2 Samuel 24 - My God

Title: My God

• • Big Idea:** What made David different from so many others was not his personal righteousness, wisdom, or pedigree. What set David apart was his consistent commitment to making God his own personal God.

• • Christ Focus:** In Christ, we have the very image of God (Colossians 1:15) and access to the throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16).

• • Application:** Make a point of making God *your* God, not just *a* god, or even your parents’ God, your friends’ God, or your pastor’s God. Make God *your* God.

Introduction

Image: Consistency Sets Apart the Best

What sets the best apart is often not something they possess that everyone else lacks, but something they consistently do that others are unwilling to do. Professional athletes may have extraordinary natural ability, but talent alone does not make someone great. They train when they are tired, practice when no one is watching, and discipline themselves to do the small things over and over again. The difference is often not greater potential, but greater consistency.

The same principle is true in almost every area of life. The best teachers keep learning. The best leaders keep preparing. The best musicians keep practicing. The strongest Christians keep pursuing Christ even when they do not feel like it. Excellence is rarely the result of one extraordinary moment; it is usually the result of ordinary disciplines practiced faithfully over time. What sets a person apart is often not what they possess, but what they are willing to do consistently.

Need: Recognizing the Decision to Make God Personal

We need to recognize that what distinguishes the faithful is the decision to make God their personal God.

Preview: Fallenness, Discipline, and Personal Relationship

Today we will explore the reality of human fallenness, the purpose of God’s discipline, and ultimately, the profound call to make God our own personal God.

Setting the Stage

We have been slowly and methodically working our way through the life of David. Last week, we looked at 2 Samuel 19 and David’s return to Israel after Absalom’s rebellion. Chapters 20–23 include a few battles and a lot of review of David’s kingdom and the people who were significant. As we wrap up this series, I don't want to get bogged down in all of that. It is important and worth your time at some point, but I want to finish up our David series today by looking at a capstone event that the author of 2 Samuel uses to bring out the heart of David, a man described as being after God’s own heart.

The narrative of David is far from easy. David makes mistake after mistake, but he constantly returns to God. In 2 Samuel 24, we will again see exactly the same principle play out.

Body

**Fallen**: David Faced Temptations and Even Fell into Temptations Just Like You and Me (2 Samuel 24:1-9)

God allows His own people to go through trials and temptations (1-2).

Sometimes, as you go through Scripture and study, you will come across passages that are particularly challenging to make sense of, and this is one such passage. At some point in David’s reign — 1 Chronicles 21 places it toward the end of his reign — David opts to take a census of the nation. That part is easy enough, but the details are where things get hard. Verse 1 tells us that the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. 1 Chronicles 21:1 tells us that Satan rose up against Israel. So what in the world is going on?

We need to understand something of the theology that Israel holds. You see, theology greatly impacts how you view the world and events. In Israelite theology, and frankly within Scripture, the sovereign God of the universe has the capacity to divinely intervene and change the course of history. Hence, at the end of the day, God can allow or disallow events to occur. Here, based on 1 Chronicles 21:1, what I think is happening is that Satan decides to go after Israel, and God, in His sovereign wisdom, allows it to happen. Why exactly was God angry with Israel? I don’t know; the text doesn’t say. But God is perfectly just, and so whatever it was, God’s actions in allowing Satan to incite David were good.

Look, in real life there are times when God allows us to go through trials and temptations. That does not absolve us of responsibility — and we will see David take responsibility here — what it does is remind us that the God of the universe is allowing those trials and temptations for something far bigger than we can imagine. Again, we are not absolved, but we can take solace in the fact that God is in control even in the trial and temptation.

Even amidst temptation we remain fully responsible, yet God faithfully provides a way out (2 Samuel 24:3; 1 Corinthians 10:13).

In verse 3, Joab, whom I am not really a big fan of, handles the situation well. Joab warns David that David’s faith is in God, and the taking of a census is unnecessary. Joab strongly implies it would be wrong to do this. Why would it be wrong? I don’t know; again, the text doesn’t say. In Exodus 30:12, Moses established at least a plausible link between taking a census and plagues on the people. Perhaps the problem is that the census indicates David is trusting his own power instead of God. Again, I don’t know, but we can see the census is clearly a problem, and Joab wisely steps in to challenge David.

I am reminded of `1 Corinthians 10:13`: > No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The first principle we looked at was the reality that sometimes God allows us to be tempted. The second principle is the reality that we do not have to fall to the temptation; God provides ways out and reminders.

Despite this, real humans still succumb to sin (4-9).

