2 Samuel ends on another hard to understand story. I’d skip it (it’s my blog, I can skip a chapter if I want to!), but there is at least one accessible lesson along with a foundation for the future.

It starts this way:

Once again GOD’s anger blazed out against Israel. He tested David by telling him, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.” So David gave orders to Joab and the army officers under him, “Canvass all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and get a count of the population. I want to know the number.” (2 Samuel 24.1, 2, MSG)

It’s not, “The devil made me do it!” but “God told me to do it.” Weird. And why is it wrong to take a census? The book of Numbers starts with one. But taking a census now for the reasons David did it is wrong, and Joab knew it:

But Joab resisted the king: “May your GOD multiply people by the hundreds right before the eyes of my master the king, but why on earth would you do a thing like this?” (2 Samuel 24.3, MSG)

The Message translator suggests what was wrong with this census:

But when it was all done, David was overwhelmed with guilt because he had counted the people, replacing trust with statistics. (2 Samuel 24.10, MSG, emphasis mine)

“…replacing trust with statistics.” That’s one lesson. Is my trust in God or in the size of my bank account, for example? If I am a “Christian influencer” or want to be, am I in it to advance Jesus or myself?

Here’s a small snippet from a provocative article: How to Be a Christian Influencer Worthy of the Name by Justin Giboney

In John 7, Jesus’ brothers essentially tell him that he’s not maximizing his potential as a pre-digital influencer. He needed to be more outward-facing, they argued, and show off his miraculous works more frequently because “no one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret” (v. 4).

That advice exposed their failure to understand Jesus’ true mission. Even though he’d become a popular public figure, his purpose was much more significant than a few “viral moments.” Jesus wasn’t pursuing influence for its own sake; his message and timing had to align with the Father’s plan of salvation. “My teaching is not my own,” he told his amazed audience. “It comes from the one who sent me” (v. 16).

That text should guide Christians who have a social media ministry and influence the lives of thousands or millions of people. We must never be more concerned with growing our platforms than with stewarding our influence faithfully. God has not placed us in this position to flex and revel in the admiration. Christian influence comes with a cross. Its purpose is far more about self-sacrifice than self-indulgence.

Back to King David who wanted to measure the size of his kingdom. David has to choose a punishment, and he opts for three days of epidemic in which 70,000 people die the first day.

So GOD let loose an epidemic from morning until suppertime. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand people died. But when the angel reached out over Jerusalem to destroy it, GOD felt the pain of the terror and told the angel who was spreading death among the people, “Enough’s enough! Pull back!” The angel of GOD had just reached the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel hovering between earth and sky, sword drawn and about to strike Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 24.15, 16, MSG)

The location of the angel is significant, and David buys the threshing floor of Araunah:

Araunah looked up and saw David and his men coming his way; he met them, bowing deeply, honoring the king and saying, “Why has my master the king come to see me?” “To buy your threshing floor,” said David, “so I can build an altar to GOD here and put an end to this disaster.” “Oh,” said Araunah, “let my master the king take and sacrifice whatever he wants. Look, here’s an ox for the burnt offering and threshing paddles and ox-yokes for fuel—Araunah gives it all to the king! And may GOD, your God, act in your favor.” But the king said to Araunah, “No. I’ve got to buy it from you for a good price; I’m not going to offer GOD, my God, sacrifices that are no sacrifice.” So David bought the threshing floor and the ox, paying out fifty shekels of silver. He built an altar to GOD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. GOD was moved by the prayers and that was the end of the disaster. (2 Samuel 24.20 – 25, MSG)

And there’s the second lesson, as it says in the literal translations: “I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (2 Corinthians 8.1 – 5, NIV)

Finally, look where Solomon builds the temple (we’ll be there soon in our readings):

Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David. (2 Chronicles 3.1, NIV)

Where have we seen Mount Moriah before? Of course! The place where Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac. And where was Jesus crucified? “Golgotha” – just a few hundred yards from the temple.

Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22.8, NASB – some believe that this Genesis verse could read, “God will provide Himself – the lamb.”)