2 Samuel 24:1

2 Samuel 24:1 says, And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.  Matthew Henry says that God was angry because David was going to number the people and later verses seem to bear this out.  God was once again angry with Israel, and it seems He told David to go and number Israel and Judah.  Matthew Henry says David’s arrogance and not God led him to do this.  Though they were called God's people, they were often His people in name only.  We today cannot afford to be the same way.  Verse two adds, For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.  David told Joab, the captain of his army, to go and number all the people of Israel, though David didn't tell Joab why he wanted him to do this.  Verse three continues, And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?  Joab, who seemed to question David’s authority a good bit, asked David why he wanted to do this, since David’s God, as Joab referred to Him, would add to the people as He saw fit.  David still didn't give Joab a reason as to why he was doing this.  Leaders of the church today may not always feel the need to tell us why they are doing a particular thing, but we need to pray that it is always because God has commanded them to.  Verse four concludes, Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.  It seems that Joab and the captains of the army all questioned David, but David’s will prevailed.  David may have truly believed that he was doing God's will, but it would seem that this really wasn't the case.  Verse five states, And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer:  Though he questioned David, Joab and those who were to help him passed over Jordan to begin counting the people.  If we truly believe that religious leaders are calling on us to do something that we believe is against God's will, we should not only question them, but should refuse to do what they ask.  Verse six adds, Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,  Matthew Henry points out that they began the count in the most distant parts of Israel.  Verse seven continues, And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.  They continued their count throughout Israel.  Verse eight says, So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.  It took them nine months and twenty days to complete the count, by which time it was likely no longer accurate.  Some people where they first counted would have been born and others died by the time over nine months had passed.  Though I see no problem with counting attendance and membership in the local church today, we need to pray that after over nine months that it will have increased.  Verse nine adds, And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.  Joab took the count to David, and from the way it is stated, these must have been the men over twenty capable of going to war.  Though the count was divided between the people of Israel and the people of Judah, they were all part of the same nation in God's sight.  We as followers of Christ may divide ourselves by country or denomination here in the world, but we are still all a part of the same family of God.