Originally posted: 5/03/2020

Now this is the enumeration of the sons of Israel, the heads of fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers… (27:1).

There’s a lot of counting going on. There are inventories and catalogues of properties and goods. Commanders, officers, overseers and counselors are tallied. Extensive lists are meticulously calculated. But what is not to be counted… those who were twenty years of age and younger, the nation’s posterity; in other words, their future.

For how can anyone count their future? It is to be left where it belongs, in the hands of Him Who Can Be Counted On.

Consider Him Who Can Be Counted On

But David did not count those twenty years of age and under, because the Lord had said He would multiply Israel as the stars of heaven, (27:23).

• He Can Be Counted On to Fulfill His Promises
  • And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand. ⁴⁵ Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass, (Joshua 21:44-45).

• He Can Be Counted On to Achieve His Purpose
  • “…For I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is no one like Me,
    ¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning,
    And from ancient times things which have not been done,
    Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
    And I will accomplish all My good pleasure,’” (Isaiah 46:9-10).

• He Can Be Counted On to Accomplish His Plans
  • For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope, (Jeremiah 29:11).

• He Can Be Counted On to Direct our Paths
  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    And do not lean on your own understanding.
    ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
    And He will make your paths straight, (Proverbs 3:5-6).

How do we respond to Him Who Can Be Counted On?

The writer briefly, yet unflinchingly, reminded the readers of a previous time in their history when there was lot of counting going on; however it was a counting that failed to take into account Him Who Can Be Counted On.

But David did not count those twenty years of age and under, because the Lord had said He would multiply Israel as the stars of heaven. ²⁴ Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to count them, but did not finish; and because of this, wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not included in the account of the chronicles of King David, (27:23-24).

The preceding verses refer to the wrath of God incurred when David took it upon himself to take a census, to count his army of men who drew the sword, even against strong objections by his commander, Joab (2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21).

While the Bible never fully explains the exact reason God’s wrath came upon Israel, scholars believe that it was directly related to the sin of pride or self-reliance. Perhaps David’s heart was growing more dependent on himself than his God, counting on his own resources rather than Counting On the Only One Who is Able to Fulfill His Promises, Achieve His Purpose, Accomplish His Plans, and Direct our Paths.

Today, may we engage in some careful calculating in regards to this truth, that we would be enabled to see the reality of false hope, especially when compared to Him Who Can Be Counted On. And as we see and are persuaded by His Word, may we choose to engage in some counting ourselves.

• Let us choose to Count the Loss
  • But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… (Philippians 3:7-8)

• Let us choose to Count the Cost
  • “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ²⁸ For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:27-28).
  • … Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (Philippians 3:8).

• Let us choose to Count on His Resurrection
  • that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; ¹¹ in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. ¹²  Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 3:10-14).

• Let us choose to Count on His Divine Power
  • Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³ seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence, (2 Peter 1:2-3).

Oh, that we would refuse to place our trust in rubbish: our own opinions, our own resources or abilities, our reputation, wealth, or successes. Compared to knowing Jesus, it is all rubbish; and it is all also completely weak and unreliable. As we grow in the knowledge of His truth and place our full trust in His power, we can live in the comfort and confidence that He Can Be Counted On to Fulfill His Promises, Achieve His Purpose, Accomplish His Plans, and Direct our Paths.

Today, and everyday, let us live by faith in Him Who Can Be Counted On to provide everything needed for our lives, not only in this world, but for all of eternity.

And let’s close today, by reminding ourselves of our Great and Faithful God, of Him Who Can Be Counted On, beyond what we can even imagine!

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen, (Ephesians 1:20-21).

Let’s Grow Together!