David Builds an Altar

 

1 Chronicles 21:18-30

 

April, 6, 2023

 

David Builds an Altar

 Now the angel of the Lord had commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  So, David went up at Gad's word, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord.   Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. ²¹ As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground.  And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.”  Then Ornan said to David, “Take it and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.” ²⁴ But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”  So, David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site.  And David built there an altar to the Lord and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering.  Then the Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there.  For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon, but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

Often as I read the scriptures, I ask myself what would you have done when Ornan offered the threshing floor, the oxen, and the wheat for the burnt offering.  Knowing my flesh, I might have said, that sure is kind of you, but not David, he understood it had to be at a cost to him.  David also understood that God would not find pleasure in his actions if he did not pay the going price for all that he asked for.

Did you notice this great King and warrior was fearful of God’s angel with the sword?  It is a lesson we the Church of the Living God, should pay more attention to.  The Bible is full of Scriptures that tell us to be in fear of our God.  It also tells us the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  Matthew 10:28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice