Sep. 29, 2024

Series: AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART   9-29-24

How to Safeguard your Life

(2 Samuel 24)     

2 Samuel 24:2-3 2 So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, "Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are." 3 But Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?" 

HOW TO SAFEGUARD YOUR LIFE:

1. STAY _________________ TO WISE COUNCIL. 

(Don’t Ignore it!)

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds _______________ is wise.” Solomon – (Proverbs 12:15 NKJV)

1 Chronicles 21:3 3 Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?” 

2. STAY _________________ TO GOD. 

(Don’t Ignore Him!)

2 Samuel 24:1 (ESV) 1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah. 

(“Incited” sûṯ: stirring up persons with the intention to get them to deviate, to act with destructive, harmful purposes; to incite people to be evil, to lead them astray.)

James 1:13–14 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

① to entice to improper behavior, TEMPT.

② to discover the character of something by TESTING, make trial of.

1 Chronicles 21:1 Satan (Heb. “adversary”) rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel… 

EXPLANATION #1:

- David could have taken the census because…

“When we loose touch with God, we also become out of sync with ___________________.”

3. STAY _________________ TO PEOPLE.

(Don’t go at it alone!)

1 Chronicles 21:4–7 4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. 5 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah. 6 But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. 7 This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.

"Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to ______________." 

Bob Proctor

2 Samuel 24:10 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing." 

EXPLANATION #2:

- David could have taken the census in order to…

4. STAY _________________ WITH DECISIONS. 

(Don’t put yourself above others!)

1 Chronicles 21:9-17 9 The Lord said to Gad… 10 "Go and tell David, 'This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you…' 12 three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of… plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel…' 14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead… 

17 David said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? O Lord my God, let your hand fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."

We need to learn that our _____________ always affect other people. So be careful what you say and do, it’s not just about ________ and it’s not just about __________!

LINGERING AFFECTS OF OUR ACTIONS:

Exodus 20:4-6 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

5. STAY _________________ TO WHAT’S RIGHT.

(Don’t take the cheap way out!)

2 Samuel 24:21-24 21 Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?"  "To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped." 22 Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." 24 But (David) the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. 

David-Solomon         Present Day

"Own your actions. Hold yourself accountable. And remember that integrity is doing the ________ thing, even when no one is watching."  J.C. Penney

“If a thing be right, though you would lose by it, it must be done! if a thing be wrong, though you would gain by it, you must scorn that sin for your master’s sake.” Charles Spurgeon

2 Samuel 24:25 25 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.