Readings: 1 Chronicles 21:1-22:1; James 1:13-14; Matthew 23:37-39
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
There was Jesus days before His crucifixion, which would gather in millions to His kingdom, mourning over the city where He Himself had been present so long in His temple saying, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone all who are sent to you. How I long to gather you under My wings. But you were not willing."
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
There was Jesus days before His crucifixion, which would gather in millions to His kingdom, mourning over the city where He Himself had been present so long in His temple saying, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone all who are sent to you. How I long to gather you under My wings. But you were not willing."
He mourned every time He sent a prophet to call them to repentance. He mourned for those who would not listen, who would not believe. He pleaded with them. He cried for them. He determined that He would save them from their self-made calamity. Every prophet crying out offered His rebel self-destructive people a death to themselves and new life in Him, under His wings where He calls, gathers, comforts and protects you. But they were not willing. It's an old story. But it's not only their story. It's our story. It's David's story.
For there was Jesus standing in the days of David calling out, "David, David, how I long to gather under my protection, but you would not." For David, like Jerusalem and all of us born of Adam's flesh, continually resist Him. We resist His Spirit working through that call to repent. So He took on our flesh, to carry our sin, and take our pestilence on Himself. The Lord who held His sword over Jerusalem so many times eventually sheathed that sword in His own flesh, judging Himself for sins He did not commit, in order to bring an end to the just wrath the Lord's sword brings on sinners. And now His flesh is a life giving gate, that calls, gathers, and enlightens unwilling sinners by getting inside us when we eat and drink it, giving us life instead of death.
In the Old Testament the "sword" is the power to destroy. The "sword of the Lord", therefore, is His judgement against sin. In the New Testament, the sword of Lord is His Word: both His judgement against sin (Law) and His judgement of sinners (Gospel).
For there was Jesus standing in the days of David calling out, "David, David, how I long to gather under my protection, but you would not." For David, like Jerusalem and all of us born of Adam's flesh, continually resist Him. We resist His Spirit working through that call to repent. So He took on our flesh, to carry our sin, and take our pestilence on Himself. The Lord who held His sword over Jerusalem so many times eventually sheathed that sword in His own flesh, judging Himself for sins He did not commit, in order to bring an end to the just wrath the Lord's sword brings on sinners. And now His flesh is a life giving gate, that calls, gathers, and enlightens unwilling sinners by getting inside us when we eat and drink it, giving us life instead of death.
In the Old Testament the "sword" is the power to destroy. The "sword of the Lord", therefore, is His judgement against sin. In the New Testament, the sword of Lord is His Word: both His judgement against sin (Law) and His judgement of sinners (Gospel).
Well, David had sinned. He had turned away from the Lord God who had lifted him up from tending his father's flocks and made him the king of God's people. He sinned by trusting in the strength of men. By seeking to know just how great his manpower was. He forgot that he only sat on this throne because of the Lord's power and promise. And that He would only continue to sit on this throne by the Lord's grace and favour. Trusting in men--in trends, in facts on ground, in common sense--makes sense if there is no Lord God. But when there is a God, who makes promises to you, none of that matters. All that matters is His promises to you.
We don't understand the Lord's response to David's sin. We don't want to accept it. It seems inconsistent with the gracious God whom we have come to know through Jesus and His cross. Yet that same merciful God is spelled out plain as day to David. For the Lord sent Gad to say, "You have sinned. You have turned away from Me." And then He gives three options, couched in threes. Three is always the number of salvation in God's Word: three years of famine, three months of devastation by your enemies, or three days of the sword of the Lord--the Lord's judgement in the form of disease. David chose wisely. He stuck with the Lord. He cast himself on the mercy of the Lord. Three days of the Lord's Sword. For it is better to be in the Lord's hands for Lord is mercy.
