Thoughts

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Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Gad. He said, “Tell David to build an altar to worship the Lord. David must build that altar near the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”1 Chronicles 21:18 ERV

David went against the word of the Lord and ordered a census of the Israelites, which angered the Lord, and He punished Israel. David repented, and asked God to forgive him. God told David's seer, Gad, that David must choose between three punishments, and David chose to put himself in God's hands, instead of man's.

In the midst of the punishment, which brought a sickness on the people of Israel in which 70,000 died, God stayed the hand of the angel which He had sent to destroy Jerusalem. At this point, the angel of the Lord was standing at the threshing floor of Araunah (Ornan in other translations) the Jebusite.

David saw the angel, and he asked God to punish him and his family and not the people, because it was he (David) who had sinned. And the angel of the Lord spoke to Gad. He said, “Tell David to build an altar to worship the Lord. David must build that altar near the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

There are some interesting facts concerning this event and this place. 

1) This is the only altar before any of Israel's exiles that God had commanded to be built 

2) This threshing floor was on Mount Moriah, which is where Abraham offered Isaac and is in the same hills where Jesus was crucified.

3) Mount Moriah is inside what was to become the city of Jerusalem, and is where Solomon built the Temple, and where it will someday be rebuilt. So during the Millennial reign of Jesus, He will again stand on this land. 

I think it's safe to say that this is one of the most significant places on earth!

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 20 NCV, Ch 21-22 ERV, Ch. 23-24 NET

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