let me fall into the hands of Yahweh,
for his mercy is very great;
and let me not fall into the hands of men
(1 Chron. 21:13)
David was offered 3 choices as punishment for numbering Israel: three years of famine; three months of war or three days of the Angel of Yahweh bringing death on the people. Three years seems a long time but they might just be able to eke things out; three months against military enemies for a seasoned warrior might not seem too long; but who knows how much damage the omnipotent God could do in just three days?
David opts for the three days, yet only on this basis: Yahweh's mercy is very great. Unlike fallen humanity, in wrath he remembers mercy. And his mercy is very great. It is indeed a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God but faced with the choice between Yahweh's merciful judgement and human cruelty, David chose the former.
Because Yahweh's mercy is very great.
2 comments:
But what is merciful about killing lots of people not implicated in David's sin? (Just my ongoing ponderings!)
Mr Badger,
I take your point. I think the mercy is seen in v.15 where the LORD sees the devastation and is grieved by it and calls his angel to stop the killing. So David was right to rely on mercy. I think the issue you raise about David's sin is probably related to his representative role as the King; the people are bound up in him, much as we are all bound up into Adam and suffer on account of his sin (as well as being sinful ourselves). All of which, I guess, points us gladly forward to another King to whom we may be bound and into whose righteousness we may bound. Thanks for asking the question!
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