Did God make David sin?

Why does it say in 2 Samuel 24:1 that it was the LORD, himself, that told David to number Israel and Judah?   However, in 1 Chronicles 21:1 it says Satan provoked David to number Israel.

This question is one that can be answered simply by comparing scripture with scripture. The short answer is that God did not "tell David,” as your question stated! If God told David to do something and he did it that would be faith...David would be obeying God, which is a good thing!  No, God did not “tell” David to number Israel, all it said was that God “moved” David against Israel. So now, your question more correctly should be: "How exactly did God "move" David against them to say..."?

Here's how: notice that in 2 Samuel 24, the first verse starts with the words "And again."

2 Samuel 24:1

And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

This shows us that the anger of the Lord had been kindled against Israel (many times) before this. And because Israel was under the Law of Moses, when God was angry at them, He would send some type of curse upon them just like they agreed to under the Law. The particular curse in this account was a "pestilence."

2 Samuel 24:15

So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.

So we see that because God was angry at the nation of Israel, he brought this particular curse upon them. But why did he use David as the vessel of this curse? Because when God dealt with nations back then (particularly, his nation Israel), he dealt with them through their leaders, and in this case, king David! With that light, look at the verse again.

2 Samuel 24:1-2

And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.

See in verse one, notice that God moved David "against them," that is, by using their king's own actions against them, he is able to now punish them. Know also that God did not force David to do this. God, in his infinite foreknowledge and wisdom knew that this was something in David's heart already, so he just used it to accomplish his purposes (similar to how God used Judas/Romans to crucify our Lord—although they did it willingly—God used it for his purposes). In verse 2 it says about David "that I may know." That is David! It was what his heart desired to know! Notice that this evil was David's own choice, as well, and he had a chance to not do it because Joab tried to reason with him from God's plan with David/Israel and talk him out of it. But David would not take heed, but insisted!

2 Samuel 24:3-4

And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

So once Joab could not persuade David, the coming curse was sealed.

By the way, why is what David did so wrong anyway? Well, by numbering his people (his men of war), David was boasting in his own glory, instead of trusting the Lord!

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up [in pride] above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Now let's compare this passage to the passage in

1 Chronicles 21:1-4

 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

Notice here that the scriptures say that it was Satan who "stood up" (we'll see what that means in a minute) against Israel.

Now here's where being a diligent bible student comes in. Notice that Satan "standing up" against Israel is very common in scriptures. Look at the following passages...

Zechariah 3:1

 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

Notice here that the prophet Zechariah gets a vision of a court session taking place in heaven. And the nation of Israel (represented here by their high priest leader Joshua) is being "resisted" or accused by Satan. That is what it means by Satan "stood up" against Israel in…

1 Chronicles 21:1

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Now what about Satan provoking David in this passage? And why does the passage in 2 Samuel 24 say that it was God that moved him?

2 Samuel 24:1

And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he [the LORD] moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

One passage says that Satan provoked him, and another passage says that God moved him. So how do you reconcile this contradiction? Well, unlike the lost/unbeliever, the believer and bible student would simply look around scripture to see if can give more light, and lo and behold, it does!

Job 1:6-12

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Evidently, just like the scene in Zechariah, there are heavenly councils in which Satan goes before God to accuse those who trust God. And also evidently God allows his people to be tempted by Satan to abandon trust in God...so as to be proved!

Matthew 4:1

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Luke 22:31-32

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Revelation 12:10

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

More from Job...

Job 2:1-7

 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD [for an heavenly council], and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

We know from the story that Job patiently endured and passed the faith test! Well, we know from our text above that David did not (even though Joab tried to help him)! And God used David's willful sin to dole out punishment of Israel!

God has no problem using evil to accomplish his purposes when it came to punishing Israel for their sins under the Law of Moses because they covenanted with them and he was righteous to send it!

Isaiah 45:7

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Daniel 9:14

Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

And the way that God sent evil upon Israel was through either evil spirits like Satan or his angels (devils), or by gentiles coming to destroy Israel!

Exodus 12:23

For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

1 Corinthians 10:10

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

1 Kings 22:18-23

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he [the LORD] said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Evidently this was an evil angel [one of Satan’s fallen angels]!

