Their Number | A Devotional by Corbin Riley
“Their Number”
“that I may know their number.” ~2 Samuel 24:2b
Many of you probably don’t know this, but I am a huge movie buff; in fact, I own over 1,000 movies (which I’ve collected over time, of course). From the 1920’s to the 2020’s, I have movies spanning 100 years and every genre. It brings me enjoyment to collect movies, display them on my shelf, and catalog each one. Initially, I didn’t think about how many I had but which ones I had. After a while, I started focusing on quantity rather than quality. My collection ballooned to the point I ran out of room on my shelves, so I started stacking them on the floor (I wasn’t hoarding…I promise…or so I told my wife).
In 2 Samuel chapter 24, King David, at the incitement of the Lord, has a count taken of all the people under his dominion in Israel and Judah. “Joab then reported the census figures to the king: of men capable of wielding a sword, there were in Israel eight hundred thousand, and in Judah five hundred thousand.” (9) God didn’t ask for the number of men capable of carrying a sword; no, he asked for a census of all the people. Possibly, that number was taken but not reported in Scripture. Still, I have a feeling David just wanted to know how powerful his kingdom was.
David regrets his actions shortly after, even admitting to the Lord how he “gravely sinned” (10a). The punishment fits the crime because God gives David three choices, all of which will devastate the population.
Sadly, spiritual leaders can get wrapped up in counting the numbers. Like with my movie collecting: I wanted bragging rights; I wanted to impress; I simply wanted more. I lost focus of what movie collecting meant to me in the first place—having quality films I could enjoy sharing with my family and friends. The people in our church, our groups, and our household aren’t there to inflate our image—they are made in the image of God. As spiritual leaders, we must focus on sharpening and refining those whom God has brought to us. Did Jesus say, “I’ll make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19) or “I’ll teach you how to count fish?”
Resist the temptation to count the numbers – focus on the people of God and always improve the present moment.