Black Pastors vs. BLM

Black lives matter. That is a true and vital statement with which I agree. All lives matter. They matter so much that Jesus died for each and every one of us. The troubling events of these past 6 months have really hit home with me. When I saw the video of a young black man being chased down and murdered in the street for simply jogging through the "wrong" neighborhood, my heart broke as I thought of a precious, adoptive member of our family running down the street, training for football season. 

In early Summer, there had been a major standoff between police and protestors a few short miles from my apartment in Fort Worth which was only diffused by prayer and the cool-headed humility of the Fort Worth police department. Amid the isolation of the pandemic and the tensions caused by horrible atrocities committed against the African-American community, I was really looking forward to getting away from the city for the 4th of July weekend. I couldn't understand why my family was hesitant to attend our hometown Independence Day parade, until I learned that there were pictures on social media of 3 vehicles decked out with half a dozen Confederate Battle Flags and a house on Main Street flying the insipid banner in preparation for the event. The presence of that insidious rag meant that our family was neither welcome, nor safe in that hostile environment. 

Black lives do indeed matter, but the  global BLM organization has misappropriated the name "Black Lives Matter," to exploit the suffering of Black people around the world in order to propagate an agenda that is harmful and disrespectful to the Black community, and to the brotherhood of mankind. They vehemently oppose family values, the Bible and Christianity in general. 

When I moved to Texas 8 years ago, I was visiting area churches. One Sunday I unknowingly entered a Black Baptist Church. While it felt rather awkward, finding myself as the only white adult in the room, it was also wonderful and uplifting. They showed tremendous respect for authority and for their Pastor and his wife, the First Lady. They were clearly reciprocating the care and respect being show to them by their leaders. There was a refreshing attitude of gratitude toward teachers and a wonderful sense of community. It was obvious to anyone that the members of that church prayed for and cared deeply about their community and families. 

The ideologies being promoted by the BLM confederation directly contradict the priorities and values of the Black Christian Community. In this article, we will examine the incongruity of these two radically different belief systems. 

1. They Promote Conflicting Views on FAMILY

A. BLM's Point of View

If you google "Black Lives Matter," you might see a tab titled "What We Believe." That tab now leads to a page that has been taken down. Before they removed that manifesto, I printed it out. That page revealed the true agenda of this organization. The official website of the Global BLM Network clearly stated that they seek to do the following:

Disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and "villages" that collectively care for one another, especially our children...Dismantle cisgender privilege

Not only is the BLM syndicate opposed to the Biblical view of family, they have made it their mission to disrupt, dismantle and otherwise destroy the family unit and all of its benefits. This alone is reason enough to fear and reject this movement in its entirety. This language indicates that they think the "collective" should be responsible for raising children instead of their own parents. I suppose it is much easier to brainwash children and eradicate family values that way. They actively oppose every aspect of our nation, culture and communities that supports marriage or thrives as a result of the family unit as designed and instituted by God. 

B. Black Pastor's Point of View

In stark contrast to the exploitive relationship the BLM maintains with the black community, we will now turn to examine the perspective of those who have dedicated their lives to shepherding and serving the Black community. In the Spring of 2014, a coalition of 110 African-American pastors filed an amicus  brief in opposition to a Michigan judge's legalization of gay marriage. 110 pastors signing on to the statement codifies this as a particularly strong example of the beliefs of the Black Christian Community. In addition to the signatories, the statement represents the beliefs of an additional 200 churches. Amici are Friends of the Court. This coalition of dedicated pastors stands for the following:

Amici devote their lives to America's time-honored family values, morality and the Christian faith...Amici support the vote of 2.7 million citizens of Michigan who cast their vote and enacted the Michigan Marriage Amendment to secure the sanctity of the traditional family, as it is defined by God in the Bible.

The amendment which is fully supported by this partnership of pastors states: To secure and preserve the benefits of marriage for our society and for future generations of children, the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose.  

This coalition of clergy asserts that: Michigan is entitled to promote what has proven to be the healthiest social structure for the rearing of children and propagation of society, and it is not required to simultaneously promote less healthy alternatives.

They go on to support the historical, moral and Biblical value that marriage should be between a man and a woman. 

This alliance of overseers believes that children need both a father and a mother and that the Biblical family is the optimal environment for raising children. They firmly believe that heterosexual couples make better parents: They state that Obviously, scientific observations of human biology, human history, and our own experience, common sense and reason tell us that children come exclusively from opposite sex unions, and children benefit from being raised by their biological parents whenever possible. 

Black Pastors strongly support the traditional family as created by God and the benefits it provides. The position taken by BLM is in direct opposition to the wisdom and will of the true Shepherds who care for the Black community. 

2. They Profess Incompatible Views on SEXUALITY

A. BLM's Intentions

As if their anti-family, anti-God stance wasn't dangerous enough, the BLM also purports to:

Foster a queer-affirming network...freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking  They also affirm actual or perceived sexual identity, gender identity, and gender expression...They make space for transgender brothers and sisters to participate and lead and uplift black trans folk. 

The BLM network was created to promote the LGBTQ+ lifestyle and to perpetuate it throughout the Black community. This global BLM conglomerate has inextricably linked their destiny and purpose with that of the LGBTQ+ movement. As a result of these efforts, we already have courts ordering public schools to allow biological males to simultaneously use bathrooms, locker rooms and shower facilities with underage teenage girls. The California legislature and governor just passed a measure that allows homosexuals as old as 24 to commit sexual acts with children as young as 14. Nothing is more destructive to a people group than the proliferation of sexual sin. Anyone who cares about the black community must stand against this organization, its evil intentions and its wicked, sinful agenda which seeks to defile and demoralize.

