Into the Hand of the Lord

Your Name Magnified Forever 8/25 – Into the Hand of the Lord (2 Samuel 24:10-25) Summary: David sees the angel of the LORD bring the LORD God’s judgment against the people of Israel. David cries out. He says, “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.” Then Gad comes to David that day. He says to him, “Go up, raise and altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” So David goes up at Gad’s word, as the LORD commanded. Now when Araunah looks down, he sees the king and his servants crossing over toward him. Araunah goes out and bows his face to the ground before the king. Then Araunah says, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” And David says, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build and altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people.” Then Araunah says to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges, and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” Araunah continues, saying, “May the LORD your God accept you.” However, the king says to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David buys the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. David then builds an altar to the LORD there. David offers burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD there. Thus the LORD answered prayer on behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel ended. Main Idea: Though not a perfect king, David shows that he is a good king, one who ultimately seeks to honor the LORD. Here David orders a census. However, he realizes later that he sinned against the LORD in this matter. Was David proud? Did he lack faith in the LORD? The writer does not say. What is clear, though, is that David knows he did wrong. He sinned. He knows, too, that he must confess his sin. He knows he must repent. So, David asks the LORD to take his sin away. David hears the LORD. David obeys the LORD. He entrusts himself to the LORD’s great justice and the LORD’s great mercy. David sees the LORD’s mighty hand upon him and upon the people of Israel. He places himself in the LORD’s hand. He places himself in the LORD’s hand because he knows the LORD’s heart. He knows the LORD. Sermon Idea: We mess up all the time. We turn away from the Lord. We trust in our plans. We follow our hearts. We do as we please. We sin. But then, God graciously and powerfully reminds us that we fell short of His glory. What then? Do we run and hide from Him? Do we come clean? Do we confess our sin to Him? Do turn from our sin? Do we entrust ourselves to Him once more? What does it look like for us to fall into the hand of the Lord, our God? We trust the LORD! YOU TRUST THE LORD! You know His great mercy. 11 When David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12 “Go and speak to David, ‘Thus the LORD says, “I am offering you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.”’” 13 So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.” 14 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” David wakes up. He gets going. It’s a new day. And though he confessed his great sin to the LORD, David must still hear and receive the LORD’s great justice. How? The word of the LORD comes to the prophet Gad, a personal seer to David. The LORD says to Gad, “Go and speak to David.” What Gad hears from the LORD may not be what David wants to hear. What will Gad do? He comes to David and tells him everything. It’s not good. God’s righteous judgment is about to fall upon Israel. David has a choice to make. What does David say? David tells Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” David is saying here in essence, “Though I do not like what’s about to happen, and even though I am in great distress because of this, yet I will trust the LORD.” David hears the LORD’s fearsome word through Gad about the future. David sees and knows the LORD’s great mercies from the past. David trusts the LORD in the present moment, right now. David trusts the LORD! You see His great power. 15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. 16 When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!” And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking down the people, and said, “Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father’s house.” 18 So Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” David sees the LORD’s great power at work. What does that look like? First, David sees the power of the LORD to destroy as the LORD sends a severe pestilence upon Israel. Seventy thousand men die. Second, David sees the power of the LORD to spare as the LORD stops the angel from any more destruction. The LORD says, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!” Third, David sees the power of the LORD to hear prayer. For a second time, David confesses his sin to the LORD. David says, “Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house.” David’s prayer is simple and sincere. He seeks the LORD’s heart here. He admits his sin here. He voices a desire to lay down his life for the sheep here. David doesn’t have to wait long for affirmation that the LORD hears his prayer. Listen to what happens next: So Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” David sees the fearsome, merciful work of the LORD. David sees God’s power to destroy. David sees God’s power to spare life. David sees God answer prayer. David’s trust is solid. By God’s grace, David’s faith grows and deepens. David trusts the LORD! You obey Him with great zeal. 24 However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Thus the LORD was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel. David obeys the LORD here. The writer tells us that David went up just as the LORD had commanded. As David approaches the spot, Araunah looks down and sees the king and his servants crossing over to him. Araunah goes out and bows his face to the ground before the king, asking, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David tells him, saying, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people.” Then Araunah says to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges, and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” Araunah continues, saying, “May the LORD your God accept you.” However, the king says to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David buys the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. David builds an altar to the LORD there. David offers burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD there. Notice David’s steps of obedience. He hears the word of the LORD from a trusted adviser. He does not waver in following through on the word of the LORD. He goes up as directed. He buys the threshing floor (I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD which cost me