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RUSSELL SANDERS
4-25-2024
JESUS’ PRE-INCARNATION MANIFESTATIONS
PART 13
KING DAVID AND ORNAN
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Chapter 21 of 1 Chronicles tells us that King David ordered Joab to take a census (number) of Israel. Joab argued against it because God had not authorized it. It seems that David might have ordered it out of pride to assess the number of fighting men he had.
God was displeased. He sent the seer, Gad, to punish David for his sin. David was given the choice of three different punishments. Consequently, he chose a pestilence [plague] that killed 70,000 men, and God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. In verse 16 it says, “And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem.” David then repented of his sin going before God on behalf of his people so they would be spared.
In verse 18 it says, “the angel of the LORD commanded Gad” to tell David to build an altar on Ornan, the Jebusite’s, threshing floor. In the meantime, verse 20 says, “Ornan turned back, and saw the angel, and his four sons with him hid themselves” in fear of the angel of the LORD.
David spoke with Ornan and bought the threshing floor from him. He then built the altar unto the Lord where he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. The LORD (Jesus incarnate) accepted this offering and then commanded the angel to put away his sword.
In this theophany, at least seven people physically saw Jesus (the angel of the LORD): David, Gad, Ornan, and his four sons. Why was this theophany so important?
Yes, David was a man after God’s own heart, but he had sinned. Because the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to have David set up an altar to God at Ornan’s threshing floor it would now give the Israelites a place where they could bring their sacrifices to the Lord. There was no temple or tabernacle built in God’s city of Jerusalem at that time.
The tabernacle was in Gibeon where King Saul had placed it. There was no place for worship in Jerusalem, so this altar at Ornan’s threshing place in Jerusalem probably, or temporarily, filled the gap for a little while until Solomon built the temple.
God always desires our worship. While the story may sound a bit extreme, God did provide a place. Ornan’s threshing floor would serve the purpose for sacrifices until Solomon’s temple was built. Gibeon had not been God’s choice; it was the choice of a backslidden king, Saul, near his own home area.
Today, we do not have to go to any specific location to worship. Once the veil to the Holy of Holies was torn in half and Pentecost came, God, the Holy Spirit became available to every believer. We now can worship from our heart (our own spirit) in Spirit and truth.
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