To be very clear, black lives and LGBTQ lives matter. They matter to God. They matter so much that He sent His Son to die for them. But Jesus did not die so that we could simply ignore them and allow them to suffer or to harm others. For example, Jesus died so that transgender persons could be set free from the lies they have believed, freed from the deception that has confused their minds and restored to live the lives of dignity and purpose God intended for them to have. Jesus died so that all people could turn away from sin and be forgiven. He died so people could be set free from bondage and slavery to sin, empowered to live holy lives and brought into a relationship with Him and with His people. The mission of the BLM/LGBTQ merger would prevent Christian adoption agencies from placing children exclusively in safe homes with people who share Christian sexual ethics, morality and family values. They actively work against the ministries of the church and its teachings by supporting and spreading shameful, sinful, LGBTQ lies and lifestyle choices. 

B. Black Pastors Weigh In

This coalition of pastors strongly opposes the comparison of the LGBT agenda with the struggle for Black civil rights. 

Comparing the dilemmas of same-sex couples to the centuries of discrimination faced by Black Americans is a distortion of our country's cultural and legal history. The disgraces and unspeakable privations in our nation's history pertaining to the civil rights of Black Americans are unmatched...

While a person's gender as a male or female is a matter of unchangeable Biblical and Biological reality, sexual behavior has been profoundly affected by sin. A person's sexual preferences are subject to lies, lust, deception, manipulation, sinful decisions and error. The pastors draw a hard line between a person's race and someone's sexual choices. 

A person's sexuality and sexual preferences, however, are not their state of being, or even an immutable aspect of who they are, as race is. The truth of the matter is that is merely activity in which they engage. 

They further assert that the state is not required to accept that one's sexual conduct preference is the same as an immutable characteristic like race. 

This group of pastors directly addressed the absurdity and invalidity inherent in the argument. The legal history of these disparate classifications, i.e., immutable racial discrimination and same-sex attraction, is incongruent. They point out that The law treats racial classifications as wholly distinct from sexual preference classifications.

A person's sexual preferences and proclivities are a matter of choice. A person's skin color is a matter of unalterable biological truth. Comparing the two is an overt act of racism. It is inappropriate and offensive to compare one person's sin with the color of another's skin. 

3. They Have a Serious Ideological Clash over RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

The BLM conglomerate also seeks to:

Engage comrades...Cultivate an intergenerational and communal network

Their is nothing coincidental about the choice of language here. The words "collective," "comrade" and "communal" are cause for concern. Not only is the BLM a Socialist organization that opposes American democracy and the freedom of religion that comes with it, they are conspicuously Communist in their convictions. If they are successful, the United States will look more like Russia or China than the allegedly free country we celebrate each 4th of July. China's crackdown on the freedoms once enjoyed by the citizens of Hong Kong should serve as a warning to us all. If the BLM has their way, we will see the sort of attacks on churches and loss of freedoms that are occurring in Asia right here on American soil...or perhaps we already are... 

They specifically elevate youth over the wisdom and the sort of expertise that comes with age in an effort to overthrow established religion and values. As I mentioned, the Black church is known for their respect of authority. There is a reason church leaders are called elders. 

The platform of the LGBTQ movement is incompatible with Biblical Christianity and they know it. In order to advance this pagan agenda, the international BLM campaign has joined together with the LGBTQ juggernaut in an attempt to cancel Christian culture, erase family values, eradicate Judeo-Christian morality and steamroll anyone who stands in their way. Knowing full well that our nation's laws were drawn from and based upon God's laws, this movement seeks to eradicate America as we know it in order to facilitate the spread of their wicked, sinful lifestyle and erase the Christian influence on this country. 

4. They Hold Conflicting Perspectives on VIOLENCE

BLM opposes violence toward the Black transgender community. All Christians should agree that violence directed toward any member of the LGBTQ community is wrong.  Black pastors believe that all human beings have inherent value because God created every person in His image.  They clearly state that they hold no animosity toward anyone, but the BLM institution DOES hold animosity toward the white community, families, the Christian faith and the United States as a whole. 

We have watched this animosity unleashed before our very eyes as cities are burned, businesses are destroyed and police are attacked. Theft was rampant as looters broke into stores and stole what does not belong to them. I have not found any evidence of BLM speaking out against these actions except for local BLM 457 from Virginia, who distanced themselves by speaking out against rioters and another local BLM chapter in Salt Lake City who did the same. Sadly, these seem to be the exception, rather than the rule. BLM is closely linked to Critical Race Theory which claims that the entire American system of government, our economy, our morals, our values, everything is designed to oppress black people. And they want to burn it all down. 

The 8th commandment is: You shall not steal. Looting is stealing. Proverbs chapter 1 warns against this: My son, if sinners entice you, don't be persuaded. If they say...We'll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder. Throw in your lot with us, and we'll all share the loot--my son, don't travel that road with them or set foot on their path, because their feet run toward evil and they hurry to shed blood. Theft is a sin. Christians may not take what does not belong to them or condone others doing it. 

