Devotion of property to Gorl!s se1"1Jice. Araunah waa eager to provide a place and oxen for the celebration of the services about to be rendered to God. His interest in David, in Israel, and bis homage for God seem to have prompted the generous proposal. On the other band, David's sense of what was due to God from himself, and his personal interest in the solemn transaction, would not suffer him to be spared cost through the generosity of Araunah. He must honour God with his own and not with another man's possessions. I. ALL OUR POSSESSIONS ARE GoD's. This is the basi!1 of our devotion of what we hold to his service. We are really but stewards. Our mental powers, our wealth, our personal influence, our very life, are lent to us for a season, and lent with a view to use in God's Name. This is laid down in the words," Ye are not your own;" in the parable of the talents; in the very constitution and dependence of our lives; in the specific com- mands concerning "firstfruits;" and this was practically recognized by both David and Araunah in their emulation in self-sacrifice. It would be a great gain to the Church and world if Christian people would only let this truth sink deeply into their hearts. What elevation, tone, and nobility it would import to life! II. THERE IS NO NOBLER USE OF POSSESSIONS THAN m GoD's SERVICE. David and Araunah were one in this belief. They strove for the honour of devoting substance to God. In e. well-ordered Christian life all is devoted to God. The entire life, embracing mental powers, occupations, property, time, is a sacrifice (Rom. xii. 1). But by reason of custom we recognize that as specially devoted to God which is directly employed in maintaining his holy worship or diffusing a knowledge of hie great mercy to mankind. The wonderful way in which the priesthood was set apart, the distinction put in Scripture on men whose Jives were chiefly spent in witnessing for God, the significant words of our Saviour in reference to the widow's mite and the box of ointment, and the glorying of the Apostle Paul in that he was called and counted worthy of a special ministry,-these things point out the honour of using our gifts and possessions in further- ance of God's gracious purposes to mankind. III. 'l'HE USE OF OUR POSSESSIONS IN Gon's SERVICE IS A MF.ANS OF VAST BLESSING TO MANKIND, By devoting their substance to God on this occasion, David and Araunah knew that they would be doing that which, being graciously accepted, would issue in the removal of the plague from Israel. No wonder that they were ambitious to lay t,heir gifts at the mercy-see.t I It was a question of staying the plague. Equally in Jur case it is daily a. question of staying the plague, lifting the curse of sin and scatter- ing the wholesome blessings of salvation over the land. He who builds a sanctuary, or endows a college, or send forth missionaries, turns his money into streams of spiritual good. IV. A TRUE HEART WILT, FIND PURE SATISFACTION IN DEVISJ'S'G MEANS OF Dl!:VOTtNG GIFTS TO GoD. David honoured the noble impulse of Arnnnah, but he could not be deprived of the satisfaction claimed by every true man of giving of bis own. There Is 608 THE SFJOOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [orr. XXIV, 1-25,
ll real ble!ISOOness in laying our gifts of mind and body and our material possessions at the 11.ltar of God. 'l'he meRnness which would wol'Bhip at others' expense, or look on spirit,ual good done at others' cost, can never dwell in II Christly soul. As the SRviow- himself counted it II deep and holy joy to lay down his life for others, so all who enter int-0 his spirit feel it to be a matter of thankfulness when occasion arises for some ~urrender in his service. The bountiful soul is always rich. The lar!!e heart is never in poverty. The joy of their Lord is their portion. b
V. IT IB BY THE USE OF SUCR ACTS OF DEVOTION TO HIS SERVICE THAT GoD HAS IJl'l"HERTO BLESSED THE WORLD. 'l'he self-surrender of Abraham when he left Ur of the Chaldees, the devotion by Moses of his great powers to the leadership of Israel were simply conspicuous instances in the entire history of redemption of God's acceptance and use of human powers and possessions for carrying out his great purpose of mercy. David was following the usual order in the case before us. Even our blessed Lord came to earth by means of the devotion of a virgin life. The " good news" has been sent abroad by consecration of human speech. Who would not fall in with this glorious succession till the world is saved?