Key Verse: Verse 1 – “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.”
Key Words: Satan…provoked David to number Israel
One of the primary tactics of Satan is to provoke. He provoked Eve by telling her she should be a god. He provoked Ananias and Sapphira by filling their heart to lie to the Holy Ghost. He attempted to provoke Job to curse God; and in our text he provoked David to number Israel.
As you read all of I Chronicles 21, it seems that David had gotten caught up in the numbers game and how large “his” kingdom was. But David had primarily gotten caught up in Israel’s might rather than God’s might, Israel’s military strength not God’s omnipotent strength, what Israel could do rather than what God could do.
So God sent a pestilence upon Israel and 70,000 men died. David had to wonder in his heart, “Why did I do that?”
Satan provokes us by offering us the best but pays us with the worst.
Satan provokes us by offering us honor but pays us with disgrace.
Satan provokes us by offering us pleasure but pays us with pain.
Satan provokes us by offering us profit but pays us with loss.
Satan provokes us by offering us life but pays us with death.
Satan provoked David with pride but paid him with shame.
Oh, why David, why did you do that?
What to do:
✞ Don’t let pride control you or you will be asking yourself, “ Why did I do that?”
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