We don't understand the Lord's response to David's sin. We don't want to accept it. It seems inconsistent with the gracious God whom we have come to know through Jesus and His cross. Yet that same merciful God is spelled out plain as day to David. For the Lord sent Gad to say, "You have sinned. You have turned away from Me." And then He gives three options, couched in threes. Three is always the number of salvation in God's Word: three years of famine, three months of devastation by your enemies, or three days of the sword of the Lord--the Lord's judgement in the form of disease. David chose wisely. He stuck with the Lord. He cast himself on the mercy of the Lord. Three days of the Lord's Sword. For it is better to be in the Lord's hands for Lord is mercy.
Three days of Jesus outside Jerusalem. It sounds familiar. That happened one other time, didn't it? And how did it end?
These three days were days of death, yes. Just as our Lord was dead three days. Sure many died, but of those who died and those who lived, how many lived eternally? That's the real score. The tally none of us can number. We know one number. David. His eternal salvation was secured here by the Lord's gracious action.
Many died for the sin of the king was great. Just as your sins in whatever offices you have don't merely impact you, but those whom God calls you to serve and love in those offices. For instance, when a husband or wife cheats on or physically abuses their spouse it not only destroys their marriage, their spouse, and the institution of marriage as one more sad example of how aweful marriage can be, but the children are the true sufferers. For our sins in the callings God gives harm those whom you have been called to be a blessing to. When a pastor preaches a false way of salvation it doesn't only harm him and rob him of the Lord's salvation it sends his listeners to hell. His sin has an impact on others.
These three days were days of death, yes. Just as our Lord was dead three days. Sure many died, but of those who died and those who lived, how many lived eternally? That's the real score. The tally none of us can number. We know one number. David. His eternal salvation was secured here by the Lord's gracious action.
Many died for the sin of the king was great. Just as your sins in whatever offices you have don't merely impact you, but those whom God calls you to serve and love in those offices. For instance, when a husband or wife cheats on or physically abuses their spouse it not only destroys their marriage, their spouse, and the institution of marriage as one more sad example of how aweful marriage can be, but the children are the true sufferers. For our sins in the callings God gives harm those whom you have been called to be a blessing to. When a pastor preaches a false way of salvation it doesn't only harm him and rob him of the Lord's salvation it sends his listeners to hell. His sin has an impact on others.
David was a king. The king's sin was great. His people, God's people paid dearly. But this sinful king was mercied by the Lord. He was faithed by the Lord. In faith He chose wisely. For the Lord was at work saving him. This was the point of the Lord's punishment: to turn him and the nation back to the Lord in whom their is life.
It was David's sin, but notice the Lord's action. The Lord sends a prophet. The prophet does not let David off the hook, but confirms the king's sin. Confirms the seriousness of his sin. And assures him of the Lord's love by granting David a trinity of choices. In other words, the Lord sent a prophet to David to repent him. To faith him. And in faith David bets on the Lord, on His grace and mercy. He had learned his lesson: trust in the Lord, not in man. And in faith David intercedes for the people God gave him to shepherd. "Lord, let the pestilence fall on me and my house, not on the nation. It is my fault not theirs. Let me take the blame." By this David becomes a prophecy of David's Son Who would come, Who would take the blame for all sin so that His people would be saved.
Then something weird happes. The Lord commanded David to make an altar in the very spot the Lord was standing. It's weird because the Lord commands David to do priest's work--work the Lord had limited to David's kin from the tribe of Levi. Only Levites could work in the tabernacle. And of the Levites, only those men descended from Moses' brother Aaron could serve as priests.
It was David's sin, but notice the Lord's action. The Lord sends a prophet. The prophet does not let David off the hook, but confirms the king's sin. Confirms the seriousness of his sin. And assures him of the Lord's love by granting David a trinity of choices. In other words, the Lord sent a prophet to David to repent him. To faith him. And in faith David bets on the Lord, on His grace and mercy. He had learned his lesson: trust in the Lord, not in man. And in faith David intercedes for the people God gave him to shepherd. "Lord, let the pestilence fall on me and my house, not on the nation. It is my fault not theirs. Let me take the blame." By this David becomes a prophecy of David's Son Who would come, Who would take the blame for all sin so that His people would be saved.