Judges 9:23

Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

1 Samuel 16:13-16

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

Revelation 9:1-2

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star [aka, an angel in scripture] fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he [the fallen angel/star] opened the bottomless pit;

Isaiah 45:1

Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus [a gentile king], whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

Isaiah 10:5

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

Here, the gentile king was used by God to punish Israel (type of the Antichrist)

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12

And then shall that Wicked [Antichrist] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So no doubt that scripture makes it crystal clear that in prophecy, and when God deals with Israel, he does use evil spirits to do his work under the Law!

So let's look at our texts again....

2 Samuel 24:1

And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

1 Chronicles 21:1

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Okay, the first verse says that it was God who moved David, but the second one said that it Satan who provoked him right? Well from what we learned, Satan accused David and Israel before God, and God allows Satan to tempt David to sin. Then God, knowing already what David would choose, uses David's choice to sin to punish Israel. Again, David still had freewill to change his mind, but he did not. And God accounts David with sin even though God knew what David would do, and used it for his purposes (like Judas/Romans crucifixion of the Lord).

You see, God used the Assyrian (and the Antichrist in the future) to punish Israel although the Assyrian himself did not know that God was using him.

Isaiah 10:5-16

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

God will also punish that same Assyrian (like he will with Judas and the future Antichrist) for choosing to sin against his people! (That's why God sent Jonah to the Ninevites/Assyrians).

So in conclusion, how does God move David to say go number Israel? By allowing Satan to "provoke" him?

Because God allowed Satan to test David and to punish Israel for their sins against God under the Law, God in essence was able to use David's own free-will choice to accomplish his purpose, while at the same time showing David the sin of pride that was in his own heart! Kind of like killing 2 birds with one stone, or being economical, just like he did with the Cross of Christ!

Luckily for all of us, God does not deal with us (or mankind) that way today.

So how does that verse apply to us believers today? Well, God gives us discernment through his apostle to us today, Paul, about the "time and judgment" for our present dispensation of grace.

1 Timothy 4:1-9

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

Here we see that when Paul tells us about the "latter times" of our current dispensation of Grace, his focus is not on what is taking place in the outside world around us, but his focus is what will go on inside the church the body of Christ. So our focus, when looking at whether or not we are in our last days ought to also be on what's going on inside the church. And what we see from these verse is that the issue of people (particularly those who are put in charge to teach the church) will "give heed," that is, to pay attention to, "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." What I see about those two things from scripture is that just like the beginning of our dispensation, particularly during the transition from the prophetic program to the mystery program, where "supernatural" manifestations were taking place, so will it be in the end of our dispensation, where not only will there be bad teachings out there that go against Paul's doctrine (originated by Satan and his angels) but there will be similar seemingly "supernatural" manifestations that will draw people away from God's rightly divided word.

And today, we do see just that taking place in the church. Many believers not only reject God's word through Paul, but they also are drawn away by some "spiritual experience" that they claim that they had (and no doubt some have), in which they attribute to God, but really are from other spirits. And this is not unusual because just like at the beginning when we very very close to those supernatural manifestations of prophecy during the transition, the closer we get to the rapture and thus, the beginning of prophecy again, we will see more and more of those things. That prophetic time will be filled with all types of supernatural manifestations that draw people away from God's truth!

2 Thessalonians 2:11

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

In the bible, the way that God does this is simply by allowing Satan and his angels to do these supernatural "wonders" so that people will get the "lie" that they want!

Paul later gives Timothy and us more light on our last days...

2 Timothy 3:1-14

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them

Again we see that Paul's focus is not on what's going on outside the church, but inside! he warns us about what's sure to come, and that is, people will not only be against his doctrine, but they will be as mean and evil as the lost people without. Again, we do not have to look that hard to see those things even among members of the body do we? So in my professional opinion as a bible student and a pastor, we are living in the last days of God's dispensation of grace. Unfortunately, for those of us who think about these things, God chose not to give us the exact year/day/hour of the rapture, but instead gave us the general trend of what will take place right before it. He did that, I believe in order for us to not just sit around doing nothing while we await his return. But he desires us to keep working with him to see people saved out of this world headed on the collision course of his wrath to come, and to see saints edified in his truth!

2 Corinthians 5:20

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Hopefully this helps!

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