1 Chronicles 27:16-24: a reflection

16Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was the ruler; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah; 17of Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; of Aaron, Zadok; 18of Judah, Elihu, one of the brothers of David; of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael; 19of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; of Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel; 20of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah; 21of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner; 22of Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the captains of the tribes of Israel. 23But David didn’t take the number of them from twenty years old and under, because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the sky. 24Joab the son of Zeruiah began to take a census, but didn’t finish; and wrath came on Israel for this. The number wasn’t put into the account in the chronicles of King David.

In the record of David's officials comes a striking note about a census. But David didn't take the number of those twenty years old and under, the account says, because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the sky. And it recalls that Joab's later census brought wrath. David did not number the young, because God had promised to multiply Israel beyond counting; to count them would be to measure what God had promised to make innumerable. He trusted God's promise of increase rather than anxiously measuring the people.

Notice why David did not number the young: because God had promised to multiply them beyond counting. God had promised to make Israel like the stars of the sky, innumerable; and to count them would be, in a sense, to doubt or limit that promise, to measure what God had said he would make beyond measure. David trusted the promise rather than reducing it to a number; he did not need to count what God had promised to multiply. His trust rested on God's promise of increase, not on a measured count of the people. He would not measure what God had promised to make innumerable.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can anxiously measure and count what God has promised, rather than trusting his promise. We can feel a need to measure our resources, count our strength, tally what we have, reducing things to numbers we can control, rather than trusting God's promise; but David did not number those God had promised to multiply beyond counting. There is a place for trusting God's promise of provision and increase rather than anxiously measuring and counting. Do not anxiously measure and count what God has promised to provide, as though you must reduce it to a controllable number; trust his promise, as David trusted God's promise to multiply Israel and did not number the young. Rest in God's promise rather than anxiously measuring and tallying, trusting him to provide and increase as he has promised, as David did not count those God had said he would make like the stars; for trusting God's promise is better than reducing it to a measured count we can control.

Lord, in the record of David's officials comes a striking note about a census. But David didn't take the number of those twenty years old and under, the account says, because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the sky. David did not number the young, because you had promised to multiply Israel beyond counting; to count them would be to measure what you had promised to make innumerable. He trusted your promise of increase rather than anxiously measuring the people. Show me why David did not number the young: because you had promised to multiply them beyond counting. You had promised to make Israel like the stars, innumerable; and to count them would be to doubt or limit that promise, to measure what you had said you would make beyond measure. David trusted the promise rather than reducing it to a number. His trust rested on your promise of increase, not on a measured count. Take that to my heart, for I too can anxiously measure and count what you have promised, rather than trusting your promise. I can feel a need to measure my resources, count my strength, tally what I have, reducing things to numbers I can control, rather than trusting your promise; but David did not number those you had promised to multiply. Keep me from anxiously measuring and counting what you have promised to provide, as though I must reduce it to a controllable number; help me trust your promise, Lord, as David trusted your promise to multiply Israel. Help me rest in your promise rather than anxiously measuring and tallying.