David’s Sacrifice
Study Scripture: 1 Chronicles 21: 1 – 22_1
Background Scripture: 2 Samuel Chapters 22, 23 24
Lesson 10 May 3, 2025
Key Verse
“Nevertheless, King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will certainly buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing”.
1 Chronicles 21:24
INTRODUCTION
How would you like to have someone close to you, who has battled with you through all the stresses of life, give you advice which will protect you from God’s displeasure?
This is the choice David faced when he was in a stressful situation brought on by spiritual warfare masterminded by archenemy Satan himself.
He had to discern what was happening around him in the spiritual realm, in the unseen world of demonic activity.
But he failed at this need for discernment.
This is a world we cannot see with our eyes of flesh. It can only be looks at and understood by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Demonic powers work non-stop to make believers in the Lord Jesus Christ make mistakes that will offend God the Father.
These attacks are powerful but believers need not worry for they are children of God, and even if they make mistakes they do not want to make, God has provided protection that Satan cannot overcome.
In our Lesson Study we will see how David, the sweet psalmist, a man after God’s own heart, came under demonic attack, and how his carelessness brought severe problems for him and for the entire nation.
Our Study is on the worst and then on the best of David, a beloved man of God, a man after God’s own heart.
Our Study raises several critically important issues regarding the nature of God’s sovereignty and the nature of man’s responsibility.
It also introduces us to the tragedy involved in leadership and hence turns us away from a carnal human desire for leadership and its power and benefits.
The reality of the anger of God which is exercised stops us cold in our desires for we learn that there are follies done by those favoured of God who sin when the dangers of success come to careless minds swelled as one writer states, by the sense of their own importance.
No matter how high we have risen to, we can easily fall.
This Chapter illustrates the fact that even if we have been put in high position by God, no matter how faithful we may have lived, at some point in our life everyone is capable of falling at any moment.
We see this all the time the lamentable fact that Christians as well as Christian leaders who are known everywhere are capable of falling at any moment.
We tend to overlook the statement in the book of Proverbs Chapter 6:16-19
‘There are six things that the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him;
A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren”.
The events in this chapter lead some to think that this is a mysterious Chapter.
We therefore have controversies as to why the famous, godly, successful King David could be found in this unfortunate position of experiencing the anger of God. One scholar places this quandary plainly before us:
“Now, he orders a census of the fighting men.
Now it is not wrong to order a census. In the Book of Numbers, two censuses have been taken and there is no indication in the word of God that it was wrong to do that. But in this case, something evidently is wrong and David recognizes it as being wrong, as well.
Different explanations have been given in order to express possibilities of blame. For example, some have suggested that he, as 1 chronicles chapter 27 in 23 and 24 that his sin lay in numbering those who were under twenty years old. That does not seem to apply definitely to this.
Others have concluded from the same passages, that he erred in numbering the people at all, and that his acts sprang from unbelief in the promises to the patriarchs. Because God had told the patriarchs that he would make Israel like the sand on the seashore in number. So why he concerned to number them at this time?
Others thought he was guilty of presumption. He acted without any instruction from the Lord. We do not have any word that says God said to David, “’Number the children of Israel”. And so, consequently, some have thought that that was the reason.
Others have felt the fault lay in his failure to require the half-shekel, which was required in case of a census. And the half-shekel was to be paid by each individual in token of their indebtedness to the Lord. It was a ransom price to remind them that they belonged to the Lord, by virtue of God, himself, purchasing them when the children of Israel were brought out of the land of Egypt, suggestive to us of the fact that we belong to God, only because of the ransom of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
Some therefore think that this mighty, successful well known King who God had placed on the throne was now at this late stage in life was intoxicated with his successes and so he decided to number the people.
His army chief and relative Joab as well as the army leaders seemed to have this opinion that David’s pride was showing. In this RARE case where Joab showed a tiny bit of morality he remonstrated with David:
“Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?”
Now Joab made good sense for he suspected David had developed a feeling of self-sufficiency.