Just a short drive from my house, BLM protestors ignored social distancing protocols, exposing themselves to Covid-19. They then swarmed into restaurants, ignoring capacity limitations and pressed in around the customers, potentially exposing them to the virus. At the very height of the pandemic, they flooded the aisles of stores as people attempted to purchase groceries and intentionally pressed themselves around the shoppers, potentially exposing them. As I have mentioned, there was a tense standoff between curfew violating protestors and peace officers in downtown Fort Worth. Across the country, it has been much worse,  rioters have demonstrated that they oppose law and order and have displayed a "burn it down," sort of mentality that is frightening to behold. 

As these things were taking place, here is what came up in our Bible Study lessons: 

Don't plan any harm against your neighbor, for he trusts you and lives near you. -Proverbs 3:29

A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked. Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense, but a person with understanding hold his peace. -Proverbs 11:11-12

The righteous person knows the rights of the poor, but the wicked one does not understand these concerns. -Proverbs 29:7

Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away anger. -Proverbs 29:8

It was no accident that we came upon these verses at this time. God speaks to these contemporary issues with precision in His word and His message is clear. We should care for the rights of the poor and about injustice. We grieve when authority figures misuse their power. We mourn when those individuals charged with protecting citizens cause them harm. We should also respect our neighbors and communities and not tear down and destroy them. Once again, the BLM's actions are incompatible with the Christian faith. 

In Isaiah 1:10, He calls upon the people to Hear the word of the Lord and Listen to the instruction of our God. He then delivers an important discourse on justice and right action that is pleasing to God. In verse 16 and 17, he tells them to stop doing evil encouraging them to learn what is good. Then he provides 4 examples of what is good, just and fair. He tells them to:

1. Pursue Justice

Having already told them to listen to the instruction, or Torah, the LAW of God, He now instructs them to actively seek justice. This word in Hebrew is mishpat, which means to seek good judgement and order. God's idea of justice is not anarchy and violence in the streets, it is LAW & ORDER. 

2. Correct the Oppressor

Christians should seek to provide relief to those who have been oppressed, admonish the offender, intervene on behalf of the victims, give guidance, be a blessing and to make things right.

3. Defend the rights of the fatherless

Stand up for those who can't take care of themselves. Watch over those without families.

4. Plead the widow's cause

Come to the defense of the defenseless. Actively help them and seek to do good for them.

God established the family. He also provided the tithe to take care of widow's, orphans and foreigners living in Israel. Those with families were meant to take care of those without the protection and benefit of a family. The solution for injustice, oppression and social problems is not to destroy, dismantle and disrupt the family. The solution is to preserve, promote and protect the family. We must care for those without family, provide for them, invite them into the family of God, treat them like brothers and sisters and watch over them with special care. 

Conclusion

The unholy union of BLM with LGBTQ is dangerous and harmful to the black community. Sexual harm is one of the most deeply personal and painful types of suffering that a human being can endure and the BLM exists to promote and perpetuate every sinful and sexually deviant lifestyle choice imaginable while railing against sexuality as God designed it. The agenda of the Global BLM cartel is in direct opposition to the values, goals, desires and morals of the Black Christian community. These differences are irreconcilable. The BLM and its adherents do not have the best interests of the black community in mind. Calling their organization "Black Lives Matter," is like an abortion facility naming itself "Lighthouse of Hope." The name conceals a lie that deceives people into believing they care about them and have their best interests in mind, when only sin and suffering, death and destruction await those who enter. The BLM has declared war on the family and on on Biblical morality. BLM has demonstrated itself to be a manipulative, violent, racist, anti-Christian, terrorist hate group. 

Black Pastors vs. BLM is Right vs. Wrong, Light vs. Darkness, Healthy vs. Harmful, Sacred vs. Secular, Christianity vs. Paganism, Good vs. Evil. We would all do well to heed the wise counsel of this unified partnership of Black Pastors and reject and oppose the BLM syndicate. 

Here is a link to what the Bible teaches about sexuality: identity-crisis-created-in-image-of-god.html

Here is a link to the amicus brief from 110 Black Pastors: black-pastors-amicus-brief-mich-gay-marriage.pdf

Here is the link to the now-removed BLM statement of belief: https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/

The Dangers of the Deceitfully Named "Equality Act"

On Wednesday, February 24, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the deceptively named "Equality Act." The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has stated that the misleading labeled "Equality Act" is the most significant threat to religious liberty ever considered in the United States Congress. With a  name that is deliberately designed to deceive, this legislation is a bold faced attack on Christian morality and the Christian faith.  It is a direct assault on Christian adoption agencies, charities and other organizations that operate in the public sphere. The ERLC has addressed some of the religious liberty issues at stake:  ERLC | Why should Christians oppose the Equality Act?

I have updated this post from last fall that addresses some of these issues. This act would effectively nullify the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 and that is precisely what it is intended to do. It is no less than an all out ambush on religion meant to advance a sinful, radical liberal agenda. Below is a photograph of page 42 of the official 2020 Democratic Party platform which revealed their intentions with this bill and about which I warned you. 

Highlighted below in yellow is the democratic threat to create a national law that requires "transgender" students to be given access to bathrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities with members of the opposite biological sex. A transgender person is someone whose self-perception of their sexual identity is different than their biological sex. This would allow mentally ill teenage boys with gender dysphoria to undress in front of and shower naked with underage girls and vice versa. This is sick, twisted and morally evil and if you support it, you are a pervert with what the Bible calls a depraved mind, and you and I are not friends. 

