But Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply His troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all servants of my lord? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?" Sermons
2 Samuel 24:3, 4 (1 Chronicles 21:3, 4). - (THE ROYAL COUNCIL CHAMBER.) This was not the first time that Joab remonstrated with David (2 Samuel 3:24; 2 Samuel 19:5); but his manner was now very different from what it had been before; arising, perhaps, from his recollection of the consequences of his former rudeness (2 Samuel 19:13), and his fear of the displeasure of the king, whose authority was fully restored. His remonstrance appears to have been made in a council of the captains of the army (2 Samuel 23:8), to whom the king declared his purpose, and by whom Joab's objection to it was supported (ver. 4). As often happens in other instances, it was: 1. Greatly needed, on account of a sinful and dangerous course about to be pursued. (1) Men of the most exalted position and excellent character sometimes go astray from the right path. (2) The error of their way is often perceived by others, when they are blind to it themselves. (3) One of the principal means of preventing their continuance therein is to reason, expostulate, and remonstrate with them concerning its real nature and probable consequences (Psalm 141:5). 2. Properly offered. (1) By those to whom the matter is one of just concern. Joab was captain of the host; and, although a man of depraved character, he possessed a sound practical judgment, and had rendered great services to the nation and the king. (2) From sincere conviction. "No man is so wicked but that sometimes he will dislike some evil, and it will be abominable (1 Chronicles 21:6) to him" (Guild). (3) On reasonable grounds. It can neither increase the number of the people (which is with God) nor the power and honour of the king (already supreme, 1 Chronicles 21:3), and it will be "a cause of trespass." "Why doth my lord," etc.? "There are many who can give good counsel to others, for the avoiding of some sins, who in grosset trespasses have not grace to take good counsel themselves" (Matthew 7:3). (4) In a right spirit; devout, loyal, humble, and courteous. There is nothing to indicate that Joab was actuated by sinister motives; and the event justified the wisdom of his counsel. 3. Impatiently received, and imperfectly considered; it may be because of: (1) Distrust of the person from whom it comes. "Let none look who gives the counsel, but what it is; and, if good, not to reject it for him who gives the same." (2) A determination to have one's own way; and the wish to show independence of and superiority to other persons. (3) Dislike to the nature of the advice itself, and indisposition to abandon a course on which the heart is set. 4. Resolutely rejected and wholly overborne. "The word of the king prevailed," etc. His persistency in his purpose, after the remonstrance, (1) increases his responsibility, (2) aggravates his guilt (3) consummates his transgression. "And Joab and the captains went out from the presence of the king," reluctantly to fulfil their commission; and it was only when it was well nigh accomplished (1 Chronicles 27:24) that he became aware of his sin and folly. "Men seldom accomplish to good purpose those services in which they reluctantly engage; and God does not generally allow those whom he loves the satisfaction which they sinfully covet" (Scott). - D.
Then David said to Ornan. Contemplate this subject —I. IN REFERENCE TO THE SPIRITUAL EXPANSION OF THE INTELLECTUAL POWERS. We may be Christians without much knowledge, but our honour, glory, and felicity to abound in knowledge — 1. Of God. 2. Of Christ. 3. Of theology generally. The cost must be paid in the attainment. II. APPLY THE SUBJECT TO THE SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION OF THE MORAL NATURE. The soul before conversion like a barren heath or desert. It must be cultivated. Much labour needful. Evil habits to be abandoned. Holy habits to be formed. III. TO THE INFLUENCE OF SELF-DENIAL IN ADORNING THE CHRISTIAN PROFESSION. Self-denial not merely the abandonment of sin. It involves the surrendering even of what might be lawfully retained. Our will must be sacrificed, that God's may be done. IV. TO THE IMPORTANCE OF USEFULNESS IN THE CAUSE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1. The heart must be given to Christ. 2. Then life, talents, influence, time, wealth. (1) (2) 3. To pay this cost grace is both necessary and provided. (J. Burns, D. D.) Homilist. This incident teaches us —I. THAT TRUE RELIGION IS SPIRITUALITY IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO FORMALISM. The spirit of love which now inspired David was something distinct from all outward service, something that could not be expressed by the most valuable of offerings that cost him nothing. Personal sacrifice was required. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit." "Circumcision or uncircumcision availeth nothing." II. THAT TRUE RELIGION IS ENTHUSIASM IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO PRUDENCE. David rejected the offer of Ornan. He repudiated the securing of the higher interests of the soul without any detraction from secular resources. It is ever so where love reigns — all personal interests are in the background; God is the one all-commanding, all-absorbing object of thought. III. THAT TRUE RELIGION IS NOBILITY IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO MEANNESS. IV. THAT TRUE RELIGION IS PROGRESS IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO STATIONARINESS. The man inspired with this spirit would never rest with present attainments. 