THE WRONG DECISION OR POLICY MADE BY A LEADER 1

1 SATAN ROSE UP AGAINST ISRAEL AND CAUSED DAVID TO TAKE A CENSUS OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.
2 SO DAVID SAID TO JOAB AND THE COMMANDERS OF THE ARMY, “TAKE A CENSUS OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—AND BRING ME A REPORT SO I MAY KNOW HOW MANY THERE ARE.”
14 SO THE LORD SENT A PLAGUE UPON ISRAEL, AND 70,000 PEOPLE DIED AS A RESULT.
15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But just as the angel was preparing to destroy it, the Lord relented and said to the death angel, “Stop! That is enough!” At that moment the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem. So David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground.
17 AND DAVID SAID TO GOD, “I AM THE ONE WHO CALLED FOR THE CENSUS! I AM THE ONE WHO HAS SINNED AND DONE WRONG! BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE AS INNOCENT AS SHEEP—WHAT HAVE THEY DONE? O LORD MY GOD, LET YOUR ANGER FALL AGAINST ME AND MY FAMILY, BUT DO NOT DESTROY YOUR PEOPLE."
1 Chronicles 21:1,2,14-17 (NLT)

• If the devil wanted to afflict a nation or a group of people, he would move their leader to do contrary to God's Word—sin against God.

• You might be wandering and asking; Why a census or the numbering of the people would bring a plague? Why would God be angry with such a move? God Himself had one time commanded Moses to number the Israelites when they were in the wilderness (Numbers 1:1-3; 26:1-4). Then, Why would He be angry when David did?
• When you pledge an allegiance or a solemn commitment to God, He would give you some guidelines or instructions or commands or rules to follow or abide with. Even in your individual walk with God, as a believer.
• God is not precarious, uncertain or lacking in stability, Whose mood changes every now and then. If you understood Him and walked or abided with His principles and commands; you would not incur or bring upon yourself His wrath.
• God had earlier told the Israelites that whenever a census is taken or conducted, every man counted had to give a Ransom for himself: “WHENEVER YOU TAKE A CENSUS OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, EACH MAN WHO IS COUNTED MUST PAY A RANSOM FOR HIMSELF TO THE LORD. THEN NO PLAGUE WILL STRIKE THE PEOPLE AS YOU COUNT THEM" (Exodus 30:12 NLT).
  READ: Numbers 30:11-16

• One could deduce from the passage, the reasons for the plague, when David instructed that the Israelites should be numbered:
a. There probably was no need for the census. When David instructed Joab to number Israel, he may have done it for egocentric reasons. Even when Joab was telling him there was no need for the census, David insisted that It should be conducted (1 Chronicles 21:3,4).
b. The people counted probably did not pay the Ransom they supposed to pay, according to God's commands through Moses (Numbers 30:11-16). Because If the Ransom were paid, the plague would not have been: " . . . EACH MAN WHO IS COUNTED MUST PAY A RANSOM FOR HIMSELF TO THE LORD. THEN NO PLAGUE WILL STRIKE THE PEOPLE AS YOU COUNT THEM" (Exodus 30:12).

• This shows to us that If a leader; in government, or in the family, or in an organization, misses it; the consequences of whatever he or she did wrongly would be on the people under their leadership.
There is implicit significance of the wrong decision or policy made by a leader.

• This is the reason why the Bible instructed the believers to pray for those in authority, in government, that we might live or have a peaceful life:
  2 THEREFORE I EXHORT FIRST OF ALL THAT SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS BE MADE FOR ALL MEN, 2 FOR KINGS AND ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY, THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND REVERENCE" (1 Timothy 2:1,2 NKJV).
• A wrong decision made by the Head of government, and those who are with him or her, would have a negative consequence or effect or impact on the citizens.
• When the plague came because of the wrong decision or policy of David, the consequences were on all Israel:
  14 SO THE LORD SENT A PLAGUE UPON ISRAEL, AND 70,000 PEOPLE DIED AS A RESULT. 15 AND GOD SENT AN ANGEL TO DESTROY JERUSALEM . . . " (1 Chronicles 21:14,15).

• When a leader goes against God's Will; His order or commands, such a leader puts the people under his or her leadership in jeopardy—distress or trouble.

• This is applicable to every level of leadership. A father in a home or family might make a wrong decision that would put the whole family in problems.
• Thus, the wife who is the help meet, a helper or companion, and the grown up children in the family; have a responsibility to pray for the head of the family—who is the husband and the father in that home.
• This is the reason why whoever in a position of leadership should first of all be submissive unwaveringly to God and the leadership of the Holy Spirit on the inside of him as a believer.
• To be able to lead others effectively and successfully, in God's way; a leader would need to submit to God and allow Him, God, to direct in all the affairs of his or her life through the Holy Spirit on the inside of them.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Should there be any ailment in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' name.
• The Hold of infirmity is totally broken in your life and never will you be bound again in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!
  TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!