In the section circled in orange, the Democratic Party has declared their intention to force Christian adoption agencies to allow people who oppose Biblical morals, values and views of sexuality to adopt defenseless children. Christ followers who have devoted their lives to finding loving, safe, healthy homes for children would be forced to either close their doors or to hand the most vulnerable kids over to people with Transgenderism, mentally ill people with gender dysphoria who think they are the opposite sex or to consign children to those whom the LGBTQ+ movement identifies as Queer+, a term which is meant to be inclusive of all sexual choices  no matter how far they deviate from God's laws, Christian morals and Judeo-Christian values.

The section marked off in blue shows that democrats plan to ban any attempt to “convert” homosexuals by helping them to turn away from their sins and live according to a Biblical morality. These socialist democrats are directly aligning themselves against a Biblical worldview and against Christians who try to help LGBTQ+ persons. It is the responsibility of every true Christian to show the love of Jesus to sinners. The good news about Jesus is that we can all repent of our sins, which means to turn away from them, be forgiven and follow Him. To be clear, it is Jesus who does the converting, not any therapy or person, but banning all types of Biblical and Christian counseling and therapy toward LGBTQ persons is a deliberate attack on the ministry and prevents the sharing of the true Gospel and the offering of genuine hope. 

The passage marked in dark pink demonstrates that the Dems are vowing to force government employees to create fraudulent documents that “legally” identify males as women and females as men.

Much of this section of the Democratic Party platform has now been codified as the "Equality Act." This is a direct encroachment on the Christian community, morality, science, common sense and basic human decency. I believe all people should be treated with dignity and respect. I do NOT support the agenda being pushed by the LGBTQ community. I believe in a Biblical morality. This act will cause harm to innocent children and promote deviant sexual behavior that poses a threat to all people, especially the most vulnerable. It will expose Christians to a nonstop onslaught of legal attacks and bullying from LGBTQ organizations as we have already begun to witness. The "Equality Act" is an attempt to outlaw the full and open practice of the Christian faith. 

In case you don't know what Biblical morality is:

In the book of Leviticus, chapter 18, sexual relationships are outlawed between close relatives including parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, in-laws, step-brothers, step-sisters, and step-children. Men are forbidden from having sex with other men. Married people are forbidden from having sex with someone else's spouse and everyone is forbidden from having sex with animals.

Song of Solomon 8:8 and Ezekiel 16:7 indicate that it is inappropriate to have sex with underage girls.

Mark 10:6 records the words of Jesus as He quotes from Genesis 1:27 affirming that from the beginning, God created human beings as male and female in His own image.

Deuteronomy 22:5 commands that men may not dress like women and women are not allowed to dress like men. 

Deuteronomy 17:17 and 1 Timothy 3:2 teach that any man with more than one wife is unfit to lead God's people. Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:31 and Mark 10:7 all teach that marriage is between one man and one woman.

Romans 1:24-32 show that violating God's laws about sexuality is still considered sin under the New Covenant and adds that it is wrong for women to have sexual relations with other women. 

1 Corinthians 6:8-10 affirms these teachings and adds that it is wrong to have sex before marriage. This passage warns people not to defraud or harm each other in sexual ways.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 really cuts to the heart of the matter:

For this is God's will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don't know God. This means one must not transgress against or take advantage of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit.

The word translated here as sexual immorality is porneai, which refers to all of the sexual sins listed above. God does not want anyone to transgress, take advantage of or harm another person in any sexual way ever. Any attempt to deceive, mislead, misuse, force, coerce, pressure, plot against, manipulate, cross boundaries, rape or otherwise take advantage of someone is directly against God's will. It is His will and stated desire that no one would ever be hurt in any sexual way.  For this reason, as a Christian, it is my responsibility to oppose this sinful platform and the "Equality Act" designed to advance it with every fiber of my being and I exhort you to do the same. 

The Proverbs 31 Man?

We hear lots of talk about the Proverbs 31 woman, but often forget that this teaching originated as a corrective instruction from a mother to her son: THE PROVERBS 31 MAN

The teaching begins with a series of questions:

WHAT are you doing, my son?

What are you DOING, son of my womb?

What ARE you doing, son of my vows?

Mama isn’t happy. This proverb is from a queen who’s son has become king and seems to be following in the footsteps of other sinful ancient kings. She instructs him that these are the things a Proverbs 31 man does and does not do:

1. He Behaves Respectfully and Honorably Toward Women

Do not give your strength to (multiple) women, your ways to those who destroy kings.

He should not consort with sinful women. He should only have one wife and NO HAREM full of women as ancient kings were known to collect. Women are not objects of male pleasure. They are not property or political bargaining chips. God commanded Kings of Israel NOT to have more than one wife (Deut. 17:17), though some of them, like Solomon, shattered that law into 1,000 pieces--literally. 1 Timothy 3:2 lists among the qualifications for overseers of the New Testament church that they are to be the faithful husband of ONE wife.

2. He Never Drinks Alcohol

It is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink (CSB-beer), lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

A godly man should drink No wine, No mead or beer, No strong drink, EVER. Note: They knew how to preserve juice in ancient Israel without it fermenting. Yes, Jesus turned water into wine, but the Greek word for wine refers to the juice from any type of fruit of the vine or tree, fermented or not. With the consistent Biblical message warning against intoxicating beverages, it is safe to assume that the juice from the fruit of the vine Jesus created at the wedding in Cana and that which he shared with his disciples at the last supper, were not of the intoxicating variety. 

The New Testament teaches that we are heirs of Christ the King. It also teaches:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. -1 Peter 2:9

We, as believers, are a royal priesthood. We must stay away from alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is used by those who are perishing—dying—unbelievers.  Godly men must represent Him and must have a clear head at all times to be able to exercise good judgement.

