The Sweetest Frame

1 Chronicles 21:14 ESV

So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell.

As the writer of Chronicles grapples with the ups and downs of history, many different details come to the fore. Not content with the play-by-play style of 1 Kings the author, looks deeper at cause and effect. Why has this great nation fallen so far? What transpired that so angered God as to release his wrath upon them. This hindsight view of the Davidic reign brought this verse into being. God shows us that David’s sin of trusting in chariots and horses, in armies and personal skill, instead of God was a sin so great that 70,000 men needed to die, in a nation with 1.5 million men. Perspective, COVID has been involved with 238k deaths in a nation of 328 million. This was a devastating blow to say the least and all because its leader had trusted in man power rather than God for safety and success. Trusting in economics, nuclear energy, foreign policy, American know-how… all are part of our national story and tail. How could a boy who had trusted God for the victory over a giant while only armed with his sling, then turn and trust in the things of this world?

The first chapter of Romans shows us the way of the foolish person who would deny God and his help. How he degrades slowly into greater and greater sin. How God with draws more and more of his blessing from him and yet he will not repent. He will not turn from his sin, but simply goes further into apostasy. It is easy to do. Taking the facts and finding the narrative we enjoy, rather than the one the evidence shows. Watching the political theater over the last few weeks it has been easy to see how many choose to place their hope in the things of this world. Looking at those rejoicing and those down cast. Both have failed to place their assurance in the God who gives good gifts, and the God who disciplines nations.

Many of us will celebrate thanksgiving this week. Choosing to thank God as the true source of our worldly bounty. In so doing let us not join the Pharisee. He was a thankful man, thankful for the earthly blessings that God had given him. The sinner, condemned by society, and personal knowledge, was the one who was right in God’s eyes. We are right to thank God for what he has given. Trials and hardships, but our real joy is that he has given us his son. No matter how good it gets or rocky the road ahead might be, Christ has still died for your sins. Christ is still at the right hand of God. Christ is still interceding for you. We dare not trust the sweetest frame, but let us wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO