2 Samuel 12
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Samuel 12
Guzik - The sin Nathan describes is theft. There is a sense in which David stole something from Uriah. The Bible (in 1 Corinthians 7:3-5) says that in marriage a husband has authority over the body of his wife (and vice-versa). Obviously, David did not have this authority over the body of Bathsheba and he stole from Uriah. Adultery and sexual immorality are sins in many ways, and in one aspect are theft – taking something that does not belong to us. This principle is also true regarding pornography and lust. Leviticus 18 describes the sin of uncovering the nakedness of those other than our spouse. The idea is that the nakedness of others doesn’t belong to us, and it is theft if we take it. Who would the "wayfarer" be equated with in this story portraying David's horrible sin? I think Henri Rossier offers a reasonable suggestion when he names this traveler "Lust" writing... Let us watch out for this sort of traveler, for we are all prone to be visited by him. Certainly when he appears it is better to close the door against him. This wayfarer is lust, a passing desire, and not one that we habitually entertain and feed. This wayfarer had entered the king's house, knowing he would find something to feed on there. Our hearts too ever contain that which it takes to succumb to Satan's temptations (Jer 17:9, 10). David forgot to depend on God and thought he could relax instead of serving and fighting. This was enough to allow the traveler to open the door and let himself in and to mark his visit with disorder and ruin. (2 Samuel) NATHAN'S "PARABLE" OF A RICH MAN & POOR MAN CHARACTER DEPICTED CHARACTER DEPICTS Rich Man King David Poor Man Uriah the Hittite Flocks and herds Many concubines and wives Little Ewe Lamb Uriah's wife Bathsheba Traveler Lust In this parable, the rich man represents David. The poor man represents Uriah. The ewe lamb represents Bathsheba. Great many flocks reminds us of David's many "concubines and wives" (2Sa 5:13)! Lust is insatiable! Lust is never satisfied! Lust always desires one more of whatever the lust is directed toward! And each time lust is "accommodated" it only increases its appetite! Do not be deceived! As you read Nathan's parable and see David's blindness to the fact that this parable is a divine finger pointed straight at him, realize that such is the power of sin in our lives. Sin is not to be underestimated or trifled with but instead is a horrible, powerful force to be continually fought against do only with the Spirit of God's enablement! (Gal 5:16-17+) 2 Samuel 12:5 Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. David's: Ge 38:24 1Sa 25:21,22 Lu 6:41,42 9:55 Ro 2:1 As the Lord: 1Sa 14:39 deserves to die, Heb. is a son of death, 1Sa 20:31 26:16 2 Samuel 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Leviticus 20:10 ‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 24:17 ‘If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death. DAVID'S OATH AGAINST THE MAN IN THE MIRROR! Then - Marks progress in the narrative. A short story with a pithy point that fires up King David. David's anger (aph; Lxx - orge) burned greatly against the man - James 1:23-24+ (which would be a good description of David) says the Word of God is like a mirror and Nathan has just given David a mirror to look into to see his own face, the one against who his anger should be justly directed. See 1Sa 25:13, 22, 33+ for another example of David’s anger. Guzik - David’s sense of righteous indignation was so affected by his own guilt that he commanded a death sentence for the hypothetical case brought by Nathan, even though it wasn’t a capital crime. David had to condemn his own sin before he could find forgiveness. We often try to find refuge in excusing or minimizing or deflecting the blame for our sin; we simply do not condemn sin in ourselves. David’s use of the oath “As the LORD lives” shows how passionate his indignation was. He called God to witness the righteousness of his death sentence upon Nathan’s hypothetical rich man. Against the man - Notice that the rich man who had mistreated the poor man, did so because of his own desire, which is exactly why David did what he did to Uriah! What goes around, comes around! and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die - David underscores the depth of his emotional reaction to the evil actions of the rich man by invoking an oath to God. David sentences himself and does so with great passion! This is fascinating that out of his own mouth David, unbeknownst to him, condemned himself to die, for he did deserve death, not just on one, but two counts - adultery (Lev. 20:10) and murder (Lev. 24:17). Man who deserves to die - In the literal Hebrew David refers to this man as "a son of death", and thus a wretch who deserves to die! David is being harsh, overly harsh. Stealing and killing a sheep is a sin (Ex 22:1) but it does not call for capital punishment. David is going way beyond what the the Law