Joab was obviously put there by God to in this rare case offer a rebuke which David simply ignored.
One writer draws an important lesson for wives and husbands from this case as follows:
“And it was merciful of God to have a man like Joab by his side, who said a word of reproof. Now, David had his seer. His name was Gad. He had his prophet. I have my prophet or my seer in my wife, and she is the reason, if there is any reason, why I make a decision that is right (laughter). And so it’s merciful of God, you know, to have someone by us who knows us well enough to say, “you shouldn’t do that”.
Now, probably, many of you have not made as many mistakes as I have. But I am thankful that I have someone who is willing to say, “You shouldn’t do that”.
It is however good to note that this Chapter shows and distinguishes sinning saints from sinning unbelievers. In this case we see David, the sinning saint turn as all saints should do all the time, to confession and godly repentance.
Note godly repentance is very different from the repentance of the world.. 2 Corinthians 7:10
The way God dealt with David of course reminds us of God’s sovereignty and immutability as well as human responsibility. God sees what is happening in human affairs as well as in the heart and when He sees what is taking place even if we do not observe it God takes action and requires that the offending people or leader repent concerning it.
In this case some believe God moved as He did and exacted severe punishment because Israel had on several occasions rebelled against the government of God and had to be disciplined. The people were the object of the anger of God and the aging David who had prided himself as in Psalm 27:!
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? had fallen into the way humans think which is that strength lay in them.
The census took about 9 months and yet David did not see in that time that he was in fact doing wrong. So God had to chide him and God used Satan as the permitted instrument to carry out the needed discipline.
Divine sovereignty is always there. Human responsibility is always there. God appoints and He guides and sustains. He works out all things according to the counsel of His own will. So even our Lord Jesus Christ said about divine sovereignty:
“The Son of Man goeth as it has been written concerning him”. But on the other hand there was human responsibility, so it was said, “But woe unto that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed”.
So remember there is for you human responsibility. There is provision for you in confession and godly repentance.
This entire Study recalls the basis of the Covenant. A covenant is described in its most basic form as “an agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something specified”. As used in the Old Testament, its root meaning is derived from a Hebrew word (berith) which means ‘to cut’ and hence a covenant is a “cutting,” with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant (Gen.15; Jer.34:18-19).
The word is also used with reference to God’s revelation of Himself in the way of promise or of favour to men and typically God’s covenants with men consist totally in the bestowal of blessings on men (Gen. 9; Jer. 33:20; Gen.17).
There are usually some discussions around the topic of which of God’s promises can be regarded as covenants but it is universally accepted that the covenant God made with Abraham which is called the Abrahamic Covenant, is of fundamental importance for it is from it that the clear and very specific basic promises of the Bible flow.
Not surprising then, it is regarded as foundational in establishing the framework of God’s dealing with men and succeeding covenants are seen as amplifications of its different parts. So much so, that many regard the Bible as the record of the path that Israel and the nations follow toward the fulfilment of the Abrahamic Covenant.
When we study the promises that constitute the Davidic covenant, it should be borne in mind that this was not the first mention of a monarchy that would bless the earth, for God had determined that an enduring monarchy would come from Abraham. This was one of the blessings that God had promised him. (Genesis 17:6,16). God repeated this promised to Jacob in Genesis 35:10-11 and Jacob gave us important information about the King that would be the future Ruler of Israel. He prophesied that the ruler would come from the tribe of Judah and he would have the sceptre.
In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God warned Israel about choosing a King and He emphasized that He should be the One that should choose their King. God then revealed His very interesting and meaningful criteria and guidelines for any future King.
David had been anointed King but he would not reign until after the current King Saul died in battle. Then David inherited the kingdom as God had promised. The stage was now set.
The Davidic Covenant is connected with the subject of our Study for it is regarded as inextricably linked to the Abrahamic covenant and both have their constituent parts based on the promise of a land and a ‘seed(s)’. This covenant however has the further dimension of securing in perpetuity, a Davidic ‘house’ or line, a throne and a kingdom.
