January 20
“Then David said, this is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering
for Israel” (1 Chron. 21:28; 22:1).
It was not for a mere earthly kingdom that God was calling David. He had for him a kingdom
far higher and greater than that. We have seen the growth of joy in David’s life, stage by
stage, and we have seen what it was that gave both to God and to David the greatest
satisfaction, even the revelation to him of God’s plan and pattern for His temple.
Before God could reveal His plan to him, He had, as we have seen, to bring David by a path
of sorrow to the threshing-floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. Then David realised that that same
plot of ground upon which he built his altar and burnt peace offerings was wanted by the Lord
to build His temple. God could have told David from the very beginning to build His house in
that place, but David was not ready then to receive such a command or instruction. It is only
when we are truly ready and prepared that God can give to us the instructions of His heart.