2 Samuel

2 Samuel 12:1-4

McArthur noted that David had sent a message to Joab regarding Uriah; now God sends a message to David regarding the matter.  Nathan had spoken blessings into David's life and was a confidant.  David was willing to listen to Nathan where he wasn't hearing his own conscience.   We have to wonder if David thought he was exempt from sin or the affects of sin.  Did David think at this point that he'd sinned without God noticing?  Did he think he'd gotten away with it?  (1 John 1:6) While we don't know what was going through David's mind at this time, we can certainly examine our own motives when we knowingly sin.  John Owen said, "We must mortify sin, or sin will mortify us!"  Sin never stops warring against us.  If we stop waring against sin, we quickly lose. 

2 Samuel 12:5-6

Nathan described theft and a lack of pity and compassion.  He doesn't ask for David to give a ruling but David's anger is aroused.  He not only makes a ruling but sentenced the man to death and he was to restore the lamb four fold.  Exodus 22:1 calls for a man to make this restoration.  It's fascinating that David knew the scriptures well enough to sentence this man but couldn't see his own guilt in the scriptures.

2 Samuel 12:7-15

What a moment this must have been when Nathan pionted to David and said, "You are the man!"  Nathan delivered God's words reminding David who was in charge.  God was also grieved though; grieved over David's unfaithfulness and lack of trust in Him.  God had done all for him and would have done more, but David relied on his own plan.  How this must have broken God's heart. 

We have to know that sin still breaks God's heart.  How he must grieve when we choose our half-baked attempts at running our life when he has the best for us. 

Because David had used the sword to his own purpose, God said the sword would never depart from his house.  Also, he would raise up evil against him in his own household.  And the sin he committed in private would be committed against him in public.  Absalom does this in 2 Samuel 16:22.  It is after the first two judgments are rendered when David confesses his sin; he seemed a little slow about it.  See Psalm 32 & 51 for the full confession. 

God immediately said to David that the Lord had taken away his sin.  However, because he gave opportunity to others to blaspheme the Lord in that they could look to David, this man of God, and see that he'd done evil that God would have to deal harshly with him.  Because of the presence of sin, his son would have to die.  Was God showing David how grace works in releasing him from punishment but also how justice works in that the presence of sin would require the death of a Son? 

2 Samuel 12:16-23

It's interesting that the scripture called Bathsheba Uriah's widow and not by name.  David mourned and fasted and wept while the child was sick.  This pain and sorrow was brought into his life by sin; by a brief indescretion that was then compounded by lies and murder.  What a horrible trade; what a terrible outcome.  Sin is ugly and painful; and the penalty of sin can never be cheated.   We continue to make this trade today; trading a life lived in the Lord's will for our own way.  We sabotage our lives with sin breeding sorrow and pain.  As Christians under grace, the penalty for our sin was paid for on the cross, but consequence of sin are vey real in our lives.  We live lives compromised to sin instead of lives committed to Jesus Christ.  Read Psalm 38 and 40. 

When the child died David got up, cleaned himself up and got on with life.  This stumped his servants.  While the child was alive he sought God's grace but now that the child is dead there was nothing he could do.  He knew he couldn't bring the child back but looked forward to the day when he was with the child. 

2 Samuel 12:24-31

Now David has another son and names him Solomon and Nathan calls him Jedidiah; meaning beloved of Jehovah.  What a blessing on the heels of this event.  God is gracious and loving and still wants the best for David.  God isn't vindictive and ready to quit on us.  Even a marriage that was born from sin can bring forth a blessing but only because of God's grace and mercy.  We can see that sin was dealt with and God has forgiven and it was time to get on with life. 

This last section where he takes Rabbah shows that in spite of the sword not departing that he would still have some victory.  This may have actually fit the time line back when Bathsheba was mourning for Uriah, but surely wouldn't have taken as long as taking place after the birth of Solomon.  Matthew Henry says that the brutality was excused as the actions of war but once the city was captured to butcher the innocent people shows that David had a heart without mercy because he had not yet been shown mercy.  David seems to have had a cold, hard heart here.  The Ammonites were the ones that accused David's emissaries as spies and cut half their beard and cut their clothes so their butt showed. 

©2016 Doug Ford