In Psalm 89:30-37 the promises are confirmed by an oath, (See Luke 1:31-33). While some parts of the promises will be fulfilled in David’s immediate successor, Solomon his son, the ultimate fulfillment will be in Christ, as the Saviour of the ‘world’. Thus the Davidic covenant is in a sense an extension and fulfilment of the Abrahamic covenant, in particular, the seed aspect seen in David’s posterity that climaxes in the person of Christ.
This Covenant was solely established and guaranteed by God himself and it is a great blessing to all mankind. The importance of a covenant in the Bible can arguably be assessed on how clearly it speaks of Messiah. The Davidic Covenant represents the final covenant which brings into much clearer view the meanings of the earlier broad stream of Messianic prophecies (Gen.3:15, 49:10; Num.24:17) to a fine point in a descendant of David. Until the Davidic Covenant, references to Messiah were understood but given their limited revelation, Christ (the Anointed One or Messiah) was only seen dimly in those oracles and it was only from the vantage point of later revelation, that a really clear picture emerged. But even then many problems and uncertainties arose and divided ancient scholars on exactly who Messiah was and could be. The Davidic Covenant however clearly pinpoints David’s son as the eternal Son of God, with an eternal throne.
David therefore had a critically important role in the plan of God and in salvation history.
We should note the stress on the irrevocable and unconditional nature of God’s promises to David. The parallel passage in 2 Samuel 7:14-16 established the basis by indicating that God had “adopted” David and therefore would act toward David and his dynasty as He was a Father. As Yahweh’s son, David and his descendants would be blessed forever by the provisions of this covenant.
To satisfy all the promises of the covenant God would have to raise up a son of David that would be a loyal son, who would meet all of the demands of God laid down in the covenant. Since this was indeed the case as explained in the messianic prophecies, this loyal son would come and the covenant faithfulness of God would never be withdrawn.
God’s gracious dealings with David in this magnanimous covenant made a deep impression on the King whose humble and unassuming manner would not even allow him to imagine himself as deserving of such honor. His response was a prayer to thank and praise God, during which he confessed his own unworthiness and acknowledge God’s sovereignty in the election of Israel and himself. Despite the tremendous promises made to him and his posterity, his concern is that the promises be fulfilled for God’s sake, rather than for the promised personal blessings and privilege.
The Davidic Covenant is specifically described in two other passages, 2 Samuel 7:1-17 and in
Psalm 89. The passages of 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles are remarkably similar except for an account of disciplinary measures to be taken against any and all of David’s descendants that turn from the God of Israel. Psalm 89 also speaks to God’s discipline on the disobedient in David’s line. The passages however make it clear that unfaithfulness on the part of David’s descendants would not abrogate the covenant but only bring scourging to the disobedient. Psalm 89 presents the covenant in poetic form and highlights God’s mercy and faithfulness to David and the absolute certainty of the fulfilment of the promises.
At the point of our Text Israel is at peace and David is resting from wars, as the Lord had given him victory over all his external enemies. The Ark had been successfully brought to Jerusalem and the city was now the centre of worship for the entire nation. He had the allegiance of the twelve tribes and the government was centralized in Jerusalem. David’s personal house was fit for a king, thanks to the expensive cedars and other building materials supplied by King Hiram of Tyre. All was well with the King and it was this state of affairs that led David to consider the welfare of the Ark of the Covenant.
The things that pertain to God are never far from the mind of the righteous and this will be seen as David’s mind turns to God in his time of ease and leisure and sets up the occasion for the announcement of the Davidic Covenant.
We must pay attention not only to the abstract principles that make up a great leader as David was, but we have to reflect on his life and his shortcomings as he acted out his role as appointed by God. How his performance affected his community defines how a good leader is.
THE TEXT
Verses 1. Context is important. We must recount to a limited extent David’s history as a leader, so we can understand how he behaved in our Study.
David’s circumstances were all that a king could desire but he felt some unease early in his reign when he considered his position.
