Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 October 2026 1 Chronicles 21:1.
1 Chronicles 21:1. And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked (moved) David to number Israel (take a census).
Oh friends, it’s just one of those days where old age, laziness and a touch of seasonal allergies have combined to dim the enthusiasm of getting up to greet another day. And it’s a beautiful sunshiny, warm though somewhat windy Thursday, our penultimate day of the work week. Now who wouldn’t want to rise and greet such a day at the end of October eh? (smile) In fact, I was up fairly early, spun around a bit, then went back to bed, and found it difficult to get up. And that’s my excuse for being somewhat late to the party! (smile) Anyway, here we are, not brimming with energy, but enough to do a good job with the Lord’s help.
And the Good Book opened today at 1 Chronicles, where Bruh David is gathering all the stuff required to build the Lord’s temple, saying, ‘Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.’ (1 Chr. 22:5) That was after Bruh David had dropped into the Lord’s bad books for having a census done in Judah and Israel.
The Bible tells us: ‘And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked (moved) David to number Israel (take a census)… And God was displeased with this thing (it was evil in the eyes of God); therefore he smote (struck) Israel.’ (1 Chr. 21:1&7) But we know how Bruh David, once enlightened of his wrongdoing, always sincerely repented before the Lord. ‘And David said unto God, I have greatly sinned, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee do away (take away) the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.’ (1 Chr: 21:8)
But Bruh David wasn’t going to get away so easily this time. ‘And the Lord spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying, Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose the one of them, that I may do unto thee.’ (1 Chr. 21:9-10) Imagine that nuh, the Lord offering Bruh David three choices of punishment. Only our God could be so unique!
‘So Gad came unto David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee, Either three years of famine (2 Sam. 24:13, says 7); or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts (territory) of Israel. Now therefore advice thyself (consider) what word I shall bring again to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait (distress): let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man. So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.’ (1 Chr. 21:11-14)
Ah friends, all of that simply shows that Bruh David was only a man like us, and made mistakes but also paid the price for them. Yes, although the Lord favoured him, considered him a man after His own heart, He always took him to task for his wrongdoing, especially after he became king and had the added responsibility to set a good example and ensure God’s glory. And you can read in the rest of 1 Chr. 21, how in the midst of destroying Jerusalem, the Lord stopped His angel, ‘repented him of the evil’ and when Bruh David saw the angel of the Lord standing with drawn sword over the land, he and the elders of Israel, clothed in sackcloth, obviously mourning those destroyed, again repented of his sin, pleading that it was his sin and his house, not the people should be punished.
Then Bruh David was commanded to set up an altar at the threshing floor of a man called Ornan the Jebusite, which he did, though adamantly refusing the land as a gift and instead purchasing it for six hundred shekels of gold. And it’s after all of that, that Bruh David began gathering the material to build the Lord’s temple. ‘Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged (commanded) him to build an house for the Lord God of Israel. And David said unto Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God:
But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon (Peaceful), and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his day. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.’ (1 Chr. 22:6-10)
Ah friends, although Bruh David received a lot of grace and mercy from God in trying to do His will, he still suffered a great deal for the mistakes he made. And since the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever, it means that we are also liable to experience a lot of adversity in doing His will, and like Bruh David we should not lose heart or give up, because it’s simply how the Lord runs His affairs. For as Bruh Paul warns in Galatians: ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (do not lose heart).’ (Gal. 6:9) So my people, it’s of the utmost importance that we stand strong in faith despite adversity, because eventually we will be well rewarded by the Lord.
Now, let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings; undeserved blessings generously bestowed by God on us to do His earthly work. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, it now behooves us to go out and generously use those blessings to help others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE the Lord like we do! Much LOVE!
…forgiveness of sin…doesn’t exempt one…from paying a price for said sin
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