Prayer And Judgment

God has put it into my heart to speak about a very sad incident in the life of King David. I mean the time when the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. God permitted Satan to lead David into sin. It is a very solemn way in which God executes judgment. When God’s people do not live up to the full measure of their light and opportunity, they are in danger of getting into darkness. The Lord Jesus said, “Take heed that the light that is in you be not darkness, because if that light become darkness how great is that darkness.” That is the worst darkness.

Because of the sin of the people, the Lord permitted Satan to lead David astray. He got it into his mind that he must number the children of Israel, contrary to God’s command; and even Joab, who was not a God-fearing man, tried to dissuade him from this sinful purpose. Ah, but the devil, for the time being, got into David’s heart and insisted upon it. The people were numbered, and then David’s heart smote him and it was too late.

It is a very solemn thing for anybody holding fellowship with a company of God’s people to trifle with sin. The issues may be far wider, far more solemn than the people concerned have any idea of. We want, individually, to walk in newness of life, to be walking before God in Christ, keeping ourselves from sin, exercising ourselves to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man—not only for our own sakes, but for the sake of the whole body [of Christ], and especially (as we learn from this incident) for the sake of the those whom the Holy Spirit has made overseers amongst us.

You remember when David committed that sin, the Lord judged Israel because it was the anger of the Lord that was kindled against Israel primarily, and God sent His angel, a destroying angel, who smote the people for three days. Seventy thousand of them fell of that pestilence.

Now we see David in another aspect. He repented, he confessed his sin, he was cleansed and anointed afresh as the king of Israel. When that terrible angel came along and drew his sword over Jerusalem, David stepped into the breach and interceded for his people. What a change! Just a few days before, he had been used by Satan to bring great wrong upon God’s people, and now he is going to be used of the Holy Spirit to divert a terrible disaster from his metropolitan city.

In David’s prayer in 2 Samuel 24 and the parallel passage in Chronicles, he takes all the blame to himself, and wants God to smite him and his family rather than his people. That is a prayer to God with the sweet savor of Christ that will prevail. David did not smooth over the matter—he said, “Lord, it is I who have sinned. What have these sheep done?” That is the right way to approach God, to intercede on behalf of His people; not to think we have no fault of our own, saying, “Oh Lord, these people are so wrong.” No, David confessed his own sin and said, “I am the guilty member. Smite me and my father’s house.”

That must have been a terrifying spectacle, to see that great angel of judgment with a drawn sword over Jerusalem! Most men would have fled in terror—but not David. He drew [closer] in contrition apart in true repentance. He believed in the mercy of God, and said, “Oh, smite me.” Oh, what a savor of Christ!

You see it in Moses. Moses, when the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the congregation, said, “Blot me, I pray, out of Thy book.” That is the word of the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. Do not misunderstand me. Of course the Great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for the sheep in a sense in which nobody else can in any measure enter, offered Himself a sacrifice for sins.

In that sense, His sacrifice is infinitely unique; but there is a sense in which it is given to God’s servant in some measure to enter into the fellowship of His sufferings. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep, He is willing to die if only God’s people may be blessed.

Look at Elijah when the Lord said, “I am going to send rain on the earth. Go show yourself to Ahab.” It was a terrible testing. It meant for him to march right into the jaws of death, for Ahab was ready to slay him on the spot. But he marched right along, willing to be slain if only Israel could be blessed. That is the kind of people God can use to bless His church.

Look at Esther. When the word had gone forth to destroy the Jews, she carried her life in her hand—a godly young woman used by the Lord to deliver the whole nation. Oh, young woman, be faithful unto death, be willing to die in order that God’s people may be blessed, and He will use you; and although Satan will come in one way, God will drive him out seven ways. Oh, let us take heed to ourselves and to the doctrine. Let us beware of trifling with sin, because “to whom much is given, of him much will be required.”

Satan is not very far away, but, thank God, in Christ we are far above all principalities and powers, yet we need to be constantly abiding in Christ, constantly keeping in His power so the devil will not catch us. Thus we shall go on growing in power and grace, and there will be rivers of living water flowing out from here, which shall fertilize the ends of the earth.

—D.E. Hoste was the General Director of China Inland Mission