(1 Chron. 21-22:1.)
Very important it is for a fallen creature to acquaint itself with God, whilst the door of mercy is standing open, and the day of grace still lasts. God’s works declare His power and godhead, but God’s word alone reveals to us His nature. The Deist, from a study of His works in nature, may draw conclusions as to His power, the minuteness and perfection of microscopic objects should acquaint man that nothing is too small for God to notice; but the simple soul that hearkens to His word will know in reality more about God than the wisest philosopher, or the most pains-taking observer. The latter can talk of what He has made, the former of what He is. With these few preliminary remarks we would invite the reader’s attention to the history of David’s sacrifice at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
Twice have we it related, and each time with a different object. In 2 Samuel it is brought in at the close of the book; in 1 Chronicles it is placed in the middle of it. From Samuel we learn that God cannot pass over sin; in Chronicles we discover more what He is, and what follows the acceptance of the sacrifice. David’s history in Samuel acquaints us with the man; his history in Chronicles brings out the glory of his kingdom. In keeping with this, we read in Samuel of his rise, trials, and victories till his kingdom stretches from the Euphrates to the river of Egypt. After which we have his fall, and the governmental dealings of God, first with him and his family, then with the house of Saul, and last of all with the nation of Israel. In 1 Chronicles all connected with David’s sin and the punishment of Saul’s house is passed over; and in the middle of the recital of David’s might and David’s wealth, we read of the numbering of Israel, and of all the consequences which flow from it. The story of David’s sin could find no place in the book which has for its object the glory of the kingdom; but the numbering of Israel, and God’s consequent dealing in government with them, has therein a place, because it led to the determining of that important point—the exact locality for the future temple.
Israel had sinned, so chastisement must be administered, and David’s pride of heart readily afforded an occasion. “Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” Through their king the nation is reached, for David, a man like themselves, yields to the enemy’s suggestion, and issues an order to number the people. Remonstrated with to no purpose, his order is obeyed, and the work of numeration commenced, which was destined never to be completed; for before Levi and Benjamin had been counted “there fell wrath for it against Israel.” (1 Chron. 27:2424Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David. (1 Chronicles 27:24).) God’s purpose thus far carried out, we read no more of Satan in this matter. As a creature, he had been an instrument to carry out God’s design, and the same historian has now to tell us about the Lord Himself. Governmental dealing, not final wrath, was God’s purpose. He must visit sin, yet He would not cast off His people; so He deals with David’s heart, so lately captivated by the wiles of the enemy. He would convince of sin, that He might righteously act in mercy. The wrath fell on Israel before the numbering was completed, that David should be exercised and the plague be stayed. He would reach David’s heart through the people’s trouble, as He had reached the people in government through the act of their king. Thus graciously did He deal with them, as He ever does with His own, that the rod should be removed, which they deserved should rest on them forever.
David’s conscience aroused, and confession having taken place (and that must always be done ere the smiting can cease), Gad, at the command of God, gives him a choice. Observe, it was the Lord who sent Gad, not Gad who solicited for the people mercy from the Lord. The plague should now be limited in duration; and the manner of its termination was left to the king’s decision. As one who knew God, he chose wisely three days’ pestilence rather than the invasion of a victorious host. “Very great are his mercies,” David said of God, and the event showed he was right. For He who dealt with David’s conscience, and brought him to acknowledge his sin, restrained the destroying angel in his work, as he stood with his drawn sword over Jerusalem. “Who prompted the Lord to this act of mercy? Whose entreaty moved Him to interfere? The scripture answers the question, for it tells us that as the angel “was destroying, the Lord beheld and repented him of the evil.” We mount up here to the fountain, we can trace the stream of mercy to its source, and we find it came forth from the holy Lord God. “The Lord beheld and repented.” God acted of Himself without the intervention of a creature. Does this seem strange to any reader of these lines? Does this militate against their notion of what God is? A thousand years later God gave a more astounding proof that He can act in this way, when His Son came to earth and announced to Nicodemus that “God so loved the world, that he gave Ids only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” All those connected with that scene at Araunah’s threshing floor have long since passed away from earth. By and by the very earth on which this event took place will pass away likewise; but the history of the cross of Christ, attested by the marks of His passion, will forever and ever bear witness that God acts in grace of His own sovereign will, without the intervention or entreaty of a single creature.
