How does 1 Chronicles 21:21 connect to the theme of sacrificial giving? Setting the Scene • Israel is under judgment because David numbered the people (1 Chronicles 21:1–17). • God directs David to build an altar on Ornan’s threshing floor so the plague will stop (1 Chronicles 21:18–19). • Verse 21 captures the critical first meeting: “So David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed facedown before David.” The Costly Purchase • Ornan offers the site, oxen, sledges, and wheat at no charge (1 Chronicles 21:22–23). • David refuses free supplies, declaring: “I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the LORD what belongs to you, or offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (1 Chronicles 21:24) • David pays 600 shekels of gold (1 Chronicles 21:25). • The altar is built, the plague lifts, and peace is restored (1 Chronicles 21:26–27). Principles of Sacrificial Giving Highlighted • Giving that honors God involves genuine cost: David’s payment was significant; he would not shortcut worship. • Ownership matters: a sacrifice must be the giver’s own, not borrowed or taken. • Worship and giving are inseparable; the altar required an offering worthy of the LORD’s holiness. Scriptural Threads on Costly Offerings • Abraham offers Isaac, demonstrating willingness to surrender what is most precious (Genesis 22:9–14). • The widow contributes “all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). • Paul commends Macedonian believers who gave “beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:3). • Christ “loved us and gave Himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). Lessons for Believers Today • Authentic generosity flows from gratitude, not obligation; David’s heart overflowed in worship. • God values the motive more than the amount, yet true devotion often expresses itself in significant material surrender. • Sacrificial giving advances God’s purposes—David’s costly altar became the future site of Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). • Giving that costs nothing rarely shapes character; costly giving cultivates dependence on the Lord. New Covenant Continuity • Jesus commends costly devotion, whether perfume poured at His feet (John 12:3–8) or daily self-denial (Luke 9:23). • Believers are urged to present their “bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1), a whole-life echo of David’s resolve. Summary 1 Chronicles 21:21 introduces a moment that showcases sacrificial giving: David insists on paying full price for worship because offerings that cost nothing fail to honor the Lord. His example threads through Scripture, pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and calling believers to worship marked by wholehearted, costly generosity. |
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