God’s Punishers || Angels Defined #5

Suppose you have paid attention in the church in any capacity or sung some of the most famous Christmas carols. In that case, you have probably heard of an angel before. We’ve seen their depictions in plays, Christmas cards, and scripture pictures on social media, but how many of you know what angels are designed to do. The Bible even gives us a representation of what an angel looks like, which I believe Hallmark would not approve of.

In our current series, I will define what an angel is and what they are designed to do. This series is called “Angels Defined.” My goal for this series is to help you understand the biblical concepts of what angels are, what angels do, and why they matter to you.

In part five, we’re talking about angels bringing punishments.

2 Samuel 24:10-17

10          But after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him. And he said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, Lord, for doing this foolish thing.”

11          The next morning the word of the Lord came to the prophet God, who was David’s seer. This was the message:

12          “Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments and I will inflict it on you.’”

13          So Gad came to David and asked him, “Will you choose three years of famine throughout your land, three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout your land? Think this over and decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.”

14          “I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into humans hands.”

15          So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel that morning, and it lasted for three days. A total of 70,000 people died throughout the nation, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.

16          But as the angel was preparing to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented and said to the death angel, “Stop! That is enough! At that moment the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17          When David saw the angel he said to the Lord, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep – what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family.”

Let’s talk about the context of this passage above everything else because there is much to discuss. Why did we need the census? Well, God was upset with Israel. He used David to harm them through the census. David had his armies take a census of all the tribes of Israel to know how many people there were. His army leader, Joab, questioned him, but David insisted on doing the census. The report found 800,000 soldiers in Israel and 500,000 in Judah.

The punishment was also a unique process. David’s sin was pride, but we don’t quite understand why God was angry with the Israelites. It could have been due to their support of the rebellions of Absalom and Sheba, or it could have been because they had put their security in military and financial prosperity instead of God. Since we don’t know why God was upset with Israel, we can understand that God dealt with the entire nation of Israel through David as their representative.

God gave three choices, each a punishment that God had said people could expect if they disobeyed their laws.

Deuteronomy 28:20-22

20          The Lord himself will send on your curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do, until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and abandoning me.

21          The Lord will afflict you with diseases until none of you are left in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

22          The Lord will strike you with wasting diseases, fever, and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, and with blight and mildew. These disasters will pursue you until you die.

David wisely chose the punishment that came directly from God. He understood how intense war could be and comprehended God’s immense mercy for his people. To be punished by God was far better than taking your chances without him.

The angel was ready to destroy Jerusalem. To destroy is the Hebrew verb shachath (shaw-khath’), which means to possibly go to ruin a city. The angels were ready to ruin the city beyond repair. They would have faced confusion and frustration to the point of self-destruction. They would have diseases that wiped out their population. The angels were ready to erase Jerusalem off the map, but God relented.

To relent is the Hebrew verb nacham (naw-kham’), which means to be sorry or to console oneself. God was upset at the Israelites but didn’t let his anger get out of control. David repented his sinful pride, and God repented of his punishing actions. God didn’t like punishing his chosen people, much like a parent doesn’t like punishing their son. Still, God needed to show them what life would be like if they intentionally went against him.

Exodus 12:23

23          For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.

Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread became annual remembrances of God rescuing the Israelites from Egypt. Each year, the people would pause to remember the day when God’s death angel passed over their home. The moment of that would be both scary and gratifying. Scary if you weren’t passed over, but gratifying when God chose you to stick around. They gave God thanks for saving them from death and bringing them out of slavery and sin.

We have also experienced a day of deliverance. It’s the day we were delivered from spiritual death and slavery. It’s the day Jesus paid the price for our punishment that allows us to forgive our sins and gives us the gift of a right relationship with our Heavenly Father. The Lord’s Supper (Communion) is our Passover meal. It’s a remembrance of our new life and freedom. The body of Christ, broken for you. The blood of Christ is shed for you. The next time you face struggles and trials, remember how God has delivered you in the past from his death angel and focus on his promise of new life in him.

In the next part, we will talk about angels patrolling the earth. Until then, stay blessed!