Sermon Outline on 2 Samuel 24:15-25 for a Service of Prayer and Penitence
These are unusual times, even interesting (Chinese allusion to being vexed)
God’s anger was kindled against Israel and He incited David against them to take a census
Apparently, David did not command the census in accord with God’s Word and God offered a choice of three punishments:
- 3 years famine in the land
- 3 months of flight before Israel’s enemies
- 3 days’ pestilence in the land
David responded, “Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”
We read of what transpired as 70,000 fell.
We cannot fully understand the ways in which God works but, we like David, should cry out in confident faith that we are much better off to fall upon the mercy of God, even in pestilence, than we are to fall into the hands of man. As we know from experience, man is not always merciful, even evil. But as we know from Scripture, our God is always merciful.
It does not seem merciful to us that God would afflict us or even simply allow such as Coronavirus to infect our land and cause mass hysteria, tremendous financial loss, and death into the thousands. But, if these things turn us to God in prayer, to His Word that promises us salvation in Jesus Christ, then, has not God’s mercy won the day? For whoever calls upon the name of the lord will be saved and whoever believes in Jesus shall not perish but have everlasting life. We may be in the world and suffer for a time but we are not of the world, and in Christ, we have overcome the world and all its threats.
David’s actions bring about a pestilence and we see in this his sinful nature and God’s anger against it. But David also is the intercessor that pleads with God on behalf of the people and offers to God burnt offerings and peace offerings. David atones and reconciles the people at his own expense. He insists that the cost of the land and the materials come from his purse, at his expense, paid from his account. In this way, he points us to see more clearly in the midst of our own pestilence called COVID-19.
Wherever this virus finds its origin, whether among men or devil, God uses it as a call to repentance over sin – sin of commission and sin of omission – sins that we have done in violation to God’s direct command and sins which we have committed in neglecting our duty – sins in not loving our neighbor as ourselves and sins in not loving God above all.
We cannot rely upon an offering that does not cost anything, even if it has not cost us anything. Our burnt offering and our peace offering is in the one to whom David is the forerunner, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In Him is perfect atonement and perfect reconciliation. No matter how this virus’ course may run, we know and trust that God’s wrath against us has been appeased.
Tonight we call out in prayer pleading not only for ourselves but for all mankind, that each would turn from their evil and say with David, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercy is great.”
God be merciful to us all for Jesus’ sake. Amen.