He had shown a lifelong reverence for all that pertained to the Lord (1Sam.24:3-5, 1Sam.17:26, 2 Sam.1:14) and a particular concern for the hallowed Ark of the Covenant (1 Chron.15), particularly because of its significance to the nation.
David’s attitude is important for us to understand how his mind works. After his first attempt to bring it to the capital Jerusalem had ended in disaster (see the previous study), he consulted the ‘Law of Moses’, followed the proper procedure for transporting the Ark and brought it to Jerusalem with much fanfare, rejoicing and thanksgiving.
He understood that it was God and God alone that had brought all of Israel under his control, centralized the government in Jerusalem his capital, and given him rest from all his foes, this man who loved God wanted to do everything he could to please God.
Nathan the prophet, his seer, knew David’s spiritual state, so when David expressed his desire to house God’s Ark in more sumptuous quarters, Nathan quickly concurred and praised David’s intentions. Here Nathan spoke as his friend and not as God’s messenger.
While the prophet must encourage godly intentions, even in this they still have to operate under the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Nathan did not seek the Lord’s will but advised David to do what was in his mind, for God is with thee. In other words, “sounds good to me, and I’m sure it will be okay with God as well”, according toa commentator.
That very night David’s plan along with Nathan’s endorsement came to a sudden stop.
In a vision God instructed Nathan to tell David directly, that he should not build a house for the Lord. In the 2nd Samuel’s account the prohibition takes the form of a question; “…Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
Some scholars consider Nathan’s response to David as presumptuous, for a prophet should not use human judgment and commonsense when dealing with these kind of matters. One commentator warns: “It is of the utmost importance that we should ever test our desires, even the highest and holiest of them, by His will. Work, excellent in itself, should never be undertaken, save at the express command of God. The passing of time will always vindicate the wisdom of the Divine will.”
The Lord softened the rebuke by addressing David as My servant, nonetheless the message was very clear, he is forbidden from building the house. God’s veto put both David and Nathan in their place, his bright idea did not correspond to God’s plan. David’s plan was rejected but he himself was not.
…servant… God placed the King in his proper position, by calling him his “servant”. A servant normally waits for his Master’s direction. Still God was being gracious to David, for unlike a lot of Christians, David’s attitude was not to find out how little he could get away with doing for God, but how much he could do for God.
This is the attitude of mind that believers should have. The only proviso is that we should seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit before we attempt to do things for God. Even though he would not accept David’s offer, God honored David even while turning down his offer.
God got very personal as David will be reminded of what God has done, is doing and will do for him. David is soon to learn who is taking care of whom, that it has always been God helping us, not us helping God. Specifically, David was reminded of his origins and the great things that God had done for him. He had been stuck in the sheepcote, i.e. the sheep pen. He was a herdsman, a shepherd, a far from glorious position. Note David’s brother’s reaction and derogatory or sneering description of his job when David came to view the conflict with Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:28.
From lowly shepherd to ruler over “My People”, God had always been with David, wherever he had gone and in all his circumstances He made David aware that he had protected, preserved him and given him success in all his endeavours. To that end all of David’s enemies, which were then God’s enemies, had been defeated. Saul, the Philistines and all David and Israel’s other enemies had been vanquished. His promotion from looking after sheep to being king was a glorious and auspicious promotion. God had given him remarkable victories over his enemies, so much so he had become a name and a legend. Although David’s accomplishments as king caused his reputation to grow (2 Sam 8:13), God was the driving force in making his name great. He was the One who orchestrated David’s transition from being a common shepherd to serving as the king over Israel
(2 Sam 7:8). Throughout all the lands around he was now known as a mighty King, a mighty warrior, conqueror and servant of the Almighty God. It could rightly be said that God had ‘made’ David.
The recount of God’s past dealings with David revealed God’s faithfulness among other things and set the stage for the wonderful promises of the covenant. Future enemies like those of the past and present would be subdued and the words “I will…” are prominent in the next few verses. God promised David to set Israel in a place they would call their own; a place he would secure.
