The Hand of the LORD | Timothy J. Keller [2 Samuel 24:10-21]
Series: The Life of David
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at
Redeemer Presbyterian Church on August 25, 1996.
Sermon Summary: Inviting GOD's Wrath
The hand of the LORD, this sermon is available thru
the Gospel & Life. But what we're going to be doing
is break down some key points for personal study &
reflection, & meditation in a small group.
So we're going to jump right into it.
The question that Tim Keller is seeking to answer
in the sermon was what was so wrong with David
counting his men & this was taken from a passage
in 2 Samuel 24.
You can also find it in 1 Chronicles 21, and it's an
interesting story because it does on the surface
bring up the question or the issue well.
• What exactly was the deal here?
• Why was this such a big problem?
I know when I've read through that passage I've
also found it to be a little bit confusing and not
really understanding why taking a census on the
Army & how that would be such an offense?
Obviously as we'll see, there's going to be quite
the punishment that comes as a result of doing
this action — so Tim starts by stating kind of an
aside up front and making an overarching point
Which is this: that any time that we disobey the
command of GOD that's already cause for being
disobedient & we're wrong just for that reason.
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And just for that purpose, it typically makes a
great point right up front & that is we don't just
obey GOD because it aligns with our reason or
our own understanding of why it's important to
do something or not not do it
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In American society, we run into this philosophy
of pragmatism & we always want to know why &
if we don't understand conceptually what's right
or wrong about the thing that we're doing often
-times we tend to not obey.
It's got to align with our own understanding.
We have to be in agreeance with it; & what Tim
states here is if it's agreement & that's the thing
that's driving you to comply then you don't have
obedience—agreement and obedience are two
different things & we can't put GOD through that
lens and say I'm only going to follow YOU when
it follows suit with my own understanding.
And I'm okay with it because it obeys some kind
of objective reasoning of my own—we live in a
world where there's a morality of:.
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IF it feels right—then it's okay to do it, & that is
the way the world thinks & as Christians—that's
not the same type of understanding that we can
apply to GOD's Word & to HIS commands for us.
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And Tim uses a metaphor here of being a parent
sometimes when your kids ask you why you do
not necessarily have an explanation that they're
going to be able to understand at their level
especially if they're younger & you expect your
kids to just obey & do what you tell them to do
because you know what's best for them even if
you don't have intent to explain the rationale
behind your decision making
And it's the same way with us, as GOD's children
what's interesting is Tim shows us in Scripture
who the first pragmatist was the first time this
comes up & it's right in the Garden of Eden:
1.] Serpent Presses For Rationale
In Eden with the serpent asked Adam & Eve
“did GOD really say that you can't eat from
this tree?” & what is he doing there? He's
trying to play to their sense of rationality
& if they can't see a reason why this would
be bad to do—then therefore it must be OK
And what did they do?
They went ahead & they participated in that
sin & now we have the context of life where
we have today as a result of that decision a
rational framework is not proper framework
to evaluate GOD's commands for us...
And so Tim makes that point right up front
before he goes into some of the essential
truths or kind of really digs into the passage
with a more fine-tooth comb to get to the
intent behind it.
2.] Pits King Saul as Deserving Wrath
So what Tim does next is he gives us some
historical context about the time that Israel
was living in & he really goes back to some
of his earlier teachings on the time of King
Saul—he evaluates Saul's conquest of the
Amalekites.
It teaches us a little bit about the Amalekites
— so the Amalekites, like all ancient peoples,
were living in sort of a power complex society
Meaning that anytime that your military have
the might or the strength to take out a smaller
power—the temptation would be to do it then
when you would do it you'd conquer the other
nation's King & capture them — and plunder all
their wealth & their resources & their goods &
you would take it for your own.
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So might was kind of the rule of law & Israel was
the only exception to those types of societies—
where they were a society that ruled thru justice
& mercy..
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When GOD told Israel to go in & conquer another
nation—it wasn't due to their ability to go in with
superior forces & superior power & the superior
military — it was at HIS command and with HIS
provision.
That's how they would win battles & it would be
for the purpose of either inflicting justice/mercy
on that opposing force of those other peoples..
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And so there was a very stark distinguishing line
there between how other ancient peoples would
live & how they would flex their military might
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—whereas it was very different with Israel in the
way that they would go about their conquests &
so you have to be able to distinguish those two
points of position in terms of how they would go
about their conflicts or their battles or fighting
against other people.
3.] Now what Saul did, when he went in & fought
against the Amalekites—he actually did capture
their King and he did take a small percentage of
the wealth of that nation.
He brought it back to Israel & so when you look
at that passage—it seems like a small thing esp-
ecially given the justification that Saul used of
“Hey I'm going to take these goods & I'm going
to sacrifice them to YOU LORD — and that's my
intent behind doing that”
And that sounds like well okay..
You know he's taking something from this other
people because GOD gave him this great victory
& he's giving it back to the LORD..
This sounds like a good justification.
But it's not!
Nathan goes & tells Saul that this act of small
disobedience is massive disobedience because
what Saul had done here according to Timothy
Keller is he now used a tactic or approach that
was aligned with how other nations conquer..