3. HE STANDS UP FOR THE POOR AND WEAK

Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute

Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy

A Proverbs 31 man speaks up for those who have no voice. He stands up for the rights of those who have nothing, the down and out. He defends the rights of the downtrodden and needy. He is a protector and defender who stands up for those in need.

4. HE TREASURES AND TRUSTS HIS WIFE

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her…

A Proverbs 31 man, treasures his wife and is grateful for her. He respects her as an equal heir and image bearer of Christ and realizes that she is of infinite worth. He views his wife as a true partner. He trusts in her with all of his heart and soul and has complete confidence in her.

5. HE IS FAIR

Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

A godly man was known in the city gates where business was transacted and judgements were rendered by the elders. He is a leader among the people who is well respected. He Judges fairly and righteously—according to God’s standard.

6. HE APPRECIATES HIS WIFE

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.

He calls his wife a blessing and praises her exuberantly. He halals her. This is a powerful Hebrew word of praise meaning that He humbles himself toward her and verbally praises her, never abusing or tearing down, always uplifting and building her up. He admires, respects and encourages his wife

A Proverbs 31 man seeks out a godly wife and is faithful to her. He searches out a partner of noble character and cherishes her. He takes joy in seeing his wife thrive, fulfilling her unique calling and maximizing her use of the gifts God has given her. He is respectful and loving toward his wife, praising her, trusting in her, encouraging her and appreciating her.

CONCLUSION

A Proverbs 31 man is sober, well respected, exercises good judgement, and speaks up for those who can’t speak for themselves.  He is faithful, loving, respectful, appreciative and encouraging toward his wife. 

The Census and the Plague

 God established the Census as the way for Israel’s leader to prevent a plague of judgement from coming on the nation when they sinned or to stop the pestilence once it had begun. Yet, one of the most frequently repeated urban legends about the Bible is that God punished David for counting the fighting men of Israel by sending a plague. This out of context extrapolation has caused us to miss out on some of the most important theological themes and prophetic moments in the Old Testament—perhaps even the climax of the entire arc of Old Testament history. I believe that a closer examination of the Biblical text will enlighten our understanding. To explore this issue, I will begin by answering a few simple questions to debunk certain misconceptions.

Was/Is it ok for a leader to count the people?

Before he led the Hebrew people out of Egypt and into freedom, Moses was a shepherd for 40 years. David was also a shepherd before he was anointed as king. The idea of a Shepherd-King was an important one in the Ancient Near East. One of the primary roles of a Shepherd is to count the sheep. Throughout the Bible, leaders appointed by God are continuously called upon to count the people. In fact, there is an entire book of the Bible devoted to the subject of Numbers in which Moses’ recorded his first census. When the people of Israel left Egypt, there were 600,000 men, plus women and children. Numbers matter because they represent individuals who matter to God. The Good Shepherd would leave the 99 sheep safely grazing to go and find the one which had wandered away and gotten lost.  Matthew 10:30 declares: Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  The disciples counted 5,000 heads of household present when Jesus fed the gathered Galilean crowd from just 5 loaves and 2 fishes. On the day of Pentecost, 120 men and women were gathered together in an upper room praying and 3,000 were baptized later that day. There were other important times where the people were counted and we will be exploring the significance of some of those events.

Was it ok to count the fighting men of Israel?

When God granted Joshua victory over Jericho, many of the people defied the Lord’s command by bringing silver, gold, garments and spoils of war into their tents. Because of this sin, Israel suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the city of Ai. Joshua exercised leadership. He had each tribe brought before him, presented by clans and households and he held all of the fighting men to account as each was presented before him. They burned the spoils in the fire. He examined them to find out the sin among them and executed the family of Achan who kept riches hidden in their tent. Joshua counted out 30,000 skilled fighting men and God granted him victory over Ai.

32,000 fighting age males were counted who rallied to Gideon’s cause and that number was reduced to 300 to whom God granted victory.

340,000 men of war, plus 200 chiefs of Issachar and their kinsmen assembled to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant and crown David king over all of Israel. Once the priests were properly trained to carry the Ark, they were able to enter Jerusalem and enthrone David. 

When David went into exile because of his son Absalom, he carefully counted the people who were with him. He divided the military men into units, assigning commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds and was then given victory and restored to his throne. 

Counting and organizing the fighting men of Israel was not only permitted, it was expected of God's chosen leader.

What is a Census?

Like most of you, I recently filled out my United States Census survey, as our nation has been counting the people who live here, even in the midst of this COVID-19 Pandemic. Many of us form our opinion of what a census is according to our American pre-conception of the census which includes a basic counting of the people and gathering of information about their background. As a result, when we see the term census in the Bible, we tend to miss out on an important aspect of its meaning. A Biblical census includes much more than taking a simple headcount. God expects his leaders to keep track of the people and to keep them in line, under control and doing the right things. In the Bible, two different words are translated as census. The first,  ro'sh, means to be chief, to be the head, to be the principal leader in charge. The second, manah, means to appoint, number and assign. These words describe the act of ruling, governing, exercising oversight and even punishing. It is helpful to think of the term censure, because giving correction is an important part of conducting a census. The Biblical census included counting the people, usually heads of households, and then appointing them to their duties and assigning responsibilities.

There are 4 major Censuses taken in the Bible, each with prophetic and theological significance. Each is connected to the others in the pattern of God’s redemptive plan.

I. THE CENSUS OF MOSES

God ordained the census in Moses’ day. Exodus 30:12 records His instructions:

When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.

