DAY 143

CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

1 Chronicles 19, 20 & 21 and John 8:1-27

In chapters 19 and 20 we see Israel’s great success, but then David gets ahead of God in chapter 21. He calls for a census. Joab tries to stop him, but David is determined. The text says that “Satan” stood against Israel. Evil does that, it stands against God’s appointed. Satan’s goal is to cause the fall of all from God.

You might wonder what is wrong with David calling for a census. Three things come to mind. First, there is a thought of pride. David wants to know how many people there are in the nation. Up to this point, he has had to rely on God, now with the number of people in hand, will he be relying on himself? Secondly, he is counting “God’s people.” Counting hints at accomplishments, but these are God’s accomplishments, not David’s, and further “God numbers and calls his people by name” Genesis 15:15. Lastly a census is a way to conduct a military draft. The text says that David delivered a “number of men fit for military” service. Is this what God wanted? It was also a tool used to exact taxes. This is not a morally neutral act and moral acts should not be apart from God’s leading.

God points out that there are consequences to the nation for David’s sin. In His mercy and in response to David’s repentance, we read of David having to choose which punishment to receive. (If this sounds familiar, it is because you have read it in 2 Samuel 24.)

In the New Testament we come across the famous episode of a woman caught in adultery being brought before Jesus. Why are they bringing her to Jesus? Are they trying to test him? No doubt. I think there is more. Just as the Old Testament began with “Satan stood against Israel” is it not possible the Satan is standing against Israel’s Messiah? In verse 44 of this chapter Jesus will refer to the people who are testing him as having “the devil as their father.” Jesus, keenly aware of all that is at stake, simply invites people to reflect if they are without sin. There was only one person there that day without sin, Jesus. His view – “go and sin no more.”

Many people love the forgiveness part of Jesus’ actions. They love He is merciful. This episode is often used by people who say “Jesus didn’t judge the woman caught in adultery, we shouldn’t judge.” Actually we don’t know if Jesus judged her. He may have. What Jesus did was offer forgiveness. He did not extract a penalty for her sin. He also said “go and sin no more.”

Do not be confused. There are consequences for this sin of adultery. John’s Gospel has running through it Jesus, Lamb of God, who pays the price for the sin of the world – this is a more accurate view than “he did not judge her” – what he did do was pay the price for her sin with His life.

In the text, Jesus moves from Lamb to Light. Jesus is the Light of the world. Jesus finds himself (as compared to the woman) now as the one on trial. Isn’t that, going all the way back to the Old Testament, what God’s people are to do, be light? We are not to count up accomplishments as if they are our own, we are not to go around judging others, we are to shine His love.

We shine by first understanding what Jesus has accomplished for us – that He has born the eternal consequence for our sins.