Sure, Joab had warned David of the folly of his actions, but that did not stop David, and so eventually Joab submitted to David’s request. Beginning in the Transjordan region and moving counter-clockwise through the Kingdom, Joab began the census. The numbers are quite large, but a warning: the Hebrew word for "thousand" (אֶ֫לֶף) can also refer to a military unit or even a clan instead of the English “thousand.” This is a topic for another day, but mathematically, I have a strong argument, drawing on linear algebra, that in the book of Numbers the Hebrew אֶ֫לֶף must not mean “thousand.” Personally, here I also suspect it shouldn’t mean “thousand,” and instead what we have is a census of 800 military units in Israel and 500 in Judah. Frankly, this seems far more realistic given the size of Israel (1/7th size of Iowa).

But now we are too far into the weeds. The point is that in the face of temptation and an escape route, David still fell. This is a reality we all face. Each of us regularly finds ourselves falling for temptation.

So what do we do with that? Let’s start with an action step.

Action Step: Do not allow our fallen nature to become an excuse for sin, nor allow past sin to paralyze your future.

What do I mean? Let’s acknowledge our fallenness and not allow it to predict our next fall, while also not allowing fear of fallenness to keep us from moving and growing. Fear of failure can rob you of the future, and the blame game can keep you from growing. Keep your fallenness in a healthy balance! In other words, when you sin, don’t excuse it as not your fault, but also don’t let it devastate you so much that you cannot move forward. Instead, confess your sins, and He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

**Discipline**: God Has Tools That He Can Use to Shape Each of Us (2 Samuel 24:10-17)

God has equipped each of us with a conscience (10).

Verse 10 is a powerful verse. David, after doing something he should not have done, is struck by his own conscience.

I want us to understand something important here. We all have God’s law written on our hearts, even if it is marred because of the fall.

Notice `Romans 2:14-15`: > Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.

Each of us has some idea of our own sins. But notice what David does when his conscience strikes him. David runs to God. This is the key. There are really two types of people: those who, when conscience strikes, run to God, and those who run from God. And guess what? You cannot truly run from God, so the only meaningful choice is to run to God.

I also think we would do well to notice what David says to God. David asks God to remove his guilt. Look, this is raw, and it is what we should do. We serve a God who is Himself the Judge, and we should recognize sin and then ask the Judge for forgiveness.

On the cross, Jesus paid for our sin, and so if you have accepted Jesus as Savior, it is not just okay to ask for forgiveness; it is exactly what you need to do! Don’t use grace as an excuse to sin, but also don’t use sin as an excuse not to ask for grace.

God is both just and merciful (11-14).

There are times when God’s answer is “yes,” times it is “no,” times it is “wait,” and times when it is some combination. In this case, God’s answer was not “wait,” but rather God, in His mercy and justice, gave David some options: seven years of famine, flee for three months from enemies, or three days of plague.

God is just, and sin has consequences, but those consequences are not arbitrary or wasted. And God is also merciful and sometimes limits those consequences. Ultimately, this is realized in the cross where the consequence of eternal death and separation from God is removed. But even in day-to-day life, God is merciful, and so God tells David to pick how the consequences will fall.

David, in an act of incredible wisdom, opts to place himself fully on God’s mercy rather than in the hands of anyone else. I find it interesting that we often assume David asked for the plague, but that is not what I read in the text. David asked to be in God’s hands.

The situation is important because if we truly trust God and believe He is merciful, then there is no better place we can be as fallen sinners than in the hands of God. Again, when your conscience strikes, run to God!

God’s discipline has purpose (15-17).

Now we get to the important reality we all need to come to grips with: God’s discipline is purposeful.

`Hebrews 12:10-11`: > They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

In the case of David, what we see is that God is executing His discipline and it gets to Jerusalem, where His mercy prevails. And this is the moment where God’s discipline reaches its purpose. David, looking at the destruction, recognizes that he bears responsibility, and he takes it. Look, throughout the entire book of 2 Samuel, we have seen David move from one sin to another and repent, but here at the end, we see something truly special: David repents and acknowledges his responsibility both to lead and care for his people, and ultimately to take their place.

This is “next level” and something Saul never accomplished. We now see the man after God’s own heart get it: the God of the universe is the God who stands in for His people, taking their punishment. And now I finally think that David is getting it.

Image: The Role of Discipline

Did you know that in developmental psychology people talk about how to properly do discipline? A purposeful, measured correction separates the child’s identity from their behavior, sending a clear message: “You are deeply loved, but this action is harmful.” It is an important concept in child-rearing. Discipline should not be arbitrary, but rather intentional.

