God’s Story from Nathan
God’s Response to King David’s Sin
2 Samuel 12:1-4
1 And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
A Message from God’s Prophet
The Lord has sent Nathan the prophet with a message about a Rich man who displays a cruel selfishness against a poor man. And this is the story that God has sent to King David with Nathan. A story about the cruel abuse of power. Abuse without regard for the suffering of another. A story of unjustifiable cruelty…
The Rich Man’s Cruelty
The rich man has much wealth and plenty. He has a large number of lambs in his flocks. But the rich man sees fit to take the single beloved lamb from the poor man. A visitor is coming and the rich man wants to serve the lamb in a meal but does not want to use one of his own lambs.
The poor man loves the lamb like his own child. He raised it from a baby and treats it like family. But the rich man in his power gives no thought to the poor man and how it hurts him to see the animal slaughtered. He still takes the one thing that the poor man has and serves it up to his out of town guest. Leaving the poor man suffering in his loss.
There was no reason to have taken the poor mans lamb. No reason to cause this suffering in this way. The rich man had many herds and many lambs from which he could have chosen. But his selfishness causes him to be unjustifiably cruel.
Thou Art the Man
God’s Response to King David’s Sin
2 Samuel 12:5-7
5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
King David’s Anger
So King David got very angry at the idea of what the man had done in the story. He swore that he would make sure the man would be killed for what he had done in justice for the suffering. He would pay because he had no pity no compassion. King David found the behavior unacceptable. He wanted to make sure the person who did such a thing was punished. In addition to passing judgement for such an act, King David also called for recompense fourfold. It was not enough to kill the man but he also must restore more than he had taken from the poor man.
Was David so angry and ready to kill the man because of his own guilt for what he himself had done? With an abundance to have taken from someone with very little. Not only taken from him but to have taken his beloved. And leaving him with nothing. It is not uncommon for us to find it easier to condemn others rather than take responsibility for our own actions. Even sometimes when we don’t realize it on the surface.
King David is the Rich Man
Then to the surprise of King David, Nathan informed him that God has said that he, King David, was the man in the story. God made him king over all of Israel. And God delivered him out of the hands of Saul. God blessed him with his masters house and his masters wives. King David had been given the house of Israel and of Judah. God lets him know that if that had not been enough he would have blessed him further with more.
He was expressing how much King David had been given as blessings. King David was as a rich man with many things from which to choose for himself. He was just like the rich man in the story. But he was not grateful for his blessings, not grateful for what he had been given. And, just like the story King David’s selfishness caused him to be unjustifiably cruel…
Surprised into Understanding
King David had to be surprised into understanding the significance of the story compared to his own behavior. But he had to decide to take responsibility for himself and acknowledge his sin. He had to decide to ask God to forgive him. Nathan’s story from God was intended to make David aware of his own thoughtless selfishness. Make him aware of how he as a ruler would have passed judgement on someone else for the same behaviors.
Despised God’s Commandment
God’s Response to King David’s Sin
2 Samuel 12:8-12
8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
Evil in His Sight
God is not pleased with King David’s behavior. He is clear in his message that King David has despised the Commandment of the Lord. David’s evil in his sight! He has slain Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the children of Ammon. And also he has taken Uriah’s wife.
God is making it clear that King David is responsible for the death of Uriah. That there is no one else that is responsible. He killed just as if it had been by his own sword in his own hand. Uriah’s death was the result of the actions of King David. And David knew it was the truth. He did not try to deny it.
God’s Curse of the Sword
God has sent him a message that in retribution he will be cursed. That the sword will never leave his house. Because he despised the Lord by killing Uriah and taking his wife for himself. The Lord will rise up evil against King David, in his own house. God will allow trouble upon David’s house. He will take his wives before his very eyes and give them to his neighbors. And his neighbors will lie with his wives in the sight of the sun. They will lie with his neighbors in the open so that the people will see. What King David did in secret will be done to him in public. As punishment he is to be humiliated in front of the people.
God cursed King David with the sword. What he was saying is that there would be violence within his family from that time forward. And if you look at the history of King David forward of what happened here you will find the violence was fourfold. Just as he had condemned the rich man in the story to pay back the lamb fourfold , he would pay the same price to his family.
King David took the Beloved
Just like in the story King David took the beloved from the Uriah. But the rich man in his power gives no thought to the poor man and how it would hurt him. Like the story he takes the one the poor man has, though he himself has many. The king was known to have many wives. King David takes it one step further and actually commissions the murder of Uriah to take his wife away. The blood of the innocent. The man who, in his own compassion, would not even go home to rest. He felt guilt to do so because his fellow guards in battle were camping in fields. God was displeased!