Ro'sh, the word for acting as "Chief," is translated here as census. There is a price that must be paid to be counted among God’s people. There is a price to be paid for sin. When God’s anointed leader had to exercise authority over a rebellious people, they were required to give an offering as a ransom for their lives.

Exodus 38 records that there were 603,550 Hebrew men over the age of 20. A half shekel offering was given as a RANSOM for each man resulting in a total offering of 100 talents and 1,775 shekels of silver. This offering, along with many donated items, given by the people as a freewill offering, was used to build the TABERNACLE.

On another occasion, recorded in Numbers 25-26, the people of Israel joined together to worship the false gods of the neighboring Moabites. They bowed down before idols, committed sexual sins and joined themselves to Baal of Peor. God sent a plague and killed 24,000 Israelites in one day. Moses, exercised authority and had the judges of Israel kill every man who had participated in this sin and God stopped the plague.

And it came to pass, after the plague that the LORD spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from 20 years old and above, by their Father’s houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel. 

Moses completed a second census which is recorded in the rest of Numbers. There were 601,730 registered. Every single man was accounted for. He established the offerings that were to be given at various Biblical feasts, organized the army under commanders of thousands and hundreds and began assigning tribal inheritances. They also completed the giving of a RANSOM, taking an offering of 16, 750 shekels.

The Ransom from Moses’ first census was used to build the Tabernacle.

II. THE FAILED CENSUS OF DAVID

When studying Old Testament history, it is absolutely imperative to read the events recorded in 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings and then to compare them with the parallel accounts contained in 1 & 2 Chronicles. If you only read one account of a Biblical event without harmonizing it with its companion passage, you may be missing half the story. It is also important to compare multiple translations and to focus on word for word translations and look up the meanings of key words because sometimes even a well-meaning interpretation can reflect the bias of the translator. In the accounts of David's life, I have uncovered certain instances in which a translation dramatically altered the meaning of the text in order to fit a pre-conceived ideal. In addition, Old Testament history must be interpreted through the lens of the law. If you aren’t familiar with the Law (found in Deuteronomy), then you won’t know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are and who is acting according to God’s will and commandments.

I once had the privilege of spending the entire summer teaching through 1 & 2 Samuel. We studied David’s just, forgiving and remarkable actions. We also studied each of his failures and blatant sins. My class was introduced to a surprise villain in the person of David’s nephew Joab, who holds the dubious distinction of being identified as NOT one of David's mighty men. Worm-tongue, I mean Joab, was the captain of Israel’s army, whose murderous ways, treachery and deceitfulness knew no bounds. In order to facilitate our study of David's census and it’s significance, while debunking the traditional and popular, yet incorrect interpretation of it, I will offer a brief summary of the events surrounding the census.

The circumstances that led to the necessity of David’s census are more complex than those of Moses and require explanation. David committed a number of sins, bending and breaking God’s law in various ways such as taking multiple wives and acquiring horses and chariots. 1 Chronicles 19-21 and 2 Samuel 10-12 record the events leading up to and surrounding David’s census. After recording the final words of David in chapter 23, 2 Samuel 24 adds another page to the scroll, recalling the census.

In 2 Samuel 11:1, the KJV correctly translates that a series of events began after the year was expired. These events began at the conclusion of the year according to the Jewish calendar, in early fall, which is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when all of the men of Israel were required to come to Jerusalem to present themselves before the Lord, repent of their sins, and the priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for them. Instead of bringing his army in, David sent his army out on a mission of personal vengeance...with Joab in charge.  David was angry because the young King of the Ammonites embarrassed his ambassadors. David broke God’s law by not leading and watching over the army himself and using it for his own purposes. He violated the Lord’s commands by sending 20,000 pagan conscripts out to fight with his army. Under Joab’s unscrupulous leadership, they disregarded God’s laws and ravaged through the countryside, pillaging and destroying all that was in their path. 

When God sent Joshua to conquer the promised land, no treaties were to be made and no quarter was to be given to the Canaanites. In all other wars and battles, Israel was required to offer terms of peace as the army stood before a city ready to attack it. If the city accepted terms, they became a province of Israel and paid them tribute, also sharing in the blessings of the Kingdom. If they rejected terms, the men were killed in battle, but if Israel was victorious, they became responsible to care for, provide for and protect the women and children. I have found no record of Joab offering terms of peace as he approached the Ammonite capital to put it under siege. Meanwhile, David was back at the palace, lustfully taking Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, into his own bed. When she became pregnant, David ordered Uriah killed to cover his sin and Joab carried out the nefarious mission by sending him to the front lines of the battle to die. When the city fell, Joab, the pagans and the fighting men of Israel sawed the women and children apart and hacked them to pieces with axes. David then joined them in raucous celebration and personally led them to commit the same egregious war crimes against every single city of the Ammonites, the descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot. They misrepresented our Holy God and His character to the surrounding nations. They took the Lord’s name in vain,  as if holding up a banner with his name in front of them while committing these despicable acts. This was a terrible form of blasphemy.

The episode ends with the statement found in 1 Chronicles 21:1: 

Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. 