requires. He is out of fellowship with God and it shows by his emotional, "over the top" response. In pronouncing this judgment on the rich man (who represented David himself) in the story, David unknowingly condemned himself! As someone has written the chickens have come home to roost (so to speak)! THOUGHT - How easy it is for us to excuse sin in our own life but be overly harsh and critical when dealing with sin in the lives of others! We humans have a keen sense of judgment - as long as it is on someone else! NET NOTE on deserves to die - Heb “the man doing this [is] a son of death.” See 1 Sam 20:31 for another use of this expression, which must mean “he is as good as dead” or “he deserves to die,” as 1 Sam 20:32 makes clear. As the LORD lives - 35x in NAS - Jdg 8:19; Ru 3:13; 1Sa 14:39, 45; 19:6; 20:3, 21; 25:26; 26:10, 16; 28:10; 29:6; 2Sa 4:9; 12:5; 14:11; 15:21; 1Kgs 1:29; 2:24; 22:14; 2Ki 2:2, 4, 6; 4:30; 5:16, 20; 2Chr 18:13; Jer 4:2; 5:2; 12:16; 16:14 15; 23:7 8; 38:16; Hos 4:15 Die is a keyword in 2 Samuel 12 - 2Sa 12:5 2Sa 12:13 2Sa 12:14 2Sa 12:18 2Sa 12:21 2Sa 12:23 Theodore Epp points out, “David’s harshness and lack of pity were due to his being out of touch with God.” Alan Redpath asks "Have you observed that when you excuse sin in your own life, you become very critical of it in other people (cp Jesus warning in Mt 7:1, 2+, Mt 7:3, 4, 5+). The person who hides an uneasy conscience and a sense of guilt may flash out in anger against the sin of another. Is that why some of us are so merciless with the Christian who has tripped up? Is that why we have no gospel for the believer who falls? It may be not because we are very holy but because we are unholy that we condemn the thing in another as we refuse to judge in our own lives. Let us not forget the words of our Master, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone. (The Making of a Man of God (Life of David) - 137 PDF book) Alan Carr wisely warns us "Never think for a minute that sin can be successfully hidden away forever. God knows exactly where it is buried, Heb 4:13+, and when the time is right, he will place His finger right on the sore spot and He will press. He will confront that hidden sin and expose it for what it is! That will be a shocking day in the life of the guilty party. That is why it is so important for us to keep short accounts with God! Chuck Smith - It's amazing how awful our sins look to us when someone else is committing them.. We seek to justify our own actions. We so graciously excuse in ourselves the things we condemn in others.. This should teach us to be careful how we judge others. "Thou art inexcusable O man." Stevenson - What really annoys you about others? What is it about someone that really gets under your skin? Chances are that it is something of which you yourself are guilty. There is a lesson here. It is that we normally find it easier to see the faults in others than we can see them in ourselves. I don’t see the main faults in my own life. That goes for you, too. Whatever you think are your primary faults are not. (2 Samuel 11-12 David's Sin) Anger (nose, nostril, wrath) (0639) aph from anaph = to breathe hard, to be angry) is a masculine noun meaning nose, nostril, snout (pigs - Pr 11:22), face (2Sa 25:23) and anger. Both senses are found in Proverbs 30:22 - "For the churning of milk produces butter, and pressing the nose (aph) brings forth blood; so the churning of anger (aph) produces strife." In the first use God "breathed into (man's) nostrils the breath of life." (Ge 2:7) Aph sometimes refers to the entire e whole face (Ge 3:19), especially in the expression, to bow one’s face to the ground (Ge 19:1; 1Sa 24:8). To have length of nose is to be slow to wrath (Pr 14:29, 16:32). To have shortness of nose is to be quick tempered (Pr. 14:17; Jer. 15:14, 15). Aph is used in a phrase (goba aph) which means pride, arrogance, formally, high of nose, an improper haughtiness and self-confidence (Ps 10:4). Often speaks of divine anger or wrath (Ps 2:5, 2:12, 6:1, 30:5, 74:1, 77:9, 78:21) and thankfully is "Slow to anger." (Ps 103:8; 145:8, both Lxx = makrothumos = long-suffering) Burned (02734) charah means to burn or be kindled with anger, and in the Hithpael, charah is used 4x (Ps 37:1, 7,8, Pr 24:19) always meaning "to worry" and describing the agitation, irritation or vexation resulting from active worry. Charah is used in reference to the anger of both man and God. 2 Samuel 12:6 "He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion." He must make restitution Ex 22:1 Pr 6:31 Lu 19:8 because: Jas 2:13 2 Samuel 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Exodus 22:1+ “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. (FOURFOLD) DAVID CONTINUES TO CONDEMN HIMSELF! He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion - Out of his mouth come the horrible words that he had no compassion. David did not look (with compassion and careful thought) before he leaped! No compassion - In the Greek the "no" is absolute signifying total absent of this attribute. John