The Child Must Die
God’s Response to King David’s Sin
2 Samuel 12:13-17
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
Acknowledgement of Sin
Now King David realizes what he has done. He admits to Nathan that he has committed a great sin unto the Lord God. But Nathan tells him that God has put away the sin and will not take his life.
A man in King David’s position of power rarely admits to his faults but David’s heart wants to be right with God. He admits openly that he has sinned against the Lord. And he prays the prayer of repentance after much meditation as we will see is Psalm 51 in the near future. Again showing the seriousness of his heart. The seriousness of his conviction to be once again right with God.
Nathan the prophet tells him that God has put away his sin. He also tells him he shall not die. What he is saying is that God is waiving the penalty outlined in the Law. That under the Law of Moses the penalty for the adultery is death, as is the penalty for murder. But God will not demand his life in justice for his deeds. The Lord has chosen to waive the death penalty for King David himself. God has another price…
God Takes the Child
However, this sin that David has committed has hurt the Kingdom of God. It has given the enemies of the Lord the opportunity to use it to blaspheme. That kind of behavior was common perhaps for the Lords and Kings of the time. However, it was not common for men of God for which King David was known to be. A man of God is held to a higher standard and David broke that standard arming the enemy. He has assisted the enemies of the Lord by his example. Therefore, God will take the life of the child conceived in adultery. After communicating all of the message from God, Nathan left the Kings house.
The Lord did strike down the child with illness. The child became very sick. David tried to get God to reconsider the life of his child. King David prayed. And he fasted and lay on the earth all night. His elders went to him but he would not eat with them. He continued pleading with God for the life of his child. But God was punishing him for this sin.
The Innocent Suffer
David used the opportunity to pray and fast as an attempt to appeal to God for mercy. Appeal to God to grant him the life of his child. He was asking for God’s grace. We should always try to appeal to God’s grace to help us. Appeal to his grace to protect the innocent. In this case God’s decision was not to grant the appeal.
It is unfortunate when the innocent must suffer for the sins of the guilty. Many do not understand this concept but it is the inevitable truth. It is a common theme in life and also in scripture. But what he is teaching us here is that even when sin is forgiven something is required of us. We must pay our recompense for what we have done. Forgiveness is the first step but ultimately some form of a price must be paid to balance the scales. In the time before the blood of Jesus paid the price, there were a number of methods to pay for mans sin.
2 Samuel 12:18-20
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
And on the seventh day the child died. King David’s servants were apprehensive about telling him because he was so distraught. With all of his praying and fasting they were worried about his reaction to learn of the child’s passing. King David could hear them whispering so he asked them if the child had died. They confirmed that he had.
King David Worships
So then King David lifted himself up. He washed and anointed himself. He changed his clothes and went to the house of the Lord to worship him. Then King David went home and he did eat.
King David going to Worship shows that he was finally again right with God. He had surrendered to the will of God. And had found his way to peace. His ability to go to worship shows a spiritual maturity that guides him forward. A simple acceptance of God’s decision, and ultimate surrender to the Power of God.
King David suffered the punishment of the sacrifice of his child with the wife of Uriah the Hittite. God saw fit to take the child from them as a recompense for the evil they had done.
Needing Comfort
God’s Response to King David’s Sin
2 Samuel 12:21-23
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
God’s Answer Was Clear
The servants did not understand why he was so upset while the child was alive. That he had prayed and fasted but upon the death stopped. This behavior had them perplexed so they asked him. And he told them that while the child was alive there was still a chance that God would grant him forgiveness. That God would let his child live. But once the child was dead God’s answer was clear. God was not going to grant him the life of the child. So for what reason should he fast because it will not bring the child back to him.
David says that he will go to him but he will not come back to me. He is saying that the child will go to Heaven and one day he will join him there. But the child is dead so he will not come back to him on this earth.
2 Samuel 12:24-25
24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
God Grant’s Another Child
And King David comforted Bathsheba over the loss of the child. He lay with her and she conceived another son. They called him Solomon. But because God loved him God sent word through Nathan the prophet to call the child Jedidiah.
I was not sure what God meant about calling the child Jedidiah then I came upon information that the name means “Love of the Lord”. Well then it made sense. I know that the child retained the name Solomon and was ultimately blessed by the Lord so I was confused. But now it I would propose that it was an acknowledgment from God that the child was loved. That he would bless the child.
This is where God shows us his forgiveness. Though David and Bathsheba committed the sin despising the Lords Commandments. God in his mercy forgave their indiscretions and blessed them again with a son.
God’s Mercy is Great and his Love is Pure…
I hope you enjoyed the Second Episode Post in this Trilogy about King David’s Sins. This Trilogy is the introduction to the new Series the Study of Scripture in the “OnFire Cafe”. Watch for the next one in the near future. We hope to see you there…
For the Love of God,
Sparks
