We’re usually very poor at counting what really matters. Wise people let God keep the score.
Thank the Lord for the Chronicles! How they can clarify things! Here’s an example. “The anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah’” (2 Sam 24:1). You might assume that the Lord moved David to do this. But does God entrap people into sin? No, “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone” ( Jas 1:13). Also, if David did wrong, why was Israel punished? Listen to the clarification in 1 Chronicles 21:1, “Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.” God was angry with Israel, but the “he” was Satan who “moved David to number Israel.” People love stats—money in the bank, winning sports’ scores, or military forces. But God said, “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord…that there may be no plague among them…half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary” (Ex 30:12-13). They were the LORD’S, not David’s, and the half-shekel reminded them of their ransom. In spite of Joab’s appeal, David insisted, and the census was taken. As a result of his prideful sin, God gave David three choices for punishment: “seven years of famine…Or…flee three months before your enemies,…Or…three days’ plague in your land” (2 Sam 24:13). It says a lot about David that, even then, he felt safest in God’s hands. The destroying angel arrived. “From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died” (v 15). But when the angel approached Jerusalem, David cried for mercy, and received it. Yes, “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (Ps 130:3-4).