Day 295 – Repentance

2 Samuel 24:1 Again the anger of JEHOVAH was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

 2 Then the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

 3 Joab said to the king, “Now may JEHOVAH your Elohiym add to the people a hundred times more than there are and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. Why does my lord the king desire this thing?”

 4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore, Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

 5 They crossed over the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the middle of the ravine of Gad, and toward Jazer.

 6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon; 7 and they came to the stronghold of Tyre and to the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba.

 8 When they had gone through the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

 9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. There were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

 10 David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. Then David said to JEHOVAH, “I sinned greatly in what I did; but now, I pray, O JEHOVAH, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I did foolishly.”

 11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of JEHOVAH came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12 “Go and tell David, ‘Thus says JEHOVAH: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.”’”

 13 Then Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Will seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or will there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

 14 David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of JEHOVAH, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

 15 Then JEHOVAH sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died.

 16 When the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, JEHOVAH relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” The angel of JEHOVAH was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

 17 Then David spoke to JEHOVAH when he saw the angel striking the people, and said, “I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”

 18 Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to JEHOVAH on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

 19 Then David, according to the word of Gad, went up as JEHOVAH commanded.

 20 Now Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. Then Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

 21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

 David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to JEHOVAH, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

 22 Now Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. 23 These, O king, Araunah gives to the king. May JEHOVAH your Elohiym accept you.”

 24 Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to JEHOVAH my Elohiym with that which costs me nothing.” Then David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

 25 David built there an altar to JEHOVAH and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then JEHOVAH heeded the prayers for the land and withdrew the plague from Israel.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Theos – Supreme Divinity

Christos – Anointed One, Messiah

Iesous – Jesus

Pneuma – Wind, Breath, Spirit

God’s character:

Judge

Have you done something that seemed right, but turned out to be the wrong thing to do? Your seemingly innocent actions brought adverse consequences. What did you do to make things right?

JEHOVAH was angry with Israel and caused David to number the people. When Joab brought the number to David after nine months of counting the people, David repented of what he did. Then Gad came to David to ask what punishment he would bring to David and the people.

What causes JEHOVAH to become angry with you? What will He do to bring you back into a right relationship with Him?

I’ve read this Scripture many times. This is the first time I read that JEHOVAH was angry and caused David to count Israel.

As Christians, you know you’re not perfect. You sin every day sometimes without realizing it. What consequences do you face for your actions? How long does it take to realize Elohiym is the one who brings trouble your way because of your disobedience?

Not every trouble comes from Satan. However, every sin comes from him.

What is the definition of sin?

1. Transgression of divine law.
2. Any act regarded as such a transgression, especially a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.
3. Any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense.

(Dictionary.com)

When trouble comes your way, you need to ask yourself why it happened. You need to examine yourself to see if you are at fault.

JEHOVAH was angry with Israel. It meant He was also angry with David and brought trouble not only to Israel, but also to David. When David realized his sin, JEHOVAH gave him three options to choose from as his and Israel’s punishment for their sin. David chose the option that wouldn’t bring shame to the people from their enemies only from Elohiym. Their shame would cause a repentant heart.

With repentance comes action. JEHOVAH told David to build an altar for burnt offerings and peace offerings so He could heal the land.

Sacrifice comes with a price. You cannot bring a sacrifice to Elohiym without it costing you something.

Yeshuwa paid the price of your salvation with His blood on the cross. It cost Him something, His life for yours. Instead of you going to Hell for your sin, Yeshuwa went to Hell for you and took the keys of death and Hell out of Satan’s hands to give you life with Him.

What sacrifice will you give Yeshuwa when He asks you to do His work and build His kingdom? You became a child of Elohiym when you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord. You agreed to obey Him in everything He asked you to do.

The Christian life isn’t an easy one. Satan comes to tempt you and cause you to sin without realizing he does it. Many of the things you do seem harmless, yet they destroy your spirit, come between you and your walk with Yeshuwa, and bring shame as others see you and question your faith when they see the things you do are no different from them.

Examine your life. Then pray and seek Yeshuwa’s forgiveness for falling prey to Satan’s subtle temptations. Your life is a living sacrifice of praise and worship to JEHOVAH for everything He does for you.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Theos, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to Theos, which is your reasonable service.

 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Theos. (NKJV)

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christos Iesous, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Pneuma.

 2 For the law of the Pneuma of life in Christos Iesous has made me free from the law of sin and death.

 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, Theos did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Pneuma.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and the world may become guilty before Theos.

 20 Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

 21 However, now the righteousness of Theos apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of Theos, through faith in Iesous Christos, to everyone and on everyone who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Theos, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christos Iesous, 25 whom Theos set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance Theos had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Iesous.

No one is exempt. Everyone sins and everyone needs to repent and bring a sacrifice that costs something. David paid for the threshing instruments and the threshing floor so he could build the altar and sacrifice the offerings JEHOVAH required from him. What will you sacrifice?

Let’s pray: Father, I come before You, knowing I am a sinner. I disgrace You and Your calling on my life when I act in my will and not Yours. Let my life become a living sacrifice to You, holy and pleasing in every way. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 9 November 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux