Scripture:
II Samuel 24:22-25 NKJV
[22] Now Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. [23] All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.” [24] Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs 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 So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.
Observation:
I know I don’t write about the Old Testament nearly enough. The reason for that is that, I start my morning in prayer. Asking the Father to write a SOAP that is life-changing, profound, and would minister to those who will take the time to read it. Then I dive into the bible, and where HE takes me is where I write from. This morning, it just so happened to be Second Samuel chapter 24. Now, by the looks of the title on this SOAP, you might get a little confused. That is if you know anything about this chapter in the bible. So let’s take a brief overview so we can understand what’s going on. A short time before we get to where we landed this morning. King David had an idea to take a count of his population. One day, he was looking over the vast kingdom that had been built, and told his man to gather the number of people. This act did not please GOD. HE did not give an order to do so, and in fact, because the kingdom belonged to HIM and had been built by HIS hand and favor. It was rather displeasing to HIM. King David had fallen weak to his pride, taken the census and in a sense was taking credit for the kingdom that the LORD had built. A perilous place to be. GOD had given him a choice of 3 punishments. The one David chose was a plague. The number of people who had died was more than David could handle. They were dropping like flies, and something needed to be done. So David made another decision. I will offer a sacrifice to the LORD, I will build an altar and give a burnt offering. This is where we pick up the story. His decision to build an altar included a threshing floor that belonged to a gentleman named Araunah. Who happened to be a servant of David’s. As the king offered to buy the thrashing floor, the servant offered to give it to him. Not only did he offer up the threshing floor but the animals to sacrifice as well. The response David gave was the only way to answer Araunah. In a sense, what King David said was it’s not a sacrifice if it doesn’t cost you something. His offer stood. He would buy the thrashing floor, build an altar, and make his sacrifice. Even if it costs him everything. However, the cost was only 50 shackles of silver. Not much considering the purpose for the purchase. A sacrifice to cover the sins of David. A man considered to be after GOD’S own heart. A sacrifice that cost him something. Honestly, as I look at this, I can’t help but see the picture of Jesus. As David offered up his sacrifice to cover his sins, so GOD offered up HIS one and only son to cover ours. A sacrifice that cost HIM everything. Yet we reap the benefits. The gift of salvation. To carry on the story. David offered the sacrifice, which in turn caused GOD to stay HIS hand and withdraw the plague. As David’s sin was covered in the blood, things began to return to normal, and the lesson was learned. Focus on HIS kingdom. NOT YOURS. You didn’t build it HE did.
Application:
So many times in life pride gets in our way. We think we know best. We think we have done something, and GOD will say to us…. so you think your really something do you. Remember all this is mine. You are only the overseer nothing more. Building the kingdom costs you something. It costs you time, effort, energy, and finances. Sometimes it costs you relationships. Remember what Jesus said? As HE was speaking, ” do not think that is came to bring peace on earth. I do not come to bring peace but a sword.” Matthew chapter 10 verses 34 through 39. When you make a stand for the kingdom. It’s going to cost you. People may not like you. When you speak the truth, even when it’s done in love. Pride could get in the way, and those whom you have spoken to may shun you. For me, I have to be willing to make that sacrifice. I have to stand up for the kingdom, not ours, but HIS. My life is not my own. HE paid the ultimate sacrifice to purchase it. We live our lives for comfort on this side of it. I would worry and live on the other side of it. Are we building HIS kingdom or are we building HIS? Are we loving the least of these, or are we turning our backs on those who need our help, because they don’t fit the demographic? I’m not your ordinary Christian. I don’t look the part, and I honestly don’t care what you think of me, your opinion doesn’t matter… HIS does. So if it costs me so be it. We have to help the least of these. Not just because GOD is watching, but because it’s the right thing to do. The Bible tells me I will know them by their fruits. If there is no compassion for the least of these, what does that say about the fruit? A sacrifice that doesn’t cost you is no sacrifice at all.
Prayer:
Father, it’s all in your hands. I have done what I believe you have asked me to do, and I will continue to do my best to be obedient to your instructions. What you think of me is honestly all that matters. Your people are the lost, the broken, the hurting, the least of these, the forgotten, the outcast, the misfits, and honestly i have fit into everyone of those categories. But you saw fit to send your son, even for a broken, homeless, tattooed convict like me. One of the least of these. The sacrifice you made cost you something. Thank you. I pray today that you would move the hearts of your true church this morning. The ones who will sacrifice for others, the ones who will put themselves aside for the kingdom, the ones who would approach the outcast, the broken, the unloved, the ones who can’t afford it. Father those are the ones you came for. The sick, the sad, the sorry. What a great sacrifice you made. Help us to have the same character and attitude. Help us to live like your word is true and consider others as more important than ourselves. You have purchased our lives. Let us be that living sacrifice. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.