It was God who had picked a land for Israel and it was God who had taken them and planted them in the place He had chosen. The plant imagery clearly suggests permanence (Exod.15: 17; Psalm 44:2; 80:8; Isa.5:2; Jer.2:21; Amos 9: 15).
David’s kingdom and government still faced challenges and peace was not yet complete. There was a glorious future ahead however, for God was behind Israel. Still these promises found a measure of fulfillment during the lifetimes of David and Solomon his son but it is clear their full consummation can and will only happen under future divine rule, which is that of Messiah, Jesus Christ.
God in His own heart had determined to build David an enduring house, that is, a dynasty or succession of kings as direct descendants.
The details of the covenant are outlined in many verses and God uses the term “I will…” several times to underline the certainty of the promises.The fact he was promised a permanent dynasty in the context of making the nation permanent and secure from all its enemies, would immediately bring to mind the Abrahamic promises or Covenant. So David knew that he was into something absolutely astounding. (See Psalm 89).
The promise comes again that the throne of David would be established and would continue forever. His royal line would be forever.
The idea of a “throne” is very significant and speaks of the authority of a King’s rule. We are to understand that a King would come and he would have authority and power to rule. The concept of ‘forever’ is directly linked to the ‘throne’. This emphasizes the eternal and unconditional nature of the promise to David and Israel. These were all momentous ideas for David, that of a “house”, a “kingdom”, a “throne”, and all described as “forever”.
Note that the certainty that these promises would be fulfilled rests on God’s faithfulness. The certainty of fulfillment does not have much to do with David’s or Israel’s obedience, even though we are told that there are consequences for disobedience in 2 Samuel 7 and Psalm 89.
The Scriptures of course teach that this one is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
David was assured that the terms of the covenant of God would never be withdrawn.
We should receive salvation and every blessing with the same attitude. God’s giving reflects the greatness of the Giver, not the receiver. David is effusive in his praise of God and repeats a familiar refrain found throughout the Scriptures: “O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee…”.
Note that David throughout his life clearly prayed in the will of God.
Christians are encouraged to approach the throne of grace boldly, confident and comforted in the fact they pray in the will of God, if in fact that is the case.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace of help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16)
Let us notice that David prayed from the heart. Some people pray from a book; others pray from their head. The right place to pray from is the heart.
Lord, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant: This was David’s foundation of faith. He knew that God was God, and that His promise was true. God can be trusted.
1 Chronicles 21:1.
Our Study begins with temptation. Satan stands up against the nation of Israel and incites the nation’s successful God appointed leader to be the conduit for the damage of the nation.
King David clearly does not recognize that he was in the midst of a particular attack constituting a new line of spiritual warfare.
Note one has to handle spiritual problems with the required spiritual weapons. 2 Corinthians reminds us:
”For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds
Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of God”.
We may believe the reason behind the permission given to Satan to move David to number Israel was God’s displeasure at Israel following the rebellion against David by his son Absalom. Or it might have been because the majority of Israel following after Sheba reported in 2 Samuel 20:1-2.
Or it might have been because the nation was feeling increasingly proud of themselves for their military victories.
We simply are not told why God was angry at Israel. But we are told God allowed Satan to tempt Israel and David. We recall God has the right to use Satan to teach believers (like Job) important lessons to enable their spiritual growth.
It might have been pride or self-reliance blinding David from trusting in God and asking God to explain why he felt the way he was feeling.
Discerning the twists in Satan’s spiritual warfare strategies, as well as discerning our underlying motivations in response to life situations are most necessary. We need discernment to see God’s will.
This gift is the most needed gift of the Holy Spirit today, but sadly we laud speaking in tongues, healing and other gifts that make us popular and make us look good before the world.
Verse 2. David with a show of his regal power told the army chiefs to go and number Israel from Dan to Beersheba for he wanted to know this number.
He certainly was thinking he had the right to number what belonged to him forgetting Israel did not belong to him but to God. He simply ignored Exodus 30:12 leaving God out of the picture.