1. There will be a delight in studying truth. The creed of a true religious man has cost him something. 2. There will be a delight in doing all that is commanded. V. THAT TRUE RELIGION IS REALITY IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO FALSENESS. That the spirit of David is the only true spirit of religion will appear if you consider — 1. What God is. 2. What He has done for us. 3. That all we have and are are His. (Homilist.) I. ORNAN'S CONDUCT. Ornan, a Jebusite, and so by birth a heathen, but by choice a proselyte (see his prayer, 2 Samuel 24:23). A pledge of the Gentiles coming in: the very site of the temple belonged to one. Thankful for his privileges, and therefore liberal in his gifts. II. DAVID'S CONDUCT. 1. His sense of sin (1 Timothy 1:12-15). 2. His sense of mercy. God's direction about the altar was an indication of forgiveness. David looked beyond this to the Redeemer. All he had was too little to express his gratitude. "Much forgiven, loving much." If religion be real it will be self-denying. Does your religion cost you anything? Has it led you to give up your own will; to sacrifice your own inclinations? to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts? What do you give to God of your time, your influence, your means? (W. Pakenham Welsh, D. D.) , J. Burns, D. D. I. THAT EXTERNALLY THERE IS NOTHING IN ANY PLACE WHY GOD SHOULD THERE MEET WITH MEN. Why was the threshing-floor of Ornan to be the meeting-place of David with his God, and the spot where prayer was to be heard?1. Certainly it was a very simple, unadorned place. Yet when the temple, with all its glory, crowned the spot, God was never more conspicuously present than on that bare, ungarnished threshing-floor. A tasteful building may be a way of showing your pious regard for the Lord, but take care that you do not regard it as essential, or even important, or you will make an idol of it. 2. It was a place of ordinary toil. 3. It was, also, in possession of a Jebusite. The Jebusites were among the nations doomed for their iniquities. Herein the Lord showeth that He is no respecter of persons. The Jews wrapped themselves up within themselves, and said, "The temple of the Lord; the temple of the Lord are we"; but the Lord seemed to rebuke their national pride by saying, "And your temple is built upon the threshing-floor of a Jebusite." If you happen to have been born of parents who did not train you in the fear of the Lord, yet do not despond; but say to thy soul, "The Lord shall have a dwelling within my heart, Jebusite though I be." 4. Before it could be used it had to be bought with money. In connection with all true worship of God in the olden time there was always the offertory. II. SPIRITUALLY THIS THRESHING-FLOOR OF ORNAN WAS AN ADMIRABLE TYPE OF HOW GOD MEETS WITH MEN. 1. Its extreme simplicity enters into the essence of the type. 2. The threshing-floor is the exact type of affliction. The temple of glory is built on the threshing-floor of affliction. 3. This was the place where justice was most clearly manifest. Above this place, in mid-air, stood a dreadful apparition. Conviction of sin, wrought by the Spirit or God, is more powerful than argument. It some men had more fully felt that they were sinners, they would have made better saints. 4. It was the place where sin was confessed. 5. It was the place where sacrifice was offered and accepted. 6. It was where David beheld the sign of peace. III. I CLOSE BY HEARTILY EXHORTING YOU TO USE THIS PLACE. ( C. H. Spurgeon.)The altar built and the plague stayed: — Observe — I. A FEARFUL EVIL. II. THE DIVINE REMEDY. III. A GENEROUS PROPOSAL. IV. A NOBLE AND SELF-SACRIFICING SPIRIT. (J. Burns, D. D.) The altar and sacrifice as means of propitiation illustrates the atonement of Christ.I. THE MORAL CONDITION WHICH IT IS DESIGNED TO MEET. II. THE PROVISION MADE FOR THIS CONDITION. III. THE RESULTS WHICH IT ACCOMPLISHED. (J. Wolfendale.)23 People Araunah, Benjamin, Dan, David, Gad, Gibeon, Israelites, Joab, Levi, OrnanPlaces Beersheba, Dan, Gath, Gibeon, JerusalemTopics Add, Aren't, Bring, Cause, Guilt, Hundred, Hundredfold, Joab, Jo'ab, Lord's, Multiply, Numerous, O, Replied, Require, Seek, Servants, Sin, Soever, Subjects, Trespass, TroopsOutline 1. David, tempted by Satan, forces Joab to number the people5. The number of the people being brought, David repents of it 9. David having three plagues proposed by God, chooses the pestilence 14. After the death of 70,000, David by repentance prevents the destruction of Jerusalem 18. David, by Gad's direction, purchases Ornan's threshing floor; 26. where having built an altar, God gives a sign of his favor by fire. 28. David sacrifices there, being restrained from Gibeon by fear of the angel Dictionary of Bible Themes 1 Chronicles 21:3Library "For what the Law could not Do, in that it was Weak through the Flesh, God Sending his Own Son in the Likeness of Sinful Flesh,Rom. viii. 3.--"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh." For what purpose do we meet thus together? I would we knew it,--then it might be to some better purpose. In all other things we are rational, and do nothing of moment without some end and purpose. But, alas! in this matter of greatest moment, our going about divine ordinances, we have scarce any distinct or deliberate … Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate, The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture. 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