Then something weird happes. The Lord commanded David to make an altar in the very spot the Lord was standing. It's weird because the Lord commands David to do priest's work--work the Lord had limited to David's kin from the tribe of Levi. Only Levites could work in the tabernacle. And of the Levites, only those men descended from Moses' brother Aaron could serve as priests.
David was of the tribe of Judah, not Levi. Yet Jesus commands him to build an altar at the very spot He was standing and appearing in human form as the Angel of the Lord. Not only that, but since the tabernacle was out in Gibeon, He was also offer a sacrifice on this new altar. Unheard of! But this was commanded and authorized by the Lord, despite it being outside of the Lord's own appointed order. It had the Lord's blessing and so by it the Lord averted and ended the pestilence of death that David's sin had brought on David's people.
By this the Lord was foreshadowing how He Himself would take on our flesh in order to avert the curse and death Adam's sin brings on us. The Lord Himself defeated death in that place some thousand years later, at His own cost. Just as David would not take the land and oxen offered by Ornan the Jebusite. The Lord did it at His own cost, offering Himself as the price that stops death in its tracks.
Notice in all of this who has power over sin and death. It is the One who holds the sword. It is the Lord. For the sword of the Lord is His judgement. And the Lord's judgments are His mercies to sinners. You, like David, are a sinner. And while you were yet in sin, on account of the Lord's own sacrifice of Himself 1000 years later near this spot, He declared His judgement of you: forgiven. Just. Not guilty. Scott-free. For the Lord is salvation. True to His word. True to His name. (For Jesus means the "Lord is salvation").
By this the Lord was foreshadowing how He Himself would take on our flesh in order to avert the curse and death Adam's sin brings on us. The Lord Himself defeated death in that place some thousand years later, at His own cost. Just as David would not take the land and oxen offered by Ornan the Jebusite. The Lord did it at His own cost, offering Himself as the price that stops death in its tracks.
Notice in all of this who has power over sin and death. It is the One who holds the sword. It is the Lord. For the sword of the Lord is His judgement. And the Lord's judgments are His mercies to sinners. You, like David, are a sinner. And while you were yet in sin, on account of the Lord's own sacrifice of Himself 1000 years later near this spot, He declared His judgement of you: forgiven. Just. Not guilty. Scott-free. For the Lord is salvation. True to His word. True to His name. (For Jesus means the "Lord is salvation").
This whole event occurs not only to teach David, to repent and faith him, and minimize for the Old Testament Church the deadly cost of his sin, but it is also a prophecy. For on that very spot that David made sacrifice the temple would be built in which the Lord dwelt in the midst of His people. Where daily sacrifices occurred by which the Lord granted grace, mercy, forgiveness of sins. But these sacrifices all pointed forward to the Lord's own sacrifice near that very spot by which all the sin of all mankind was atoned for.
That means David's sin is paid for by Jesus. That means your sin is paid for by Jesus. That means the Lord is not only day by day repenting you, turning you from your sin and the harm it does to others, but He is daily faithing, renewing, and gathering you again and again unto Himself in mercy. For His own body was broken, His own blood was shed that you might be His own and live under him in His kingdom in everlasting innocence and blessedness. This is most certainly true.
In +Jesus' name, Amen.
--Pastor David Haberstock
Epiphany Lutheran Church
Thunder Bay, ON
That means David's sin is paid for by Jesus. That means your sin is paid for by Jesus. That means the Lord is not only day by day repenting you, turning you from your sin and the harm it does to others, but He is daily faithing, renewing, and gathering you again and again unto Himself in mercy. For His own body was broken, His own blood was shed that you might be His own and live under him in His kingdom in everlasting innocence and blessedness. This is most certainly true.
In +Jesus' name, Amen.
--Pastor David Haberstock
Epiphany Lutheran Church
Thunder Bay, ON
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