Through the Bible: 2nd SamuelSample

Offering That Costs Me Nothing

Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

2 Samuel 24:24 (ESV)

But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site.

1 Chronicles 21:24-25 (ESV)

David’s words express a great spiritual truth. The real value of our gifts and service to God is reflected by the personal sacrifice and cost involved. First Chronicles recorded that David paid 180 times fifty shekels of silver.

David needed the land to build an altar, hoping that God would stop the plague because he committed a great sin in counting the number of the people, boasting about the kingdom that doesn’t belong to him.

The reconciliation between the people of Israel and God was restored by David's confession, a prayer of repentance, and sacrifice. David set an example for reconciliation between man and God, but today the sacrifice is no longer cattle or sheep, but Christ who offered an eternal sacrifice for sin for all of us.

Prayer:

Abba Father, we are grateful that it cost Jesus everything to offer Himself to lift the curse and give us everlasting life. Our gift to you is worth nothing if it did not cost us something. Let us by the mercies of God, present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to You Lord. We shall give cheerfully and joyfully out of a thanksgiving heart to worship You. In Jesus’ most precious name, Amen.