Daily EncouragementSample

That “foolish thing” was the numbering of his fighting men. It was clearly wrong, repulsive to Joab his commander-in-chief and “evil in the sight of God.” David’s confession acknowledges this to the full: “I have sinned greatly by doing this” (1 Chron. 21:6-8).

Undoubtedly it was his motive which was wrong. There is a place for numbers and numbering. The book of Numbers itself is part of Holy Writ. But concern for mere numerical strength and confidence in the might of the many has no place in the kingdom, where right, not might, is seen as true strength and where quality rather than quantity is always the criterion. The Lord of the kingdom wins his victories with “the three hundred” (Judg. 7:7) rather than the thousands; he manifests his presence with the two or three gathered in his Name; he uses the One Man to accomplish his mighty works.

Let us be careful how we use our computers in the work of the Lord, in case our interest in figures, our boasting about statistics and our confidence in our projections lead us into folly and sin similar to David’s. The divine reaction to David’s attitude serves as a solemn warning against any attempt to count heads for our own satisfaction. We do so at our peril.