Verse 3. Even Joab, the general suspected David’s motives for he had no knowledge of any plans to sum up the nation’s strength to enable to attack on an undisclosed enemy, There waa calm in the land.
Joab, who was not the most moral god-fearing person, though he fought valiantly Israel’s battles, and as a faithful Israelite well knew the commandments of God, warned David against going against God’s possible displeasure at a census God did not order.
So he reproved David for doing such a thing that would bring guilt on Israel.
Verse 4. The other captains of the army joined Joab in this position but David insisted to have his own way. He did not stop to listen to good advice. Like us we too often head down the wrong road despite warning. The boss’s word ruled.
Verse 5-6. The census was taken over a nine month period and David was advised there were 1,100,000 fighting men in Israel and 470,000 fighting men in Judah. Joab and the army captains were so upset at the King’s order they did not count the men in the tribe of Levi.and Benjamin. The 2 Samuel 24 account records widely different figures with 1,300,000 fighting men in Israel. No one has been able to reconcile why the figures vary.
Verse 7 God was displeased at this census. David had made no attempt to abort his census plan. God was displeased and He struck Israel.
How can we assess David? God incited David to sin because of Israel’s sin. He fell.
Verse 8. David looked at the report and his heart condemned him. He did not blame God, Satan, nor the people. He takes full responsibility for his actions. He did not do like Adam who blamed Eve, or Eve who blamed the serpent. His heart was struck.
We have to admire David as he suffered the trauma of conviction.. It must have been painful for him to tell the Lord he had sinned greatly and he had sinned foolishly.
He confessed his sin and he asked God to take away the iniquity of His foolish servant.
God had brought him to repentance. He showed the great difference between the saint of God, the regenerate and the unregenerate who are empty professors and hypocrites.
Verse 9.We know that David had repented of his sin against God, and we now look for God’s reaction.
God sent David’s seer, Khozeh, his visionary, that is, the “seeing one”, the word used meaning the one who received the vision or divine message.
This is a different word from the word used for Nathan (Nabi) the most commonly used word for prophet, or the word used for Samuel (Ro-eh).
Verses 10-12. God told Gad to offer David 3 choices for discipline was necessary. He had to choose between
- 3 years of famine,
- 3 months of defeat by his enemies, or
- 3 days of plague in the land with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout Israel.
God clearly wanted to bring David to his senses by upbraiding him and humbling him. He could choose the method of testing and decide how he could endure the rod of discipline.
This ability to choose showed God’s mercy and His way of encouraging David for he would have the opportunity to exercise faith.
David had ignored the way of wisdom, advice and common sense. Now he was on a difficult road that even the unregenerate enemies would want to be on.
This teaches us that as long as we are in the flesh we can fall suddenly. Many have been faithful to God for a long time but the work of the Holy Spirit is not easy to bring believers into conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 13. David declared he was in great distress. But now he showed he had recovered some of his sanity. He therefore chose to fall into the hands of the lord. He was wise, for he knew as all saints should know, that they will always receive the mercy and grace of God.
One scholar tells us that believers like David must know to fling themselves through the thick curtain of divine anger for that leads directly to the heart of God.
So David decides he would fall into the hands o the Lord “for His mercies are great”.
Verse 14 At David’s decision God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it.70,00 men of Israel fell dead.
Verse 15.When the Lord looked at the destruction He “relented”. Some interpret this as “repented”. God told the destroying angels to restrain his hand.
The angel stopped at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. One writer comments at the difficulty this gives to our understanding:
“How can we say that God said that he would do these three things and then we read that he repented, He relented? Well, that, of course, suggests to us the difficulty of harmonizing the immutability of God with changes in his actions toward men.
When we read in Scripture that he repented himself, he is speaking to us in human language, first of all.
Many of the greatest of our theologians have made that point, and, I think, it’s absolutely true.
Let me show you how that is true and I’ll just draw another, or some other parallels. The Bible employs a lot of anthropomorphisms, that is, statements about god’s actions in human language, human terms, human figures. For example, The bible says that God is wearied, Isaiah chapter 42.
