The Devastating Effects of Sin (2 Samuel 24:17)
Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house.”
—2 Samuel 24:17
Now, let us make sure we have the context for what David just said to the Lord. This chapter begins with David, in his pride, conducting a census to exalt himself in a way that displeases God. God says there will be consequences for his sin, and those consequences lead to the death of 70,000 men. David’s single sin leads to the death of 70,000 men. The Bible is shouting in this story: do not underestimate the seriousness of sin or its effects in your life, especially as a leader. This is why David then prays.
2 Samuel 24:17 shows the devastating effects of hidden sin.
He says, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.” This verse makes clear that the consequences of sin in our lives do not just affect us; they often affect the lives of others. When we read a story like this, we must maintain a view of sin that is all the more serious—one that compels us to run from sin and resist temptation. One of the adversary’s lies when we are tempted is that our actions will only affect ourselves.
When I think about my own life and sinning against God, even if I am sinning in a way that no one else knows about or sees, the reality is that it will affect my relationship with God, my wife, my children, the church God has entrusted me to lead, and the people around me.
2 Samuel 24:17 points us to the urgency of gospel obedience.
How does it affect all of these different people? My wife’s greatest need from me is my closeness to God. Am I walking humbly with God? If I am walking humbly with God and obeying his Word, it will be good for my wife and good for my children. The best thing my church needs from me is for me to walk with Jesus. For the people I interact with today—even people I do not know—their greatest need from me is to be walking with Jesus in that moment. When I fail to do that, when I sin against God and walk in disobedience, it affects all of them.
We must realize, based on 2 Samuel 24:17, that our sin does not just affect us. It affects those around us in ways we often do not even realize. So we pray: God, help us to hate sin today. Help us to run from the temptation to sin at every turn. Please help us to walk in obedience to your Word in ways that are good not just for us, but for the people around us.
I think about how we pray so many days on this podcast for unreached people in the world—thousands, millions, literally billions of people who have not heard the gospel and are on a road that leads to an eternal hell without ever hearing how they can be saved, simply because we have been and continue to be disobedient to your command to make disciples of all nations.
A Prayer for the Bisaya People
God, we pray that you would help us to obey you for the sake of the Bisaya people in Malaysia, who have never heard the good news of your grace and love. Lord, we pray you would help us to obey for their sake—for the sake of what happens to be about 70,000 of them.
God, we pray for the Bisaya in Malaysia. We pray for people groups around the world to hear the gospel because of our obedience to you. Deliver us from disobedience that keeps them in the dark. In our lives right around us, and in ways that extend far beyond us, help us to obey you today. We pray, by your grace and by the power of your Spirit inside us, Jesus, help us to obey you in ways that lead to good for us, good for others, and ultimately glory to your name. We pray 2 Samuel 24:17 over our lives and among the nations. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.
