Who led David to number the people? One place you read that it was God and yet in another place it was Satan. Is this a contradiction in the word of God?

David is in charge. As such, it is a day of forgiveness and mercy (Shimei and Mephibosheth). It is a day of grace and blessing (Barzillai and Chimham).

Bible commentators recognize this chapter as a difficult one to interpret. It is good to approach this chapter as having three major sections: 1) the coming destruction of the land which will come because of 2) their rejection of the good shepherd and 3) their acceptance of the evil shepherd. This chapter points to the rejection of Jesus Christ as Messiah and to the acceptance of the antichrist and the destruction of the land of Israel during the Tribulation.

This chapter contains the blessing of Moses on the tribes of Israel before his death. As Jacob did before he died, so Moses gave a poetic and often prophetic blessing on each of the tribes. The present passage gives an introduction to the blessing and the specific pronouncements upon Reuben, Judah, and Levi.

David is at the height of his reign with multiple victories on the field, and a great spiritual victory when he lifts the grandson of his enemy to a place of blessing and prominence.

Abner had killed Joab’s brother, Asahel, in battle. Joab cannot wait for the Lord but must exact his own vengeance.

Samuel, the gift of God to a praying mother, ministered in his early years. God worked in his life and used him mightily.

God is a God of order. He is also a God who divides. Even on the first day of creation, He divided the light from the darkness. And, He expects His servants to rightly divide His word (2Timothy 2:15).

With this lesson, you begin a course on how to study the Bible. The wonder and richness of the Bible makes it hard to find a starting place. But before you go very far, you must understand a little about what makes the Bible so special. The Bible is unlike any other book in the world. It is a direct message from God.