This verse presents a cause and effect situation. Satan rose up against Israel to accuse them. Under God’s covenant, when Israel sinned, they would be turned over to their enemies or suffer famine or disease. Satan had been there all along, tempting, enticing and manipulating Israel to sin. Now he was revealed. Satan had a claim on them and he stood up to accuse them. The only way for David to prevent the punishment coming his way from God or to keep God from abandoning them to Satan and their enemies was to take a census. The parallel passage found in 2 Samuel 24:1 states: 

Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”  

The words stirred up or moved and against mean that God has brought David over to his side to deal with the sin of Israel. God directly ordered David to take the census in accordance with the law. David passed the buck to Joab to take the census. Joab thought that it was an odious task and he did not want to do it. He tried to talk David out of it. In direct contradiction to the word of God and in his usual sneaky, manipulative way he replied: 

Why then should my Lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel? 

Joab Worm-tongue tried to trick David out of following God’s order and when he did not prevail against the king, he took almost 10 months to take the count of the men of Israel. He took the leaders with him on a little vacation outside of the borders of Israel, up to Tyre and Sidon, which is similar to going to Las Vegas, Atlantic City or New Orleans during Mardi Gras. They "visited" many Canaanite cities. Given Joab's proclivity for plundering, we have good reason to believe that instead of atoning for their sins by reverently conducting a census, they were adding to their sins and incurring God's wrath during this time. 

After Joab returned with an initial count of 1,300,000 fighting men, David's heart became convicted. 

But David's heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.

David had used God's army for his personal vengeance, taken multiple wives, trusted in the power of horses instead of the power of God, failed to supervise the troops, slept with another man's wife, violated God's rules of war, ruthlessly murdered Ammonite women and children, treacherously killed many of his Moabite cousins as they attempted to surrender, had Uriah killed, misrepresented God's name and led the nation into sin. He had committed a great many sins, but was finally feeling the conviction of the Spirit of God. David knew that he had done evil in God's sight. He could sense that the census had not atoned for their sins.  David knew that he was not forgiven. 

Since we know that counting the people was not a sin and that God had told him to do it, we must ask the question of the text, What went wrong? David had ordered his nephew and other leaders to count Israel from Dan to Beersheba--from top to bottom, but they did not even bother to count the tribes of Benjamin or Levi. 1 Chronicles 21:6-7 records:

But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s command was abominable to Joab. And God was displeased with this thing, therefore he struck Israel.

God was angry that Joab did not finish the census that He, Himself had ordered. Because they neglected to count the tribes of Benjamin and Levi and there is no evidence of an offering being taken as a ransom for their lives, the census was incomplete and insufficient to provide atonement for the many sins of Israel and especially of the fighting men. Israel had punishment coming and they would receive it. This position is further clarified in 1 Chronicles 27:24:

Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to count them, but did not finish and because of this, wrath came upon Israel.

God's anger was unleashed on the nation because they did not fear him enough to finish taking the census correctly. They showed tremendous disrespect and disregard for his laws and His righteous decrees and David and his commanders were the ringleaders. David's sin was not in taking the census, God ordained the census. David's sin was in failing to oversee its completion. It was not a sin for David to count the fighting men of Israel as God directly ordered him to do. It was a sin not to carefully account for all of them. When presented with a choice by the prophet Gad, David chose to fall into the hands of God and be punished with  a plague rather than endure a 3 year famine or be turned over to his enemies for 3 months, hoping that God might show mercy. David, who had so badly misrepresented God by mercilessly exacting revenge upon the Ammonites, would now throw himself on the mercy of God. But God also loves justice. In one day, God killed 70,000 men of Israel with a plague. But as the angel of the LORD approached Jerusalem, sword drawn, ready to destroy the entire city, God did indeed show compassion, relenting from the calamity He was about to inflict. God relents from disaster. Over and over, we are reminded in Scripture that The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in faithful, merciful lovingkindness. God showed grace. David saw the angel standing there over the city with sword in hand. He and the Elders put on sackcloth and fell on their faces at the threshing floor, a plateau of stone at the highest point on Mt. Zion.  

David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's household, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."

David had ordered Joab to number, caphar, Israel and bring the number, micpar, to him. David told him to count and register the people and then come back and deliver the results of the tally. The word numbered that is used here is not a word that means merely to count, it is the Hebrew word manah which also means to assign or appoint. This word is also translated as Census. This is like David saying Wasn’t I the one in charge? Wasn't I the decider? The appointer? The Chief? Wasn’t I the one giving the orders? David took FULL responsibility for the sins of the nation. In a shocking display of humility and love for his people, completely in contrast to the exploitive nature of most ancient kings, David asked for the punishment to fall on him and his descendants. As far as I am concerned, this is the climax of the Old Testament Action. Everything has led up to this crucial moment. David had just asked for an alteration to the covenant Israel had made with God, and God granted his request. David offered himself up to take the punishment for his people so that they could be forgiven. The punishment would indeed fall upon David’s household. It would fall on the Son of David, Jesus. Certainly, this was a prophetic moment. I believe this is the very moment the New Covenant was brokered. Rather than sacrifice a lamb or an animal in order to atone for sins, David offers up himself and his household. His descendant, Jesus, the Son of David, would be  the substitute, not only for Israel, but for all of us, taking our punishment in our place so that we can be forgiven of our sins.  

Chapters 24-29 of 1 Chronicles records David’s second chance as he directed the most careful CENSUS in the history of Censuses. David appointed the priests to their duties and times of service and appointed the military men to their responsibilities. He assigned men to watch over the flocks and herds, to manage the storehouses, to tend the orchards, prune the vineyards and to harvest the fields. He organized the musicians for service to the Lord and took an astonishing offering (the RANSOM) in preparation for the TEMPLE to be built by His son, Solomon on the site of the very threshing floor where David and the Elders had worshipped and pleaded with God.

