Then and now

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marty54

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And Satan rose up against Israel: and moved David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab, and to the rulers of the people: Go, and number Israel from Bersabee even to Dan, and bring me the number of them that I may know it. 3 And Joab answered: The Lord make his people a hundred times more than they are: but, my lord the king, are they not all thy servants: why doth my lord seek this thing, which may be imputed as a sin to Israel? 4 But the king’s word rather prevailed: and Joab departed, and went through all Israel: and returned to Jerusalem. 5 And he gave David the number of them, whom he had surveyed: and all the number of Israel was found to be eleven hundred thousand men that drew the sword: and of Juda four hundred and seventy thousand fighting men.
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Can someone explain to me what did GOD see wrong in David carrying out a census or survey.
This is an every day occurance now, even the catholic church makes them.Back home only recently a survey was carried out to see how many catholics attend Sunday Mass.

Why is it that all that is OK to do today was a sin before the coming of Christ.?
 
11 And when Gad was come to David, he said to him: Thus saith the Lord: choose which thou wilt: 12 Either three years’ famine: or three months to flee from thy enemies, and not to be able to escape their sword: or three days to have the sword of the Lord, and pestilence in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying in all the coasts of Israel: now therefore see what I shall answer him who sent me.
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Sorry forgot to add this quote.
 
A census is not intrinsically evil. The Book of Numbers is all about numbering the people. David’s worldly concern about how many fighting men there were in Israel seems to betray a mistrust in the Lord’s promise that they would, no matter what their number, triumph over their enemies because He was with them.
 
Hi Marty,

The original story is in 2 Sam. 24, where it is Yahweh that excites David to do a census. (Since God cannot command an evil act, Chronicles attributes it to Satan. (There are other places in the Bible that state that Satan only acts in the world as God permits. Job comes to mind.)

The commentary in the Bible de Jérusalem is that in ancient times, it was considered insulting to God to do a census, since God was supposed to own the land and everything on it. David does a census as if it all belonged to him.

Verbum
 
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