1 Chronicles 21:26 And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD… On a subject of so much complexity, it is hardly fitting to raise a full discussion from a merely incidental illustration, especially in view of the fact that this incident is in harmony with the Old Testament conceptions of propitiation, and fuller and clear doctrinal light has since come in the teachings of the apostles. Here we note that David offered himself to God by a sacrifice, as a man convicted, penitent, and recovered to a right mind, and cherishing a spirit of full consecration. This offering God was pleased to accept by a symbol of fire, and to make a ground on which he could be propitiated. With the distinct understanding that we do but touch one side or aspect of a profound and mysterious subject, and that to deal with a part fully recognizes the importance of the other parts which go to make up the whole, we suggest the consideration of the following points: - I. JUDGMENT IS THE DIVINE RECOGNITION OF A MAN'S WRONG STATE. Carefully distinguish between a man's wrong state of mind and will, and a wrong act. Both must be evil in the sight of God, but he must consider the wrong state as more serious than the wrong act. Judgment, coming as it must in the human and earthly spheres, will always seem to us to be the recognition of wrong acts; but when we come to see the deeper truth, we find it is Divine revelation of man's state, and due punishment of it. This David found out. The plague seemed to be judgment on his wrong act, in ordering the "census." When he came to his right mind, he found that it was Divine recognition of the wilfulness and self-glorying out of which the foolish command to take the census had come. Show that precisely the convictions which God's judgments aim to produce are convictions of inner wrong, heart-evil, sin of will. II. PROPITIATION IS THE OFFERING TO GOD OF A MAN'S STATE RECOVERED TO RIGHT. This is the essence, but, as may be seen in David's example, it may properly find outward expression in fitting acts. And this view helps us most materially in our apprehension of the propitiation made by the Lord Jesus Christ. In the light of his spotlessness and sinless obedience, we can see that, standing for man, as man's Representative and Head, he presented to God man recovered to right. III. UPON THE RECOGNITION OF MAN'S RIGHT STATE, JUDGMENT CAN BE REMOVED AND THE SENSE OF ACCEPTANCE GRANTED. Because the end of judgment is evidently reached (for we can only conceive of Divine judgments as revelational and corrective) and mercy may have its free, unhindered path. And it therefore appears that all the humiliations and all the persuasions of the gospel have this for their supreme aim, to bring us men into a right state so that we may actually be represented by the infinitely acceptable Son of God and Son of man. For what Christ pledges on our behalf we are bound actually to be. But this further truth needs to be here stated, that Christ is now working in us, by his Spirit, that right state of mind and heart which he has, in his great sacrifice, pledged us to win. - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering. |
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