The Threshing-Floor Site

What was it that constrained David to say when standing upon the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite, “This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt-offering for Israel?” (1 Chron. 22:1). There was no direct word from God to this effect. David was a man of spiritual perception, and the pardoning grace of God expressed at that spot suggested to his heart that in that place Israel’s Jehovah would delight to dwell. The grievous sin of numbering the people (mainly that the king might know how many soldiers he had!) brought down judgment. David’s humble repentance, and his pleading for the suffering sheep, brought him an angel from Jehovah bidding him set up an altar in Oman’s threshing-floor. As the smoke of the sacrifice ascended to heaven, Jehovah answered by fire, and He commanded the destroying angel to sheathe his sword (1 Chron. 21). This intervention of God in grace suggested to David that Jehovah had thus indicated His choice of site for the sanctuary. Accordingly, when building-time came, we read, “Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah, where He appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite” (2 Chron. 3:1).
God delights to dwell with men, but it is only possible on the ground of accomplished redemption. In Patriarchal times He visited His own and communed with them, but He sought no dwelling-place with them. But when He took Israel into relationship with Himself on the ground of the blood of the lamb, He said, “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8). When the victorious Christ went up on high having finished His great redemptive work on earth, the Holy Spirit came down to build for God a habitation amongst the saints (Eph. 2:22). In keeping with this great divine principle, Solomon was to build the Temple of Jehovah on the spot where the sacrifice was offered and accepted. It was in the same neighborhood that Abraham laid Isaac upon the altar (Gen. 22:2).
We note also that the Temple was to be built upon the threshing floor of a Gentile. Hiram, King of Tyre, another Gentile, collaborated heartily with both David and Solomon in the great work (1 Kings 5). Thus Israel’s God had Gentiles before His mind to share the blessedness of His presence on earth amongst His people. “Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all the peoples” (Isa. 56:7). Just a hint in advance of the largeness and universality of God’s grace in this Gospel day.