2 Samuel 12
Guzik - Through Nathan, God explained to David that his sin was really a base expression of ingratitude. When God gave all this to David and had so much more to give him, David sought out sin instead. And I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these - God continues the list of His goodness and generosity to David. This of course would make David's wanting more (Bathsheba) even more convicting. It is worth noting that God reminds David of Who He is before He confronts him with the piercing description of his sin - you have despised the Word...Me (2Sa 12:9, 10). The abundant kindnesses of which David had been the benefactor served to make this accusation even more stinging. David forgot (or chose to forget) that Jehovah was the source of "every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift", that Jehovah was "the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (Jas 1:17+) A good "preventative" in our lives is to choose to make praise for God's goodness a daily part of our prayers, lest we too forget that His lovingkindnesses are new every morning! ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE VS ATTITUDE OF GREED The juxtaposition of the reminders of God's great goodness to David (anointing, protecting, providing, even greater blessings if he would ask) with David's craving for even more (especially that which was forbidden), was surely not lost on David's conscience and heart. This story emphasizes the importance of arising each morning and thanking God for His goodness that overflows in our life. An attitude of gratitude can serve as a great impediment to developing an attitude of greed. When was the last time you thanked God for His manifold goodness in your life? (See God's attribute - Goodness) I would have added - God tells David He would have given him anything (not forbidden by His Law) his heart wanted, and yet David selfishly sought the forbidden fruit, which has whispers of Adam who had a perfect environment and yet took the one thing God had forbidden. Such is the power of the fallen nature of our flesh. Such power reminds us of our great and continuing need for God's sufficient grace to fight the war against such a powerful foe. This last divine declaration serves to accentuate David's sin of covetousness. He had everything a man could want or need. And it that was not enough, God would have added to what he had. And yet it was not enough. Coveting says "More. Give me more. I want more." Now why is covetousness so wrong? Bill Hybels comments that when we covet someone else’s job, spouse, income, house, or car, we are saying, "You’ve not been fair with me God, I deserve a nicer job, or a more lucrative income, or a bigger house, or a prettier wife. You’ve short-changed me. You owe me something better, God!" You may not say those things directly. But a covetous heart is filled with such thoughts. David coveted what was not his - the wife of Uriah. He was not content with what God had given him. Covetousness is never content. David (and all of us) should have remembered that God had given him not only everything that he needed, but that He had given him far more than he deserved. THOUGHT - We are all a bit like David. Instead of coveting, we need to blunt that temptation with praise and thanksgiving for what we have already been given. David forgot to praise God for His bountiful blessings and ended up with the cursed consequences of coveting! Do not be deceived dear brother or sister in Christ. Coveting is the root of many other maladies of the soul. Confess. Repent. Return. Be restored. Keep short accounts. (See Jesus' warning and solution in Rev 2:4-5+) ILLUSTRATION - Mark Twain encountered a businessman from Boston who said to him, "Before I die, I will go to the Holy Land, climb Mt. Sinai, and from its summit shout the Ten Commandments at the top of my voice!" Unimpressed, Twain responded, "I’ve got a better idea. Stay in Boston and keep ‘em." Related Resource: How many wives did King David have? | GotQuestions.org 2 Samuel 12:9 'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. despised: 2Sa 12:10 11:4,14-17 Ge 9:5,6 Ex 20:13,14 Nu 15:30,31 1Sa 15:19,23 Isa 5:24 Am 2:4 Heb 10:28,29 evil: 2Ch 33:6 Ps 51:4 90:8 139:1,2 Jer 18:10 you have: 2Sa 11:15-27 2 Samuel 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DAVID DESPISED THE WORD OF YAHWEH Why have you despised (bazah; Lxx - phaulizo - consider worthless - see phaulos) the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? - Observe that despising God's Word is associated with not doing (obeying) God's Word. In short, whenever we sin we are in essence despising the Word of the LORD. We are choosing our way, rather than His way. David choose His way and broke at least 3 of the "Ten Commandments" (coveting, stealing, adultery), if not more. He had written a copy of the Law in the presence of the Levitical priests and thus he surely knew the Laws regarding coveting, stealing and adultery (as well as