1 Chronicles 21:18-22: a reflection

18Then the LORD’s angel commanded Gad to tell David that David should go up and raise an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the LORD’s name. 20Ornan turned back and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. 21As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. 22Then David said to Ornan, “Sell me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar to the LORD on it. You shall sell it to me for the full price, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.”

In the aftermath of David's sin and the plague that followed, God directs David, through the prophet, to build an altar at a particular place: the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, the very place where the angel of judgment had stood. David goes up at once, as God commanded, to build an altar there and offer sacrifice, that the plague might be stopped. The place of judgment was to become the place of atonement; where the angel of wrath had stood, an altar of mercy would rise.

Notice the transformation of the place: the threshing floor where judgment had fallen becomes the site of an altar, of atonement and mercy. God directed David to build the altar precisely there, at the place of judgment, so that the place of wrath became the place of reconciliation. And this very threshing floor would become the site of the temple. Where judgment had threatened, God appointed a place of atonement, turning the place of wrath into a place of mercy.

That transformation, the place of judgment becoming the place of atonement, points to the deepest pattern of God's mercy. For at the cross, the place where judgment fell became the place where mercy was found; the very judgment our sin deserved became, in Christ, the ground of our forgiveness. God has a way of making the place of judgment into the place of mercy. When you are aware of the judgment your sin deserves, do not only see the wrath; look for the altar God has appointed, the place of atonement he has provided. As David built an altar where judgment had stood, so God has provided, in Christ, an atonement at the very place our sin deserved judgment. The place of judgment can become the place of mercy; come to the altar God has appointed, and find at the place of judgment the mercy he provides.

Lord, in the aftermath of David's sin and the plague, you directed him to build an altar at the very place where the angel of judgment had stood, that the plague might be stopped; the place of judgment became the place of atonement, and this threshing floor would become the temple site. Show me the deepest pattern in that. At the cross, the place where judgment fell became the place where mercy was found; the very judgment my sin deserved became, in Christ, the ground of my forgiveness. You have a way of making the place of judgment into the place of mercy. When I am aware of the judgment my sin deserves, keep me from only seeing the wrath; help me look for the altar you have appointed, the place of atonement you have provided. As David built an altar where judgment had stood, so you have provided, in Christ, an atonement at the very place my sin deserved judgment. The place of judgment can become the place of mercy; help me come to the altar you have appointed, and find at the place of judgment the mercy you provide. Thank you for turning the place of judgment into the place of mercy, Lord, in Christ.