—just by doing that in a small way, it is still the
same technique that these other nations would
do & it blurred the distinguishing line about how
Israel would approach battle
as opposed to how other nations would do it &
that was a pure act of disobedience — now that
was merging Israel with other nations — rather
than distinguishing them.
And in fact, that was what was in it Saul's heart
is he was comparing & contrasting himself with
other Kings & wanted to be kind of part of that
fraternity & that was his deep justification?
And that's what made it such an egregious sin?
4.] Distinction for David vs. Saul [unforgiven]
When David was going to count his fighting men
—he was in a sense doing that same thing where
other nations would look at their fighting force
& that would be their symbol of strain — and by
David wanting to take a census of his military,
he was a sense doing that.
In a sense doing that same thing where he was
trying to measure himself up to other nations
that were out there & that's what made it such
an egregious thing to do.
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So Tim states there's a contrast & how we are to
live & how others are to live, so we can live thru
justice & mercy or through power & exploitation
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And that is the heart of what is going on in this
passage—it's when we trust GOD & allow HIM to
rule our lives, and when we're obedient to HIM
—HE's going to enable us to live with a sense of
equity, justice, & mercy towards others
serving them & relying on HIS strength & power
to give us what we need—or would we put GOD
aside? Our temptation is going to be to live with
a sense of power & exploitation that we're going
to use the same tactics in the world.
their same moral framework to take what it is we
want thru the means we think is most appropriate
We are not to do that.
5.] Racism Symbolic of Worldly Mentality
Tim uses the metaphor of racism.
So in the United States of course there's this
egregious history of racism & exploitation &
what Tim says the temptation is:
To do this when tide turns, and the aggrieved
party becomes the party that now has a power
position, the #temptation would be to exploit
& exert power to inflict pain [extract revenge]
And that's not what we as believers are to do
whether we're in the power position or in the
exploited position—that our approach should
always be justice & mercy & reliance on GOD
And it's hard to not fall into the trap of
surrounding empires, or in our case the
other people around us live, whether:
• it's in the workplace or
• it's in the community or
• it's whatever your position is or
• it's school you're trying to get good grades or
• if you're manipulating people & using power
& exploitation to get to your goal
Then you're mimicking & mirroring the world &
the way they would approach solving problems
& we need to come at it from an approach of
service/justice/mercy.
Tim references here his favorite book it's the
LORD of the Rings & he pulls a metaphor out
of that book showing that the rings of power
the evil forces use power & exploitation to
inflict pain in order to gain territory & to seek
out their goals or the lead protagonists were
very unassuming & had a sense of service and
duty. And at the end of the day, we know they
end up winning out.
In the book J.R.R Tolkien was trying to illustrate
this concept thru story & in the same way Israel
was not to have a standing army..
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They were supposed to be a force of defense
which when they were called to go out & do
battle—it was with this overarching sense of
justice & that GOD had a design and a plan for
each time they were to go out to march & take
out another country.
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6.] Personal Application
So to zoom in again to our lives:
What Tim is asking us to do is, he asked us to
evaluate our own heart—& he starts with the
concept of wealth.
Are we using money to build a fortress in our
lives that we can trust?
Are we counting it?
Are we looking at it as our security & safety or
Are we relying upon GOD?
Are we in relationship with HIM in the sense of
that we're praying, & we're trusting in HIS Word
to guide us & not looking to material possession
to be our strength — in the same way that David
counted his troops?
If we're counting what we have & we're looking
to that as our comparison to others around us &
finding our strength in that source then we are
off track & the same is true in all areas of our
lives & our relationships & our title at work..
All those areas need to be evaluated & if we're
putting our confidence in our strength in those
things—then we're not where GOD wants us to
be, so why did GOD handle David differently
than HE did Saul???
or Saul was punished & he lost his Kingdom
—GOD still punished David, but David didn't
lose his Kingdom.
He didn't lose his destiny.
And Tim says the reason why GOD distinguished
between the two men in different ways — was
because of David's penitent heart.
He was truly sorry for his sin, he was truly
repentant for his action & Tim states that
the more you mature & grow as believer
the more penitent your heart will be.
—the more you're going to be conscious of your
own sin & you're going to repent of it & finally
7.] Significance of Location
David offers himself as a sacrifice for the nation
of Israel.
And at the point, where GOD is at the threshing
floor to kill David, he finds mercy — and it was
actually at the same spot where Abraham was
about to sacrifice Isaac & GOD spiritize
it was the exact same spot where eventually
Solomon actually built the Temple to GOD &
finally it's important to note that when GOD
sent JESUS to die for our sins, HE didn't send
JESUS down to Earth with the sword, but HE
sent HIM to serve & to sacrifice & redeem us
And so we need to model that behavior, we
need to put on the holiness of JESUS & follow
HIM wholly & with full devotion
—not always understanding the answer why,
but trusting GOD in our lives.
Well I hope these notes were helpful to you if
they were to leave a comment below like this
content & subscribe to my channel where I'll
continue to produce these summaries & thank
you so much for joining me today GOD bless!
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Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask for forgiveness and Jesus will give him his life, for those who commit sin not leading to death are spared.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven
Mathew 12:31-32 31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the…
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask for forgiveness and Jesus will give him his life, for those who commit sin not leading to death are spared.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven
Mathew 12:31-32 31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the…