the penalties) and yet he basically looked at God's righteous commandments with contempt and sought to please his flesh rather than God. Isn't that what we all do when we willfully sin, thinking, saying or doing something we know is directly counter to the Word of God? Despised means to disdain, to hold in contempt, to treat as utterly worthless! How could this happen to a man after God's own heart? The answer is that sin is powerful and functions like drugs we give patients for conscious sedation to make them forget the actual surgical procedure. In short, sin deceives and hardens one's heart, Hebrews 3:13+ says "But encourage (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that (purpose of encouragement - David no longer had a Jonathan to encourage him like he did in 1Sa 23:16+ when Saul was seeking his life in Ziph 1Sa 23:15+) none of you will be hardened (skleruno) by the deceitfulness (apate) of sin." THOUGHT - Think about who this accusation is against! The sweet psalmist of Israel. The one who had recorded so many beautiful songs of praise and adoration! This is the very one who now is accused of despising the Word of Jehovah. Beloved, if David can fall to this level, so too can we. We must never, ever trust our flesh. We must never feel "comfortable" in our spiritual state. We must never think that we have "arrived" in our Christian walk! All of those feelings are simply subtle forms of pride, the sin God hates and ever opposes (Jas 4:6+) How had he despised the Word? The Word had said do not multiply wives, which David did (and which probably inflamed his lust even more). The Word of the LORD clearly said do not covet your neighbor's wife, which David did (Ex 20:17+). The Word clearly said do not steal which David did (Ex 20:15+). The Word said to not bear false witness against his neighbor, which he did (Ex 20:16+). The Word stated do not commit adultery, which he did (Ex 20:14+). The Word said do not murder, which he did (Ex 20:13+). In short David despised God's commandments and in so doing he despised God Himself! Guzik - Many who live in either open or hidden sin seem to believe it has no effect or little effect on their relationship with God (ED: SEE NOTE ABOVE ON DECEPTIVENESS OF SIN). But despising God’s commandment means despising God Himself, and we can’t have fellowship with God and despise Him at the same time. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (1 John 1:6+) You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon - Here God levies the most specific charges of David's doing evil, with double emphasis on the fact that it was YOU, David, who killed Uriah with the sword. Yes YOU "used" an Ammonite sword, but it was YOU who killed him! This declaration would serve to deflect or deflate any defense by David that it was not he but the enemy who had killed Uriah. If Nathan had stopped at "you have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword", David might have responded with the rationalization that "I wasn't even present when Uriah was killed. How could I possibly be guilty of his death by sword?" Guzik - the confession of our sin needs to be specific. J. Edwin Orr tells of a time of revival in Brazil when a lady stood in a crowded church and said, “Please pray for me. I need to love people more.” The leader gently told her, “That is not confession, sister. Anyone could have said it.” Later in the service the woman stood again and said, “Please pray for me. What I should have said is that my tongue has caused a lot of trouble in this church.” Her pastor whispered to the leader, “Now she’s talking.”. It costs nothing to say, “I’m not everything I should be” or “I ought to be a better Christian.” It does cost something to say, “I have been a trouble-maker in this church” or “I have had bitterness towards certain leaders, to whom I apologize right now.” THOUGHT- The question is do you despise (or have little regard for) the Word of God in your life? You may be thinking "Of course not. I would never despise His holy Word!" If you are unsure, ask yourself how much time do you spend reading and studying it in a given week. The truth is that if you say almost no time at all, you are in effect despising the Word of the Lord! And then add to this the fact that you commit sin every day and in so doing are essentially despised the Word of the LORD and the LORD of the Word! God by Your Spirit save us from ourselves every day. Amen. Despised (0959) bazah is from a root meaning to accord little worth to something) means to disdain or to hold in contempt. Bazah is used in a number of places to mean “despise” in the sense of treating someone or something as totally insignificant or worthless. Bazah means to raise the head loftily and disdainfully, to look down one's nose at something (so to speak)! The idea is that one undervalues something or someone which implies contempt for that thing or person (in this case God's Name in Mal 1:6 and here His table/altar, the place He is to be worshipped, revered, and