A.M.

2987 B.C.

1017 An. Ex. Is.

474
again

2 Samuel 21:1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered...

he This verse, when read without reference to any other part of the word of God, is very difficult to understand, and has been used by those who desire to undermine the justice of God, to shew that he sought occasion to punish--that he incited David to sin; and when he has so incited him, gave to him the dreadful alternative of choosing one of three scourges by which his people were to be cut off. On the face of the passage these thoughts naturally arise, because `the Lord' is antecedent to the pronoun `he'--He moved David. But to those who `search the Scriptures,' this exceedingly difficult passage receives a wonderful elucidation, By referring to

1 Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

, the reader will there find that {Satan was the mover}, and that the Lord most righteously punished David for the display of pride he had manifested. Oh! that Christians, who sometimes have their minds harassed with doubts, would remember the promise, that what they know not now they shall know hereafter, and if no other instance of elucidation than this passage occurred to them to remove their doubts, let this be a means of stirring them up to dig deeper than ever into the inexhaustible mines of the Inspired Word.

James 1:13,14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man...

moved

2 Samuel 12:11 Thus said the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes...

2 Samuel 16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, Curse David...

Genesis 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it to good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Exodus 7:3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

1 Samuel 26:19 Now therefore, I pray you, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred you up against me...

1 Kings 22:20-23 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner...

Ezekiel 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he has spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him...

Ezekiel 20:25 Why I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

Acts 4:28 For to do whatever your hand and your counsel determined before to be done.

2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Go, number

1 Chronicles 27:23,24 But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under...