Finis
Finis
2 Samuel 24:17-25
17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house.”
18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up at Gad's word, as the Lord commanded. 20 And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. 21 And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people.” 22 Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. 23 All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.” 24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.
17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house.”
18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up at Gad's word, as the Lord commanded. 20 And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. 21 And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people.” 22 Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. 23 All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.” 24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.
"But This I Know"
As John Newton neared death, he wrote, “I am an old man, and have forgotten many things. But this I know: that I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.” We heard a similar confession from David yesterday: “Let me fall into the hands of God, for his mercy is great (2 Sam 24:14).” Today, in the final frame of 2 Samuel, we find David’s confidence vindicated.
David's Recovery
David lifts his eyes on a terrifying site: a giant, shining avenging angel, standing between Heaven and earth, 70,000 slain in his path, his drawn sword now stretched out over Jerusalem (1 Chr 21:16). We might forgive David for running in the other direction. Instead, he cries out, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house (17).” Now, we know that Israel is not innocent; they have sinned, and God is using this event to discipline them (1). But the point here is David’s recovery. He began this story so arrogant, treating the people like numbers he could play with. Now he again acts like a shepherd. He throws himself in front of the sheep, as he did in Jesse’s fields before the bear and the lion. We’ve seen David wander, stumble, and fall a great deal. But in the end, his heart for God and his people shines beautifully.
A Costly Sacrifice
But God cannot let a sinful king die for a sinful people. What he can do is provide an acceptable sacrifice. For that, he sends David to the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. We can only assume that this avenging angel towering over his house has renewed Araunah’s prayer life! He is eager to give David whatever he needs for the sacrifice: the ground, the oxen, the yokes, the wood. “Take it! Free of charge! Please!” Now, I love free stuff. But David isn’t looking for discount devotion; he insists on paying full price. Listen to his final words in 1–2 Samuel: “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God that cost me nothing (24).”
If we’re honest, most of us spend our lives trying to get as much from God as we can at the least possible investment. We want God, sure. But we want him convenient, comfortable, cost-less. David has learned that God wants commitment, and that God is worth commitment. He has learned that worship is costly, and sin is only put away at a steep price. So he pays Araunah in full. Then David kneels on this threshing floor—a place of sifting and separating, a symbol of judgment in the Bible. David makes an altar, builds a fire, slays the sacrifice, and burns it unto the Lord. God receives it and removes his judgment. David, the trembling, sinful, king, secures the salvation of God’s people through a costly sacrifice. And so the story is finished.
If we’re honest, most of us spend our lives trying to get as much from God as we can at the least possible investment. We want God, sure. But we want him convenient, comfortable, cost-less. David has learned that God wants commitment, and that God is worth commitment. He has learned that worship is costly, and sin is only put away at a steep price. So he pays Araunah in full. Then David kneels on this threshing floor—a place of sifting and separating, a symbol of judgment in the Bible. David makes an altar, builds a fire, slays the sacrifice, and burns it unto the Lord. God receives it and removes his judgment. David, the trembling, sinful, king, secures the salvation of God’s people through a costly sacrifice. And so the story is finished.
Mount Calvary
The hill where David kneels has a past. God once provided a sacrifice for Abraham in place of Isaac here (Gen 22). This hill also has a future: Solomon will build the Temple here, where God will receive countless offerings like this for his peoples’ sins. But it’s another hill, in sight of this one, that looms largest in this story. David’s greater Son, Jesus, would climb Mount Calvary to offer the costliest sacrifice of all for his people. Unlike David, he had done nothing to kindle the Father’s wrath. But our sinless King would throw himself in front of the sheep, and let that terrible sword fall on him. In that mysterious hour, Jesus propitiated God’s wrath, turning his anger from all who would ever believe on him. It was finished. In view of those mercies, don’t you, with David, want to offer a God a sacrifice of your own (Rom 12:1–2)?
Article by Eric Smith
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
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