And yet in another place we are told the Creator fainteth not, neither is weary. In one place the language is the language of men; in the other, we have the truth about God.
In Deuteronomy, Jehovah speaks as “fearing the wrath of the enemy”, which is manifestly a figure of speech. He doesn’t fear anyone; he’s absolutely fearless. And even the saints have no fear as they rest in him.
In Psalm 78, we read, “The Lord awakened, as one out of sleep”. But we know, as we read the Old Testament’ that he neither slumbers or sleeps Jeremiah speaks of him as “rising early in the morning”. Can you figure, or put in your mind the Lord lying in a bed and throwing aside the covers and getting up in his pyjamas and saying, “Now I think I’ll look and see what’s been happening on the earth while I’ve been sleeping”, and awakening early? No. He rises early? That’s a figure of speech, speaking as men to denote his earnestness in doing what he is going to do. So when we read that God relented or God repented, we are talkig about what God does in the language of men. God is immutable”.
Verse 16. David is smitten and wounded. One writer stated that he repented and he prays the prayer of wisdom, confessing and owning his sin and prays for the removal of the consequences. He and the elders are in sackcloth and they pray as they see the angel of God standing between earth and heaven having the drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem.
Verse 17.David prayed that it was he that commanded the census. It was not the people’s doing. He only had sinned and the sheep were not responsibility. He asked God to punish him and his father’s house and not the people who should not be plagued.
Verse 18. The effect was that God repented of the completing His judgment of Israel, and ordered the angel to stay the destruction that was about to occur.
Here God told David through Gad that he had to erect an altar and sacrifice.
We get to the point where instructions were given to David on how to construct an altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan. The angel that was assignment to bring judgment to Israel was not tasked with delivering instructions to David, so that he may find himself in the good graces of God once again. The angel saw fit to go to the prophet Gad to instruct him in the directions to give to David, thereby bestowing honour to David’s seer and upon the prophetic office. In a similar way was the revelation of Jesus Christ notified by the angel to John, and by him to the churches.
The commanding of David to build an altar was a blessed token of reconciliation.
Verses 19-21. David went up to the threshing floor as commanded for he had to build the altar there.
Ornan and his four sons turned and saw the angel but they continued working.
The threshing floor of Ornan had both rich history and a rich future. 2 Chronicles 3:1 tells us that the threshing floor of Ornan was on Mount Moriah, the same hill where Abraham went to offer Isaac and the same set of hills where Jesus died on the cross.
“In fact, David’s altar was the only one in pre-exilic times which God explicitly commanded to be built.” (Selman)
Verses 22 – 25. David immediately made a bargain with Ornan for the threshing-floor, for he would not serve God at other people’s charge. Ornan had generously offered it to him gratis, not only in complaisance to the king, but because he had himself seen the angel, which so terrified him that he and his four sons hid themselves, as unable to bear the brightness of his glory and afraid of his drawn sword.
Under the circumstances, Ornan was willing to do anything towards helping his king make atonement to the Almighty God.
We can see that Ornan was a man of God and wise also. He possessed duly sensible thoughts knowing that the terrors of the Lord, one will and must do all they can, in their places, to promote religion, and encourage all the methods of reconciliation for the turning away of God’s wrath.
David, now recognizing his sin against God would not again fall into sin this time by taking Ornan’s threshing-floor without paying a heavy price, especially in the attempt at reconciliation with God.
David in verse 24 had stressed he would buy the threshing floor at the full price for he would not sacrifice to God with something that costs him little or nothing. So he paid 600 shekels of gold for the place. It is important to note this word of explanation from this scholar:
David erects an altar and offered sacrifices on it. And in the course of it, he makes that great statement to Ornan. “I will not offer that which costs me nothing”.
Cheap religion is repudiated. Everything belongs to the Lord God. We are just stewards. And so he wishes to give as God gives.
And we wish to give, incidentally, in the Christian Church, because Jesus Christ is the great example of the giver, the Good shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. That’s why no Christian should ever have to be exhorted to give. Isn’t it strange? Today we live in the day of solicitation and exhortation. It’s sad, very sad. To give as the Lord gives is the noblest useof our possessions.
