2 Samuel 24:17

2 Samuel 24:17 says, And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.  As the angel of the LORD was destroying the people of Israel, David confessed his sins to God and said that they weren't guilty.  He then asked that the punishment come on him and his father’s house.  If our sins are leading others to suffer, then we need to acknowledge our sins and pray that they no longer suffer because of them.  Verse eighteen continues, And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.  Gad, David’s wise man, told him to build an altar to God on the threshingfloor of Araunah, a proselyite according to Matthew Henry.  If we have truly repented of our sins, then our actions should begin to bring honor to God and we should worship at His altar.  Verse nineteen states,And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.  David did as God through Gad had commanded.  Though God's word may be spoken to us by others, we must recognize it when it is and act on it by the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty adds, And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.  When Araunah saw David, the king, coming, he went out and bowed himself humbly before him.  When we meet Jesus, the eternal King, we must humbly bow ourselves before Him if we are to be saved.  Of course, we must first recognize Him for Who He is for this to happen.  Verse twenty-one says, And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.  Araunah asked David why he had come to him, and David said to buy his threshingfloor to build an altar to God so the plaque on Israel could be stopped.  Though we cannot buy salvation, we should be willing to pay whatever we can to bring the gospel of Christ to others.  Verse twenty-two adds, And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.  Araunah offered to give David everything he needed in order to make the sacrifice.  We might be willing to pay the price for someone's salvation, but salvation does not work that way.  Though salvation is free to anyone who accepts it, each person must give all that they have to God when they accept it.  Verse twenty-three continues, All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.  Araunah offered to give this all to David.  Again, we might be willing to give everything we have to ensure the salvation of others, but we cannot pay for their sins.  Only Jesus Christ can and each person must accept His sacrifice for themselves in order to be saved.  Verse twenty-four states, And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.  David told Araunah that he could not accept his offer, but he must pay the cost of his own sin.  As already stated, no one can accept salvation for us even if they are willing to do so, and we cannot buy it.  Still, we should give everything we own in this world to God as we use it to carry out God's work.  David paid Araunah for the threshingfloor.  Verse twenty-five adds, And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.  After David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, God stopped the plague on Israel.  If we as a nation were to sincerely individually and collectively repent and offer sacrifices to God and commit to doing His will, the plague of sin would be stopped.