David and the Messenger of Yahweh (#15 in Yahweh and the Angel of Yahweh)

David is a sinner. He’s a great king, one whom God says is “after His own heart,” but he is a sinner. He sins with Bathsheba, and in 2 Samuel 24, he sins by taking a census of Israel, something only God is permitted to request, because David is arrogantly assessing his supposed power to conduct war. The prophet Gad tells David that God is going to punish Israel in one of three ways; “three years of famine to come on your land, to flee from your foes three months while they pursue you, or to have a plague in your land three days,” or as 1 Chronicles 21:12 puts it, “three days of the sword of Yahweh, pestilence on the land, with the Messenger of Yahweh destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.” David chooses the plague/pestilence figuring that he prefers to be in the direct hands of God, who is merciful.

¹⁵ So Yahweh sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men died. ¹⁶ Then the angel extended his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, but Yahweh relented concerning the destruction and said to the messenger who was destroying the people, “Enough, withdraw your hand now!” The Messenger of Yahweh was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. ¹⁷ When David saw the messenger striking the people, he said to Yahweh, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and my father’s family.” (2 Samuel 24:15-17)

¹⁵ And God sent the Messenger to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, Yahweh saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the Messenger who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the Messenger of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ¹⁶ And David lifted his eyes and saw the Messenger of Yahweh standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 21:16-16)

David purchases the land, the threshing floor, of Araunah (Ornan) and offers a sacrifice to Yahweh.

²⁶ And David built there an altar to Yahweh and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. ²⁷ Then Yahweh commanded the Messenger, and he put his sword back into its sheath. ²⁸ At that time, when David saw that Yahweh had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. ²⁹ For the tabernacle of Yahweh, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon, ³⁰ but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the Messenger of Yahweh. (1 Chronicles 21:26-30)

David can see the Messenger of Yahweh (he is not hidden from David’s view as He was with Balaam). He has a sword and He is “standing between earth and heaven,” suspended in the sky, appearing, it seems, like a flying man. Yahweh is commanding this Messenger of Yahweh, an indication of the line of authority within the Trinity.