nothing!) from Araunah. David builds an altar there. He offers burnt offerings (see Leviticus 1), the most common of all sacrifices. The main purpose was to atone for human sin by propitiating God’s wrath. David offers peace offerings, (see Leviticus 3) as a celebration of peace with God and all that flows from that blessing. (see John Woodhouse, 2 Samuel, p. 549) David’s determined, focused obedience is evident here. Why? He has put himself in the hand of the LORD. He trusts the LORD. David trusts the LORD! When you mess up this week, don’t run away from the Lord. Don’t trust in your plans. Don’t’ follow your heart. Refuse to do as you please. Instead, run to the LORD. Come clean before Him. Confess your sin to Him. Entrust yourself to Him once more. Put yourself into hand of the Lord, our God. Trust the LORD with your life. Know and lean upon His great mercy. See and marvel at His great power. Hear His great word. Follow His commands. Obey Him with great zeal. Trust the LORD! Observation for 2 Samuel 24:10-25 WHAT DO I SEE? Where is the gospel in the text? Jesus is the chief shepherd. He cares for them. He prays for them. He lays down His life for the sheep. What words stand out? 10 troubled (nakah—strike; beat; be struck; smote; destroy; afflict; break to pieces; pierce through)[1] 10 sinned (hata—to miss a mark; to wrong; be culpable; to be at fault; guilty; offend) 10 take away (abar—pass over; cause to pass away; move through; repeal; get rid of; forgive) 14 distress (sarar—to wrap, tie or lock up; to be cramped, restricted, hampered; narrow; scarce; dread; constricted) 14 fall (napal—collapse; drop; bring to ruin; bring down; be born; abandon) 14 hand (yad—unit; forearm; power; possession; control; care; side; place) 14 mercies (rahamim—compassion; favor; tender affection; bowels; pity; loving feeling; seat of emotions; love) 17 done wrong (awah—to twist; curve; bend; pervert; crooked; irritate; confuse; subvert; overturn) 19 commanded (sawah—order; tell; instruct; give direction; charge; appoint; decree) 20 bow down (hawah—sink down; prostrate oneself; to honor; bow down deeply; respect) 21 buy (qanah—create; bring forth; purchase; redeem; acquire; gain) 21 held back (asar—restrain; arrest; lock up; stopped; be constrained; imprison; detain; enclose; prevail) 22 take (laqah—to grasp; remove; acquire; obtain; receive; take possession; accept; lead away) 23 gives (natan—hand down; allow; surrender; deliver; give away; place) 23 accept (rasah—be pleased; delight in; enjoy; be favorable to someone; to be graciously accepted) 24 cost nothing (hinnam—for nothing; free; in vain; without compensation; out of favor; rashly) What is one big take away for me? God is just and God is merciful. Interpretation for 2 Samuel 24:10-25 WHAT DOES IT MEAN? What is the author saying here? David sees the angel of the LORD bring the LORD God’s judgment against the people of Israel. David cries out. He says, “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.” Then Gad comes to David that day. He says to him, “Go up, raise and altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” So David goes up at Gad’s word, as the LORD commanded. Now when Araunah looks down, he sees the king and his servants crossing over toward him. Araunah goes out and bows his face to the ground before the king. Then Araunah says, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” And David says, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build and altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people.” Then Araunah says to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges, and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” Araunah continues, saying, “May the LORD your God accept you.” However, the king says to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David buys the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. David then builds an altar to the LORD there. David offers burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD there. Thus the LORD answered prayer on behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel ended. Personal Application for 2 Samuel 24:10-25 WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS TRUTH? By God’s grace, I will give my all to Him. Thoughts and Quotes for 2 Samuel 24:10-25 Those who will not deliver themselves into the hand of God’s mercy cannot be delivered out of the hand of His justice. ~ Matthew Henry Faith is a reasoning trust, a trust which reckons thoughtfully and confidently upon the trustworthiness of God. ~ John R. Stott Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives. ~ Francis Chan If Christ has died for me, ungodly as I am, without strength as I am, then I cannot live in sin any longer. I must arouse myself to love and serve Him who has redeemed me. I cannot trifle with the evil that killed my best Friend. I must be holy for His sake. How can I live in sin when He has died to save me from it? ~ Charles H. Spurgeon God just doesn't throw a life preserver to a drowning person. He goes to the bottom of the sea, and pulls a corpse from the bottom of the sea, takes him up on the bank, breathes into him the breath of life and makes him alive. ~ R. C. Sproul Once a man has truly experienced the mercy of God in his life he will henceforth aspire only to serve. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer Lord of hosts! When I swim in the merciful waters of your grace I find that I can neither plumb, nor measure the depths. ~ Menno Simons Applications for 2 Samuel 24:10-25 You know His great mercy. When you are in an overwhelming, crushing place, remember His great mercy. (Lamentations 3:19-24) When you begin to doubt God’s redemptive work in your life, remember His great mercy. (Ephesians 2:1-10) When you are in trouble, cry out to Him, trusting in His great mercy. (2 Samuel 22:7; Psalm 56:3-4) When you are enjoying the best day ever, remember, rehearse, praise Him for His great mercy. (Psalm 145:9; 1 Peter 1:3-5) You see His great power. You see God’s power to sustain life. You see God’s power to answer prayer. You see God’s power to make someone new in Christ. You obey Him with great zeal. Don’t run away from the Lord. Don’t trust in your plans. Don’t’ follow your heart. Don’t do as you please. Receive godly counsel from trusted friends. Listen to the LORD. Spend time in His word every day. Follow His word, even if it comes at a great cost to you. When you mess up, come clean before Him. When you do wrong, confess your sin to Him. When you are on the brink of falling, entrust yourself to Him once more. Put yourself into hand of the Lord, our God. Trust the LORD with your life. [1] Word studies from various sources on Logos Software, including, but not limited to A Dictionary of Biblical Languages by James Swanson.