People didn’t follow the Lord Jesus saying “Give yourself up on the Cross for us” This was something that proceeded from the mind of God. And true giving flows out of gratitude for what Christ has done”.
Verses 26-28. God testified His acceptance of David’s offerings on this altar. The answer or sign of this was the fire from heaven, the fire which consumed the sacrifice. A further sign of acceptance was the fact that the angel of God who still had his sword unsheathed, and out in the open, returned it to its holding place. God’s anger was turned away from him, and from the people that David was to lead towards God.
David sacrificed there at the threshing floor.
Note sacrifice meant David made offerings to re-establish, maintain, and restore a right relationship to his God. His sacrifice was of things valuable, set aart in worship.
Verse 29-30. The tabernacle of the Lord and the burnt offering altar that Moses had made in the wilderness were then at the high place in Gibeon.
David therefore could not enquire of the Lord as he wanted to do for guidance as he could not go to Gibeon but had to stay and sacrifice where he was.
But David was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
Chapter 22:1. But David determined that this was to be the place for the House of the Lord to be built and for the placing there of the altar of burnt offering so all Israel could worship there.
One writer made the lesson to David quite clear. This lesson applies to us and hence we are warned:
“Nothing could be a clearer illustration of the fact that there is no forgiveness of sins unless the justice and holiness of God is satisfied.. Why is it necessary for an altar to be erected? Why cannot an individual just repent and say, “I repent of my sin. I confess my sin”. Why is it necessary for God to arrange a way of forgiveness through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ? Why is it necessary? Well, my Christian friend and my non—Christian friend, if you are here, the reason is very simple; God is not only a god of love, but he’s a just and righteous God as well. And because he is, his own nature requires that his holiness and righteousness be satisfied in the offering of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And so the Lord Jesus Christ offers himself as the sacrifice, sacrifice to the holiness and righteousness of God, satisfying Him and freeing God, who is a righteous God as well as a loving God, to give eternal life to those who have been convicted by the Holy Spirit of their own sin and desire the forgiveness of sins”.
This lesson was one taught to all of us through Jesus. Christ was made sin and a curse for us, and it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, that through Him God might be to us, not a consuming fire, but a reconciled Father.
CONCLUSION
What can we learn personally? David provided the animals and materials for the sacrifice. But Jesus was God’s sacrifice and this sacrifice is immeasurably more important than sacrifices of animals. We have the sacrifice of the divine person..
In this regard one writer comments:
“Often we may have to accept that the work which we would dearly like to perform in terms of Christian service is not that for which we are best equipped, and not that to which God has in fact called us. It may be, like David’s, a preparatory work, leading to something more obviously grand.
Recognition and acceptance of our true measure is the first and necessary step toward seeing the significance of what, in God’s purposes, we really can achieve and have achieved.”
So we should remain humble and trust in God. We should thank God for what He has promised and what He has given us to do, no matter how lowly it might appear in the eyes of others.
David’s prayer is a model for us. He sacrificed and the lives of many were saved. The pestilence was stayed and many were blessed.
Now the sacrifice of Christ saves from eternal punishment and secures eternal life, attests one writer.
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The provisions of the Davidic Covenant represent part of the plan God has for His people. As He gave the various covenants, each one represented a step forward in the revelation of His intentions for the world. Each covenant builds on the preceding covenant or covenants.
The Davidic covenant had immediate as well as far-reaching implications. It speaks about the time when David’s son would bring peace and justice to every one, especially to his faithful disciples.
So now that we have learned about the covenant with David, we better understand Jeremiah 23:5-6.
“Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
But, the Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North country, and from all countries whither I have driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.”
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isa. 9:6 – 7).:
(We see the fulfillment of all this in Luke 1:31-33). Jesus Christ does reign on David’s throne forever and He is even now building a magnificent house, putting together the temples of God, the Church for God’s glory and honor and praise.