God’s discipline is never fueled by a desire to get even or inflict arbitrary harm. His boundaries are designed to protect our hearts, correct our paths, and restore our souls. His discipline always has a divine purpose: to shape our character, draw us closer to Him, and mold us into who we were truly created to be.

Action Step: Reflect on your view of God’s discipline. Do you perceive it as vindictive or as purposeful and loving?

Okay, here is a hard reality: how you view God’s discipline will be tied to how you were disciplined. If your parents were intentional, restorative discipliners, then you probably view God that way. If your parents were absentee discipliners or arbitrarily lost their temper, then you may view God that way. The key here is to be honest with yourself and seek to change your view of God to one that is consistent with who God really is.

**Relationship**: God Is Not Just a God; He Is My God (2 Samuel 24:18-25)

Unlike false gods, the LORD alone is worthy of our worship (18-21).

I want to finish today by looking at the relational nature of God. The first thing I want to point out is how David responds to Gad. The prophet Gad comes to David and presumably informs him that God has truly shown mercy, and the proper response to that mercy is worship through sacrifice.

We learn in verse 16 that God had stopped the plague near the threshing floor of Araunah, and tradition holds that this was on Mount Moriah, just outside the northern wall of Jerusalem at that time. So David goes there to offer a sacrifice to God, and Araunah meets David.

What I want you to see here is the worship that comes through sacrifice. The God of the universe wants our worship, but not because He needs our worship — God needs nothing from us — but rather, I believe, for our own good. I believe all of creation reaches culmination in worship, and the merciful, just, sovereign God of the universe is alone worthy of our worship.

More than general worship, He desires your personal, individual worship (22-24).

But it is not just a general notion of worship. No, God deserves far more; He deserves our personal worship. Notice what happens: Araunah offers David oxen and wood for the offering, but David declines. David recognizes something important: worship of God needs to be his own personal worship. It needs to cost him something to truly be worship.

Sure, David could accept Araunah’s offer, but that would fail to be true individual worship. I want to challenge all of us here today with this. God is not the God of your parents, the God of this church, or the God of your pastors. **God must be your personal God, or you have nothing.** You must offer your time, your resources, your sacrifices to God. I will be blunt: there are a lot of people who ride on the offerings of others instead of making their own offering. We need people who make it personal by offering their own. The New Testament story of the widow’s mite is a story of someone who understood the value of sacrifice. When you sacrifice, you make God your own personal God, and that matters.

Beyond individual worship, He seeks a deep, personal relationship with you (25).

Look at what happens in verse 25: David offers the sacrifice, both a burnt offering (typically offered for sin) and a peace offering. And what happens? The Lord accepts the offering; moreover, the Lord hears the prayer of David. And this is where it all finally comes together. God wants a relationship with you. At all costs, seriously, Jesus died so that God could have a relationship with you.

Image: Through the Cross, We Can Fully Enjoy Relationship with God

One of my favorite passages in Scripture is `John 20:28`:

> Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Think about that profound moment. After days of doubt, after the trauma of the crucifixion and the bewildered joy of the resurrection, Thomas stands before the risen Christ. And his response isn’t just an intellectual acknowledgment; it’s a deeply personal, worshipful declaration: “My Lord and my God!” This isn’t just *a* God, or *the* God; it’s *his* God. It’s the moment where the divine becomes utterly personal.

Look, we are all sinners, every one of us. Our sin creates an impassable chasm between us and a holy God. But in His incredible mercy, God Himself has bridged that chasm. He hasn’t just offered a way for us to be forgiven; He has made a way for us to enter into an intimate, vibrant, and transformative relationship with Him. Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross — bearing our sin, overcoming death, and rising victorious — we too can stand before Him, not in fear, but with open hearts, and declare, with Thomas, “You are my Lord and my God!” The cross isn’t just about escape from hell; it’s about access to heaven, access to the Father, access to a personal, living relationship with the Creator of the universe.

Conclusion

David was a man after God’s own heart, not because he was perfect, but because in his fallenness and through God’s loving discipline, he consistently returned to make God his own personal God. He didn’t just know *about* God; he knew God. He didn’t just worship *a* God; he declared, “You are *my* God.” And because of what Jesus has done on the cross, bridging the chasm of our sin, we too can stand before the Creator of the universe and, with Thomas, proclaim, “My Lord and my God!” The question for each of us is not merely if we believe in God, but if we have made Him *our* God. Are you pursuing Him personally, intimately, and consistently? Let us, like David, continually make God our own.