How does 1 Chronicles 21:23 demonstrate sacrificial giving in our lives today? Setting the Scene King David, under God’s directive, seeks to build an altar on Ornan’s (Araunah’s) threshing floor to stop a devastating plague (1 Chron 21:18–22). Before David can purchase the site, Ornan responds: “Take it! My lord the king may do whatever he pleases. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I give it all.” (1 Chron 21:23) Ornan’s Offer—A Portrait of Sacrificial Giving •Voluntary initiative—he offers before being asked for terms •Comprehensive generosity—land, oxen, equipment, and grain: “I give it all” •Worship-centered motive—every item is intended for sacrifice, not personal prestige •No strings attached—he relinquishes ownership entirely Key Principles for Believers Today •God owns everything; we merely steward it (Psalm 24:1) •Real giving costs something valuable (2 Samuel 24:24; Proverbs 3:9) •Sacrifice turns ordinary resources into worship (Romans 12:1) •Open-handedness invites God’s greater purposes (Malachi 3:10) •Generosity fuels community blessing and halts “plagues” of need around us (Acts 4:34-35) Echoes in the Wider Story •Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac (Genesis 22) •The widow of Zarephath giving her last meal (1 Kings 17:12-16) •The widow’s two small coins—“she, out of her poverty, put in all she had” (Luke 21:1-4) •The Macedonians giving “beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) •Jesus Himself—“Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Practical Ways to Mirror Ornan •Start with willingness: “How can my resources serve God’s kingdom today?” •Give first and best, not last and leftover (Exodus 23:19) •Include assets beyond cash—property, skills, time, networks •Let generosity be immediate; delay often cools compassion (Proverbs 3:27-28) •Detach from possession: once given, release control (Matthew 6:19-21) •Trust God’s replenishment; sacrificial giving never impoverishes eternal reward (Luke 6:38; Philippians 4:19) When Giving Hurts—and Heals Ornan’s open-handed offer, combined with David’s resolve to pay full price, reveals a principle: true worship resists cheap shortcuts. Giving that costs us becomes a healing instrument in God’s hands, bringing peace where judgment once loomed (1 Chron 21:26-27). Living the Lesson Ornan shows that sacrificial giving is not about wealth level but heart posture. When we freely place our “all” on God’s altar—finances, possessions, ambitions—we echo this ancient threshing floor moment, turning ordinary resources into holy seed that God multiplies for His glory and others’ good. |
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