his having a right spirit sustained him, that Psalm shows what he is at the roots. What he says here to Jehovah is in keeping with all that; he has already said he is a sinner, and now he uses the word ‘sheep’; he is the great shepherd. Now we are coming on to the point where we get the sacrifices.
AR Does the threshing-floor suggest how God operated to remove the chaff?
JT Quite so; like the threshing-floor of Atad.
Ques What would the fifty shekels of silver represent?
JT I think they would be the recognition of the rights of God. In Chronicles gold is employed in the purchase — a relatively large amount, six hundred shekels. Evidently a larger area than that mentioned in Samuel was involved; it is designated “the place”.
David is in keeping with the altar now and God closes the matter and says, “Go up, rear an altar to Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite”. You must have the altar.
Ques Why does it say David’s heart smote him rather than his conscience?
JT The word ‘conscience’ is not, as far as I know, used in the Old Testament. It is the inner man that is in mind in the use of the word ‘heart’. From our point of view it would be ‘conscience’. The word ‘conscience’ is derived from the idea of subjective or conscious knowledge; through it I know things inwardly in a moral sense.
Ques His heart would represent the feelings he had in connection with the matter.
JT Quite so. We are composed of spirit, soul and body. The spirit and soul are distinct. The heart is another term; it is, of course, taken from the material heart, but it refers to the very centre of the man morally. So that we sometimes have the heart taken up as including the soul and all right feelings; and as a figure of intelligence too.
Rem “For grief according to God works repentance to salvation”, 2 Corinthians 7:10. The Corinthians proved themselves clear in every way in the matter.
JT That shows the apostle’s first letter had operated upon them. The next verse gives an account of the things that marked them: “what excusing of yourselves, but what indignation, but what fear, but what ardent desire, but what zeal, but what vengeance: in every way ye have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter”. (2 Corinthians 7:11) These are all the inward features of what an upright man is morally. Paul says, “You have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter”.
Rem Verse 15 says: “And Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the set time”; but then verse 16 says, “but Jehovah repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that [p. 288] destroyed among the people, It is enough: withdraw now thine hand”. He cut it short.
JT He stopped at Jerusalem. That was a delightful thing in His eye. Typically it was the saints viewed in their best features. Jerusalem was as the apple of His eye; it involved Mount Zion which He loved.
Ques The verse ends with the threshing-floor of Araunah. What does it represent in this setting?
JT “And the angel of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite”. This is the position; God has reached His purpose in this judgment. David later calls this the house of Jehovah-Elohim — before there was a stone put there. The angel was in that position. God reaches a purpose in judgment or whatever He is doing and all His operations bear out from that.
Ques Does it have anything to do with Araunah?
JT It has to do with God’s sovereignty. He was a Jebusite, a man under a curse. It is God’s way to show He is sovereign in what He does. There are instances of several Canaanites coming into blessing.
God had here reached the foundation of the house, including the ground where the house was to be built.
AR In spite of the severity of the judgment of God, He has an end in mind. Here He has His house in mind.
JT Quite so. It says in 2 Timothy 2:19, “The firm foundation of God stands”. That is the point reached; God operates from that. Ezra says they set up the altar on its base because of the enemies, Ezra 3: 3. God had reached that point and what can the enemy do? It is for us to understand the ground God has taken up. He can operate there.
JTJr Is that why God is so concerned about the state of the people? He has great things in His mind and He would have us in accord with them. The previous chapter gives us the mighties, which [p. 289] represent, I suppose, the great work of God in persons outwardly and inwardly; but now the people do not seem to be in accord with it. Hence we have His governmental dealings.
JT God needs the people. What can the king do without the people? “In the multitude of people is the king’s glory”, Proverbs 14:28. In Solomon’s time “Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry”, 1 Kings 4:20. In Nehemiah it is the city. It is all a question of what is in God’s mind. So that in the recovery according to 2 Timothy 2:19 it is “the firm foundation of God”. You must have the people; not only people, but people apart from evil. “The firm foundation of God stands”, you must have separated people for that; and hence it is “those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).
AR What you are saying helps us in regard of crises that arise. On the surface a certain judgment may appear very severe; but when it is over, you can see that God has had some special thing in His mind in the operation. He is really making room for His house, as seen in our chapter.
JT Quite so. David was thinking of numbers. If God were on those lines He would not slay the seventy thousand. He is showing that He wants only a certain class of people. “Let every one who names the name of the Lord withdraw from iniquity”, 2 Timothy 2:19. Those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart are the people God seeks, and whom the saints also should seek, following righteousness with them.
Rem David has to come back to first principles as to smallness and quality and right judgment. There is gain through assembly discipline.
JT One has noticed that after a care meeting in which we have had to go into administrative matters, the Lord usually gives us a good first day of the week.
[p. 290] And I have noticed that after a discipline meeting the Lord usually encourages the brethren. That does not mean that we should not feel keenly the loss of our brethren; but God is known in the judgment which He executes, and if people are going on in self-will and will not submit to the principles of the house of God, in God’s mind we are better without them. The Scriptures are full of that — Ananias and Sapphira, for instance. We have to see what God has in His mind. There is usually an underlying condition when a sore appears on the body.
AFM The end of the chapter brings out the result of all this. There is an evidence of wealth in the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.
JT That is the one great end in mind. The book ends there and in circumstances advantageous to God’s testimony: “Jehovah was propitious to the land”. The previous chapter ends with Uriah the Hittite of the thirty-seven mighty men of David. Here it is an altar and sacrifices: burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. David is morally on a high level. A serious sin had been adjusted through burnt-offerings and peace-offerings offered on an altar which David built to Jehovah by prophetic direction. All was thus again on a sure foundation: “And Jehovah was propitious to the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel”. One important point to see here is the latent power of recovery, through the divine work in the leading man, and this extending to the whole nation.