The story of the threshing-floor of Araunah is the story of David’s fourth loss. God had to bring David on two occasions to a threshing floor (I Chron 13 and II Sam.24). A threshing-floor is the place where wheat is threshed, to separate the chaff from the grain. Then, by winnowing, the wind separates the chaff from the Wheat.
Now in II Samuel 24, we read how David commanded his general Joab; ‘Go, number the fighting men in our kingdom’. David knew full well that he had never won any battle by his own strength, or by the power of his army. Yet, now he wanted to make a show of the number of fighting men who were available in his kingdom. He had become proud, and was depending upon his army for his victory. Joab said to him; ‘Your majesty! You have won no battles by yourself. It is God who has fought for you. Why do you want to number these men?. The Lord thy God add unto the people, how many so ever they be, and hundred fold; yet they are not going to save you. There is only God who has helped you. However, David was proud and insisted on numbering the people. So the King’s word prevailed. It is true that David repented and cried unto the Lord; ‘I have sinned greatly in that I have done; and now, I besiege thee, take away thy inequity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly,’ but as a result of David’s sin God sent three days pestilence in the land and seventy thousand men died. What a loss! What a terrible loss!
At last God stayed the hand of the dirtying angels at the threshing floor of Araunah.
Today’s calendar’s Bible verse:
“The son of man is the Lord even of the Sabbath day.” Mathew 12:8.
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