III. THE CENSUS OF RETURNING EXILES

In the days of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, Ezra and Nehemiah, as the people of Judah returned from exile in Babylon, they carefully numbered each person. 42,360 people returned in the first wave. They modeled after David, assigning the priests to their duties and re-establishing worship. In this instance, the offering, the RANSOM, was provided for the people. By Royal decree, the people living around them gave the Jews departing gifts as they returned to the promised land. 

In fact, the ransom was always provided by God. When David took a census, the offering was provided through God’s blessings which had been showered upon Israel. In the census of Moses, the ransom was provided through the plunder given to them as they left Egypt. In each census, the Ransom was provided for them. The 1st Temple had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The ransom offering was used to build the 2^nd TEMPLE.

IV. THE CENSUS OF CAESAR

Luke 2 begins with these words:

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This CENSUS took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

Caesar was the ruler over all of the Roman empire including Judea at that time. God used this census to set salvation in motion. In fulfillment of prophecy, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, the city of David their ancestor to be counted among their people.

1 Timothy 2:6 describes Jesus:

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a RANSOM for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

Moses interceded for the people and was a sort of mediator between them and God, representing God to the people. When God’s appointed leader would step up and take control, he could prevent God’s wrath from coming on the people. David interceded for the people with God, taking responsiblity and willingly offering to be punished in their place. The priests were also responsible for filling the role of mediator. Now JESUS is our mediator. He took our punishment in our place, providing atonement for our sins. 

Just as in the other censuses, the Ransom was provided for the people. God provided the ransom Himself. To ransom or redeem something means to buy it back. Jesus paid the price to redeem us back to himself with His life. Jesus, the Son of David, took our punishment, in our place, by being beaten and dying on the cross. Unlike David's first failed attempt at providing atonement for the sins of the people, Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world. He paid the price for us to be reconciled with God. It is only through Jesus that we can be forgiven and put into a right relationship with God. But just like each Israelite had to stand up and be counted, each person must choose to become a follower of Christ to be counted among the people of God. 

In each census, the ransom offering was used to build a house for God. The offering taken in the census of Moses was used to build the tabernacle. David’s offering was used to craft the first temple. The offering of the exiles contributed to construction of the second temple. The ransom of Jesus is building a temple as well, God’s house, the church. Ephesians 2:19-21 teaches:

So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy TEMPLE in the Lord. In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

The tabernacle and the temples represented God living among his people. Now God lives within us. 

CONCLUSION

Our current situation with the Covid-19 pandemic, is nowhere nearly as potent as the Biblical plagues. A Biblical plague was a judgement of God. The plagues in the days of Moses and David caused nearly instantaneous death in tens of thousands of people as a result of specific and identifiable sin. I would caution against pronouncing this novel coronavirus or any virus to be a specific judgement of God. It is, however, true that all diseases, epidemics, pandemics and plagues exist because of the sin that Adam and Eve introduced into the world. Various pestilences that were released into the world as judgements may still linger. It is possible that this new coronavirus strain could be a judgement on the sin of unbelievers, but it is also possible that it was man-made as the result of a bat coronavirus modified in the Wuhan Institute of Virology for research purposes that was released into the world through documented deficiences in safety protocols. We simply do not and can not know for sure. What we can be sure of is that we live in a special age of grace because of Jesus' sacrifice. All who are willing can receive mercy and forgiveness through him. His kindness is meant to lead people to repentance. Because Jesus paid the ransom, a price which has been credited to the account of believers, I believe it is theologically untenable to view a disease as a judgement of God on the church or on Christians. A disease like this should, however, remind us of our mortality, help us to remember that a day of judgement is coming and make us keenly aware of the need for God’s mercy. We should be grateful and praising God that this virus has turned out to be much less fatal than originally thought. I view this fact as an act of kindness. Hopefully families have taken this time to reconnect and allowed it to work for their good. If we want this illness to go away, we should fall on our faces like David and the elders of Israel. We should repent of our sins and we should give the offering of praise. We should pray for healing. We should pray for our nation and our world and for the salvation of leaders and the salvation of many. We should gather for worship.


Under the Old Covenant God's anointed leader  would represent Him to the people and tell them what was required for their forgiveness. Under the New Covenant, believers have been given the responsibility of representing God as ambassadors to all people, calling them to repentance and extending the invitation to receive forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ.  The leader would serve as a mediator between God and the people. Now, all believers have unfettered access to God through Jesus, our mediator. Each head of household, as the representative of all who lived in his tent, was important and needed to be counted. Just as each individual person and group of people is important to God today and should be given the choice and the opportunity to respond, to stand up and be counted among the people of God. There has always been a price to be paid for sin, a ransom price to be paid for  the redemption of each life and judgement has always been the consequence. Now, Jesus has already paid that price. God is being patient, wanting people to be saved, holding back punishment for the coming day of judgement on those who reject Him.  In ancient Israel, the people of God would have to stand up and be counted. Now, we publicly confess the name of Jesus and are Baptized to be added to the number of believers and counted among the people of God. The ransom offering, that price of redemption, was used to build houses for God. Now, Jesus has purchased us for himself and believers ARE the household of God, the temple that He dwells in and the church of the Most High. 

Just as it was thrice given to the people of Israel to build a house for God, it has now been given to the church to build up the house of God. Jesus has made the preparations and provided all that is necessary for His house to be built. He has paid the ransom price for our forgiveness. He has given us His Spirit and gifts to use to bring others into His household.