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Building God's House
1 CHRONICLES 17:1, 3–4, 11–14; 21:18, 21–27 (KJV)
prophet Nathan’s blessing, David purposes in his heart to build a more suitable home for the Ark. However, David’s intentions were pre- mature. God comes to Nathan that night, sending him back to David to remind him that He did not ask for a “house of cedar,” and in fact, God has been the one doing the building. God turned a shepherd into a king with a great name and lasting legacy, and He turned a peo- ple into a nation, loved and protected by the one true God.
God’s Promises (vv. 11–14)
Throughout the Old Tes- tament we see the signifi- cance placed in birthrights and lineage. People are iden- tified by the households, tribes, and clans of their fa- thers or grandfathers. Legacy matters. God prom- ises that long after David is gone, his name and legacy will live on. God also speaks of a coming son who will not only build a temple for the Lord, but will become king with his throne established by the Lord forever. God promises that their relation- ship will be one of steadfast love — and God will never withdraw from him as he did when Saul disobeyed. While this promise has its initial fulfillment in David’s son, Solomon, it also points to- ward a greater King to come from the line of David — Jesus.
David’s Sacrifice (1 Chronicles 21:18, 21–27)
Following David’s sin in taking a census, God pun- ishes him by sending a plague that kills 70,000 men of Israel before God stops the angel by Ornan (NLT: Araunah) the Jebusite’s threshing floor (vv. 14–15). David sees the angel with his
sword stretched out over Jerusalem and repents. His repentance leads him to sac- rifice. Both Ornan (who also saw the angel, v. 20) and David recognize God’s mercy. David seeks to build an altar for burnt offerings and peace offerings, symbol- izing his and Israel’s com- plete surrender to God, and desire to reconcile in order to repair the breach caused by their sin.
In gratitude, Ornan of- fers all that was required for the sacrifice — the land,
oxen, grain, and wood. David, however, recognizing that his disobedience led to these consequences, deter- mines that a true sacrifice would require his invest- ment. God’s answer is fire from heaven, indicating that God is pleased.
God chose David, the youngest son of Jesse, to be king after Saul, but didn’t choose him to build the tem- ple. God uses ordinary peo- ple to build His eternal kingdom. He has chosen to useustodoso.
The Scriptures
1 Chronicles 17:1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.
3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be ex- pired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his king- dom.
12 He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne for ever.
13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my king- dom for ever: and his throne shall be established for ever- more.
21:18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for
burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.
24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will ver- ily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hun- dred shekels of gold by weight.
26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he an- swered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
27 And the LORD com- manded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
David’s Intentions
(1 Chronicles 17:1, 3–4) With Israel finally at
peace, David is securely es- tablished as her king. David built houses for himself. He dedicated himself to freeing the people of God from their enemies and to leading them back to worship Yahweh, the one true God. The Ark of Covenant, the sign of God’s presence, which was neg- lected during Saul’s reign, is now in Jerusalem but only in a tent (1 Chronicles 15:1).
As he surveys his home, he is convicted that he should not reside in a more permanent and stately home than the Lord’s Ark of the Covenant. So, with the
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