David's Sacrifice

May 4, 2025 Background Scripture: 1 Chronicles 21: 1 - 22:1 Lesson Passage: I Chronicles 21:14 - 30 Topics such as "David's Sacrifice" can be easily misunderstood. At first glance, one could mistakenly conclude that David did something positive, or perhaps even heroic! Today's lesson is far from either of those. This lesson revolves around King David's sin and repentance. I include David's official title, King, because it could be the source of his motive for the sin. Sometimes we sin with our eyes wide open. Sometimes God will send others to us to warn us before we sin, and yet we persist in doing as we desire. This often occurs when wealth, positions of authority, or popularity is involved. These things can go to one's head and cause one to behave out of character. I made note of David's official position because I believe that this was the case in our Background Scripture. God gave Israel many victories after He had chosen David to lead them as their king. Some of the most impressive victories led to the eradication of the Philistine giants—from which Goliath had descended, They had fallen by the hands of David's servants. It is often after our greatest triumph that we are vulnerable to fall. It was after the historic narrative about the defeat of the Philistine giants that David's sin is recorded. David was tempted by Satan to bask in those victories as though human effort had won them. David summoned his military leader, Joab, and ordered him to take a census of Israel's military. Perhaps this made David feel special as the leader of such a powerful military. Over the centuries, many leaders have sat in balcony's reviewing their militaries as they paraded pass them marching in ranks and displaying their weapons of war. Joab recognized immediately that it was an act of pride on David's part and tried to persuade him to not do it. Joab reminded David that God would give Israel as many soldiers as was needed for any task. Whether Israel's military was few or many, God insured Israel's victories. To treat those victories as though they came through human effort was sin. David, as king, insisted on the census and Joab reluctantly complied. After Joab returned with the number, God did something that reminded David of the sinfulness of his action. It is recorded that God afflicted Israel. It caused David to repent and acknowledge his sin. This was one of David's most positive attributes; he owned and confessed his sin without making excuses for it. He begged God to remove the affliction from Israel. Rather than respond directly to David, God spoke to the prophet, Gad. God gave David a choice of three punishments that lasted either three years, three months, or three days. The shorter the duration of the punishment, the more intense the pain and suffering. David chose the three-day plague because it was directly controlled by God, and David knew God would be merciful to Israel. Thousands across Israel died at the onset of the plague. David prayed and begged God for mercy for Israel and asked that He punish him and his family instead. God showed mercy, as David knew He would, and stopped the plague. Then God told the prophet to tell David to erect an altar to Him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite and offer a burnt offering to Him there. When David went to acquire the site from Ornan, Ornan attempted to give it and sacrificial oxen to the king out of respect. David refused to accept it as a gift but insisted on paying the full price for it. In one of his greatest statements, David declared that he would not offer to God that which cost him nothing. After acquiring the site, David erected the altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. God responded by sending fire down on the sacrifices. The location of that altar became the site of Israel's first temple constructed later under the leadership of David's son, King Solomon. Robert C. Hudson April 17, 2025