But to restrain the destroying angel, and to make him sheathe his sword are two very different things. The one was affected by a word, for the other more was needed. At the sight of the angel with the drawn sword, David and the elders of Israel, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces, and the king interceded for the people. But his intercession could not avail to secure immunity from the stroke of the angel’s arm. It needed something very different from prayer however earnest, or humiliation however deep. Here David and the elders of Israel were powerless, nay, more, they knew not what should be done for the people at this juncture. All human suggestions were out of place, all human resources worthless. But God, who is rich in mercy, and this history beautifully illustrates it, acquaints Gad the seer by the destroying angel with the requirements of His holiness. The Lord had convinced David of his sin, He had arrested the uplifted arm of the angel, and now He reveals what David should do. All is of God. The prophet can originate nothing, and the king has only to obey. An altar must be reared on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, and sacrifices be there offered up. But what should they bring? Surely man would have suggested sin offerings; the Lord enjoined burnt offerings and peace offerings. The former would speak of man’s sin, and the ground on which he could be forgiven; the latter present the aspect of the sacrifice God-wards, and the offerer’s portion with Him in the victim brought to the altar. It was the value of the sacrifice as a whole surrender to God which the burnt offering shadowed out, and it was the common joy of God and the offerer in the one sacrifice which the peace offering depicted; for of its part was consumed on the altar, part went to the priest, and part was eaten by the offerer. Such were the sacrifices to be brought; for, what the sacrifice was to God, and His acting in goodness because of it, not what man required, is what this history brings out.
The altar reared, the victims killed, God attested His acceptance of the sacrifices and of those connected with them, by the descent of fire from heaven to consume His portion of the offerings; and then, but not till then, did He command the angel to put his sword into the sheath thereof. Did God then need to be propitiated? His attitude and actions throughout this history attest the contrary; but for Him to be justified before all in His actions, and to vindicate His holiness and justice, the sacrifices must be offered up, and then all could see the ground on which He could act in mercy. This the sacrifices effected, and then David and all Israel could know they were safe. The sword returned to its scabbard would never again be laid bare for the punishment of that sin. Such was the outline of things on that day, such too is the order in connection with the cross. Because the sacrifice has been accepted, peace can now be proclaimed.
But David did not stop here. Those who have received mercy should learn what it is to worship. David finds this out; for, where God had turned away His anger, and accepted the offerings, there he sacrificed. And further, he learned that on that spot the religious service of Israel was henceforth to be carried on. The tabernacle was at Gibeon, but the place in future for the altar was Araunah’s threshing floor, for on the ground of the accepted sacrifice worship must ever be based.
Is this really understood? Do the children of God as a rule worship; i.e., approach Him with full hearts to pour them out in praise before Him for what He has done in the sacrifice of His Son? David did not sacrifice afresh to avert God’s wrath, but because he saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshing floor of Oman the Jebusite. Immunity from their deserved chastisement having been secured by the burnt offerings and peace offerings, there first offered up, he did not think there was nothing more to be done. Sheltered by sacrifice, his sacrifices of praise should in future attest his thankfulness to God for His mercy and goodness. This is what all God’s children should do. The sacrifice mentioned in Heb. 13 should be brought, because the value of Christ’s work has been known and believed. Worship should ever follow the knowledge of acceptance. Henceforth in Israel it was to be known, that the spot where God had thus acted in mercy was the center of the worship (chap. 22:1); and Solomon’s temple was the silent yet impressive witness that the worship of God’s people is connected with, and based upon, His acceptance of the sacrifice.
On the Lamb my soul is resting,
What His love, no words can say;
All my sins, so great and many,
In His blood are washed away.
Now my heart no more condemns me,
For His own most precious blood
Once for all has washed and cleansed me,
Cleansed me in the eyes of God.
Sweetest rest and peace have filled me;
Sweeter peace than tongue can tell;
God is satisfied with Jesus,
I am satisfied as well.
Filled with this sweet peace forever.
On I go through strife and care;
Till I find that peace around me,
In the Lamb’s high glory there.