David wrote in Psalm 23 “He restores my soul” I have often wondered if he wrote this whilst reflecting on his restoration following his sin in connection with Bathsheba.
When Nathan, the prophet, speaks into David’s life, David is open to hear from his friend and from God. I find what Nathan says to David and how David reacts so helpful. This level of speaking the truth in love and receiving the truth in love in my opinion is sadly lacking in today’s church.
Nathan points out to David the privileges that he has received.(2 Samuel 12:7-8) “I anointed you, I delivered you, I gave you” David had abused his privilege, but more than that, he had sinned against God. God had been so generous to David, he had extended grace after grace towards him. The prodigal son said “I have sinned against God and my Father.” Our sin is against people but it is fundamentally against God.
As hard as it was to take, Nathan’s lists David’s sins. Today we might think this as not being very caring and pastoral but this list gives David the opportunity to be specific in his repentance.
Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 2 Samuel 12:9
Sorry, no sorry for what? Sorry for the impact that our sin has caused. Sin is not something we do in private but rather it has far reaching consequences. God is allowing David to see this so that his restoration can be full.
Nathan then tells David God’s decision concerning him.
(2 Samuel 10-12) Violence would continue throughout his reign. David would suffer the treatment he inflicted upon Uriah. His wives would be stolen but unlike Uriah he would live to see it! The world would see what God thought about his sin. Why? Because sin is serious to God.
Jerry Bridges in his book “Respectable Sins” touches on this when he says, “We who are believers tend to evaluate our character and conduct relative to the moral culture in which we live. Since we usually live at a higher moral standard than society at large, it is easy for us to feel good about ourselves and to assume that God feels that way also. We fail to reckon with the reality of sin still dwelling within us.”
To help put this in proper perspective, here’s what A.W. Tozer had to say about sin: “No one has ever overstated the seriousness of the sin question. It is a question that continues age after age.”
What I like is that David did not fight back with excuses and reasons. His conviction was swift and thorough, “ I have sinned” was his simple confession. Frank, honest, I admit I have done wrong. So many times we fight our friends and God.
What I also like is God’s s response to David, it was swift and thorough.
David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 2 Samuel 12:13
For those “in Christ ” it’s good to remind ourselves of this truth,
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24
Forgiveness was swift but David still had to live with the consequences of his sin. I have found ten things that David suffered:
- The child born to David and Bathsheba will die (2 Samuel 12: 15-23) although a second son will be born (vs 24 -25)
- David’s daughter Tamar will suffer at the hands of one of David’s sons, Amnon (2 Samuel 13:1-12)
- Amnon is murdered by David’s son Absolom (2 Samuel 13:23-39)
- David brings his son Absolom back to Jerusalem but won’t see him for 2 years. Then Absolom won’t be loyal to his father. (2 Samuel 15:1-12)
- David is exiled from the city he fought for (2 Samuel 15:13- 16:14)
- Absolom shows nothing but contempt for David (2 Samuel 15:15- 17:29)
- Joab has to fight David’s son and kills him (2 Samuel 18: 1-15)
- David goes into a period of mourning (2 Samuel 19:1-8)
- The Judeans fall out with Israel (2 Samuel 19:43-45)
- David faces a rebellion led by the Queen of Sheba (2 Samuel 20:1-25)
This all began with one thing. David should have been at war and decided to stay in the palace. Let’s be swift in our repentance.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Particularly, I love this statement which resonates with me and I suppose with others, “sin is not something we do in private, but rather it has far reaching consequences.”
Yes, as today’s “church”, we definitely need to be more vocal (and less reticent) about topics and issues relating to sin and its “bandwagon” effect – not in judgement, but in love and compassion to spur true confession and genuine repentance. Even though such admonishments may come off the pulpit to the pew as pokes to bodily wounds that seem not to heal or go away, the assurances of our salvation in Jesus Christ may never be fully understood or acknowledged by us, until the burden and bondage of sin and its consequences are equally understood and acknowledged by us.
Thanks again for sharing.
God bless.