Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Chronicles 21:30 (New Living Translation)

30 But David was not able to go there to inquire of God, because he was terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the Lord.

This is the conclusion of the (hi)story of God sending an angel to destroy Jerusalem as punishment for one of David’s sins. 70,000 people had died suddenly from a plague. Stop and consider that one. 70,000 people dead. What do you do with the dead bodies? How do the cries of anguish of the families sound?

The angel had descended upon Jerusalem to destroy the city. David met the angel of the Lord at a famous spot in the city. David was terrified by the sight of the angel.

Consider David. He was a warrior. He killed and killed and killed other warriors in brutal hand-to-hand combat. That was gruesome and horrific. I cannot imagine what David had experienced. I cannot imagine messin’ with David. He could be a terrifying person himself.

Yet, David was terrified by the sight of the angel.

The angel of God was more horrific than anything David had lived on the field of battle. If David was terrified, I would melt to a puddle of goo at the sight of the angel of God.

Yes, we read of angels encouraging and blessing people. Still, angels can be terrifying.