Why does 1 Chronicles 21:1 attribute the incitement to Satan, whereas 2 Samuel 24:1 claims that the LORD encouraged David to rebel against Israel?
Upon comparing 1 Chronicles 21:1 with 2 Samuel 24:1, we find something quite intriguing.
Once more, the LORD was enraged with Israel, and he provoked David to act against them by telling him to “go and take a census of Israel and Judah” (2 Samuel 24:1). “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel,” according to 1 Chronicles 21:1.
A contradiction?
These verses could appear to contradict one another at first look. The story clearly demonstrates that David was incorrect to take an Israeli census; was it the LORD’s idea, or was it Satan’s doing? Or were they both involved in some way? A curious pattern emerges as we examine the Bible more closely: though usually for different reasons, the LORD and Satan can both be participating in the same deed. The Bible does, in fact, demonstrate that there may be a multitude of individuals at work, some with good motives and others with negative ones.
An example: Jesus’ death
The most obvious example is Jesus’ crucifixion. Some wonder why we call the day Jesus died “Good Friday”? Wouldn’t a better name be “Bad Friday”? After all, what could be worse than crucifying God’s only Son (Mark 12:6-9)? That’s half-right. Good Friday was a day of great wickedness and hate. Satan (Luke 22:3), Judas (Mark 14:21), Pontius Pilate (John 19:11), the religious leaders (Acts 4:28), Herod (Acts 4:27) and the people (Matthew 27:25) all shared the blame for putting Jesus to death. However they missed the other side of the story. Good Friday was also a day of great goodness and love, because on that day God was also at work, though with a different motive: love (Romans 5:8). God so loved the world that He gave up His only Son (John 3:16) to suffer and die for the sins of many (Isaiah 53), to bring us back to God (1 Peter 3:18).
Good Friday demonstrates God’s might in addition to [God’s love]. When your opponents are trying to harm you, you have to be really strong to get them to do what you want. Still, that’s precisely what occurred on Good Friday! Even though they were still accountable for their deeds, God’s enemies were carrying out what His “power and will had decided beforehand should happen” (Acts 4:28).
God is in charge of all things
This pattern can be seen again and again throughout the Bible. God is in charge of all things (Romans 11:36) and His enemies can do only what He permits, and no more. Remember, for example, how Satan needed God’s permission to tempt Job (Job 1:12; 2:6), and the lying spirit needed God’s permission to deceive Ahab (1 Kings 22:22-23). In these cases, where Satan was at work with evil motives, God was doing something good: vindicating Job (Job 1:8; 2:3; 42:12-17) and punishing an evil king (1 Kings 22:37). Another good example is Pharaoh. Pharaoh “hardened his heart” (Exodus 9:34) with evil motives, but God was also at work in this same event with a good motive: to rescue His people miraculously so that His “name might be proclaimed in all the earth” (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17). Similarly with Joseph’s brothers: they sold him into slavery intending to harm him, “but God intended it for good … the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). Through their evil action, God worked to promote Joseph to Prime Minister of Egypt, and so provided food for the Israelites and the surrounding nations in the famine.
Practical implications
All this has some very practical implications. Because God is completely powerful (Job 42:2) and has motives which are completely good (James 1:13) we can trust Him and pray to Him with confidence in the face of temptation (Matthew 6:13). We can also see suffering from two complementary perspectives. On the one hand, suffering is a temptation. The world (Romans 12:2) the flesh (James 1:14) and the devil (Ephesians 6:12) are working in our suffering with evil motives, tempting us to sin against God. On the other hand, however, the suffering as a Christian is also a trial. God has good intentions in our every trial: to make us more like Christ (Romans 8:28). God sends us these trials to give us an opportunity to learn to trust and obey Him ever more fully (Romans 5:3-5). As we do, our faith is refined and so ultimately results “in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7).
Conclusion
Now that we’ve seen how the two verses we started with illuminate the identical occurrence from two distinct angles, it makes sense. God uses David’s census in 2 Samuel with the excellent purpose of punishing Israel for their wrongdoing, as they rightfully should have. However, 1 Chronicles demonstrates that God also granted Satan authority to act as the “middle man” in the chain. In this sense, the identical activity was being carried out by both God and Satan, but God for good and Satan for evil.
