Ver. 11.-Sin taken home. It is a l)lOSt pathetic scene, The angel of the Lord, who had smitten with his destroying sword "throughout all the coasts of Israel," was pass- ing by the threshing-floor of the Jebusite. His drawn sword was stretched out over Jerusalem; yet it tell not, for he was bidden to "stay bis hand." The king 11nd his princes and counsellors, clad in sackcloth, were prostrate in penitence and supplication before the vision-before the Lord. And David was taking the sin to himsolf, and invoking the penalty upon himself, as he bowed low before the righteous Judge 11nd Avenger. We observe in David's language- !. A BPmIT DIFFERENT FROM THAT OFTEN OBSERVABLE IN MEN'S CONFESSIONS. There is no sign of: 1. A disposition to shift the sin upon others. 2. Or of a willingness that others should bear the penalty of the sin. a. Or of a tendency to extenuato the guilt of sinful action. We observe- 11. A. FRANK AND FUJ.L CONFESSION OF PERSONAL GUILT. This includes: 1. An acknowledgment of his own offence. 2. A submission to the Divine wisdom and justice. He is willing that the hand of God, that is, the chastening and afflicting hacd, should fall upon him and inflict the strokes which he is well aware ho merits. III. COMPASSION AND INTERCESSION FOR THE UNOFFENDING BUFFERERS. How truly is this David's language I Under the influence of deep emotion he speaks, as men aro wont to do in such circumstances, the language of his youth. His poor subjects are, to bis view, like guileless, helpless sheep, scattered and smitten. He implores that in compassion it may please tbe Lord to save them. IV. THE RECOGNITION BY THE LORD OF THIS SPIRIT AND LANGUAGE. David's o.ttitude was pleasing to the Lord. Reconciliation ensued. An altar was built, and sacrifices offered and accepted, And tho angel of the Lord "put up his sword again into the sheath thereof."-T.
Ver. 24.-0heap sacrifice disdained. It is a scene of historical and of sacred interest, I. CHilO~ICLE~, Z 338 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [en, xxr.1-30.
Upon the threshing-floor of the old Jebusite chieft1tin, the son of Jesse, by his repent- :rnce and prayer, secured the cessation of the pestilence which was desolatincr the land. The Divine command enjoins that on this spot where the plague was stay;d, an altar shall be reared to Jehovah in acknowledgment of sparing mercy. The site is the property of Ornan, who with his four sons is threshing wheat. When David approaches, the Jebusite bows before him with reverence. The representatives of "the old order" and "the new" meet together. The scene is truly Oriental. The king asks for the site; the chief offers it as a gift; the king refuses to accept it upon such terms; and an agreement is entered into that the site shall become David's in exchange for six hundred shekels of gold. Thus is acquired the land upon which an altar is built, and which is to become hereafter the site of the splendid temple of Solomon. David's conduct and language convey a general principle of universal validity, viz. that it does not become man to offer, and that God will not accept, a gift or sacrifice which costs the giver nothing. L OUR Goo HAS A RIGHT AND CLAIM TO ALL THAT WE CALL OURS. we call it ours, but our possession is derived from and is subordinate to his creative bounty, his provi- dential goodness. What have we that we did not receive from him? Our property, and our powers of body and of mind. we have from him and owe to him. That we cannot enrich him by our giving, this is certain. But we can please him and can advantage ourselves by giving to his people and to his cause. II. GIFTS AND SACRIFICES THAT COST US NOTHING ARE CONTEMNED AND REJECTED BY Gon. David felt this, and expressed it in noble and memorable language, when he said, "I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost." Every sincerely religious mind must sympathize with the spirit here displayed. We are reminded that the widow's mite was approved and accepted by our Lord Jesus. It is not the magnitude of the gift, but the proportion of the gift to the giver's means, and, above all, the spirit of self-denial displayed in the act of giving, which meets with the approbation of the Searcher of hearts. III. THERE IS PLEASURE AND PROFIT IN SELF-SACRIFICE FOR THE CAUSE OF Goo. The King of Israel found this to be so in his own experience, and the experience of all who in thls have followed his example coincides with David's, Our Lord has said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."-T. Ver. 26.-Accepted offerings. The site of Oman's threshing-floor, once secured, was without delay consecrated to the appointed purpose, The altar was reared, the priests were summoned, the victims were prepared, the prayers were offered; and then the favour of the Most High was manifested, and the nation was spared, I. THE OFFERINGS, Those which were presented on this occasion were of two kinds. The burnt offerings were typical of the consecration of the worshipper, body, soul, and spirit, to the God of Israel. The peace offerings were expressive of reconciliation and fellowship with Heaven. The appropriateness of both in the case before us is manifest. II. THE OFFERER. In David's offering we remark as characteristic of himself: 1. His obedience. As appears from ver. 18, he was acting in literal and immediate compliance with the direction he had received from the Lord through the angel. He had learned from Samuel the seer that "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." In this case the sacrifice and the obedier,ce were one. 2. His prayer. David called upon the Lord. He was emphatically a man of prayer, and it was in answer to his prayer that the plague was stayed. We learn that his sacrifice was not merely a ceremonial act, but that it was accompanied with spiritual dosires and acknow- ledgmente. 3. His humility and submission. The king clothed himself in sackcloth and fell upon his face ; and the man who in such a spirit sought to avert the Lord's anger would certainly accompany his offering with contrition and submission. III. THE ACCEPTANCE. This was apparent in two ways. 1. God answered him from heaven by fire, thus showing that the sacrifice and the worshipper were not rejeded. 2. "The Lord commanded the angel, and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof." His wrath was laid aside, hie mercy was manifested, the people were spared. PnACTICAL LESSONS. 1. The spirit of David is an example to every suppliant sinner who deprecates th~ wrath, and would be delivered from the condemnation, of tbe righteous Judge. 2, The offerings of David are a symbol of the one Offering, Christ err. xu. 1-30.) THE FIRST BOOK OF 'l'HE CHRONICLES. 33!)
Jesus, provided by God himself. 3. The acceptance of David is 11n encouragement to every true penitent to approach the Lord with confidence, coming in God's own appointed way, and in the spirit God approves.-T.