Texts on Suffering: 1 Chronicles 18-21

Let's get to it...

1 Chronicles 19:13

This instance of evil, suffering, and death isn't necessarily explaining the reasons behind these atrocities. However, this instance does show a response to possible suffering and death. Brothers Joab and Abishai, both a part of the elite group of "mighty men" in David's army, are up against the Syrians and the Ammonites. Joab takes "some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians" and he put the rest of the Israelite men under the charge of Abishai who arrayed them against the Ammonites. Then, the brothers set a plan. If Abishai is having trouble with the Ammonites, Joab will come to his aid, and if Joab is having trouble with the Syrians, Abishai will come to his aid. And then Joab says this to his brother: "Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him." Whether that be victory or defeat, life or death, imprisonment or execution, Joab and Abishai trusted that God was working all things together for good. Where is that today?

1 Chronicles 21:1-27

You're going to have to read the whole thing here. It's a pretty long passage, and pretty confusing if you ask me. Here's what I can gather. The same story is told in 2 Samuel 24:1-25. Here's what's interesting about both accounts of the story. Samuel says, "Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, 'Go, number Israel and Judah.'" But the Chronicler begins by saying, "Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel." So, the question is raised, who incited David to number Israel? Was it God or Satan? For the purpose of this post, I will not dive into the depths of God's sovereignty over evil and the use of it to accomplish his purposes. I'm just going to skim the wake, leaving the deep diving for a later time. Skimming...

If I know one thing absolutely about God, it is that he never does evil. Never. However, God does use evil moral agents to accomplish his good purposes (see the story of Job or Joseph or Jesus). Therefore, in order to reconcile these two accounts, I think you could say that God used Satan to incite David to take a census. Samuel wants us to see that it is ultimately God who is causing this census to be taken (for purposes that are seen later on in this passage), and the Chronciler wants us to see that it is Satan who is actually carrying out the evil incitation. On top of that, both accounts want us to see that David gave in to the incitation and sinned by taking the census.

As confusing as that is, I think that the purpose of this story is for the reader to get a glimpse of the coming Christ. After taking the census, David realizes the evil he has done and repents. God sends a pestilence on Israel, killing nearly 70,000 men. And as the angel, whom God sent to destroy Jerusalem, was stretching out his drawn sword over all of Israel, God had mercy on them and told the angel to stay his hand. There would be a substitute in their place. God incited David to build an altar and sacrifice upon it. That's foreshadowing! A better substitute is coming, Israel!

Conclusions about evil, suffering, and death for today

1. May the Lord do what seems good to him
2. God is sovereign over evil and sometimes uses it to accomplish his good purposes.
3. Sin requires immediate death, but we have a merciful and gracious God.