adored! Woe!) THOUGHT - Lest we be too hard on these ancient Israelites, let us "moderns" consider what we do EVERY TIME we willfully sin against God! Are you as convicted as I am! In fact Larry Richards writes that "Disobedience and other sins are portrayed in the OT as nothing less than evidences that we despise God. When we disobey, we show that we place little value on the Lord." Bazah means to treat things of value with contempt, as if they were worthless, the classic example being the very first use in Scripture in which Esau "despised his birthright" and sold it for lentil stew! (Ge 25:34, cp Heb 12:15-16). The opposite of bazah is kabed "to honor" (1Sa 2:30), yare' "to fear" (Pr 14:2), and shamar "to keep" commandments (Pr 19:16). In the Septuagint (Lxx) Greek verbs used to translate baza/bazah are phaulizo (to hold cheap, to depreciate, disparage, to despise, to consider worthless = translates baza in Ge 25:34, Nu 15:31 2Sa 12:9 Isa 37:22 Mal 1:6) and exoutheneo (as treating someone or something as of no account despise, disdain, make light of Ro 14:3. As making something or someone as of no account disregard, reject, despise- 1Th 5:20 = exoutheneo translates baza in 2Sa 6:16, , 12:10, , 1Chr 15:29, , Ps 15:4, 22:24, 69:33, 73:20, 102:17, 119:141, Eccl 9:16, Da 11:21, Mal 1:7, 1:12; 2:9) Henry Blackaby - Despising God's Word Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 2 Samuel 12:9 (NASB) We Christians have lots of euphemisms for our sin: we call it backsliding, a bad habit, an error in judgment, or a moment of weakness. Sometimes we just don’t want to face up to what we have done. But God always calls sin what it is—sin. When David sinned against Uriah by committing adultery with Uriah’s wife, God saw David’s sin much differently than David did. Rather than repenting immediately, David tried to cover it up by having Uriah killed. Perhaps he thought God would let him get away with this one, since he’d been faithful in so many other ways. But God would not overlook David’s sin. Even though David had been obedient time after time, his sin was an insult to God. David knew better. He knew what God thought about adultery—and about murder—yet he chose to satisfy his own selfish purposes. We sometimes excuse ourselves for disobeying God’s Word. We may assume God will just forgive us and treat us as if it never happened. We may think our disobedience is not a big deal. We may rationalize by telling ourselves, “Nobody’s perfect!” The fact is—when we sin, we are despising God’s Word. Perhaps if we really understood how God looks at our sin, we would take his Word far more seriously. Perhaps if we realized that we insult God and his Word when we sin, we would be more hesitant to do what we know is wrong. (Borrow The experience : a devotional and journal : day by day with God) Off Track Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? —2 Samuel 12:9 Today's Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-13 When I sat in my car at the start of the automatic car wash, I didn’t know that my left front tire was not properly lined up with the track. The car wash started but my car wasn’t moving, so I accelerated. That caused my tire to jump the track. Now I was stuck—I couldn’t move forward or backward. The car wash continued through its cycle without my car. Meanwhile, cars began lining up and waiting for me. I was glad when two workers at the station helped me get my car back on the track. Sometimes in our Christian lives we get off track too. King David did in a big way. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and later ordered that her husband be put “in the forefront of the hottest battle” and left there to be killed (2 Sam. 11:3-4,15-17). David’s actions were way out of line with how God wanted him to behave as His chosen king. David needed help to get back on track. The Bible says that “the Lord sent Nathan to David” (12:1). He confronted him about stealing another man’s wife, and David wisely repented (v.13). Nathan took a risk to help David get right with God, even though his sin still had dire consequences. Fellowship with other Christians Strengthens us when we are weak, Reprimands when we are sinning, Helps us when God’s will we seek. —Sper True love dares to confront. 2 Samuel 12:10 'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' the sword: 2Sa 13:28,29 18:14,15,33 1Ki 2:23-25 Am 7:9 Mt 26:52 because: Nu 11:20 1Sa 2:30 Mal 1:6,7 Mt 6:24 Ro 2:4 1Th 4:8 taken: Ge 20:3 Pr 6:32,33 2 Samuel 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Damocles' Sword THE CONSEQUENCES OF BAD CHOICES (SIN)! Now therefore - This is a horrible term of conclusion for David to process. It is based on the horrible crime he had committed against the LORD, the consequences are now prophetically declared! THOUGHT - Beloved it behooves us all to keep in mind that while we are free to choose the sin, cannot choose the consequences! F B
2 Samuel 12
Guzik - David didn’t use elaborate or soft vocabulary. He sinned. It wasn’t a mistake, an error, a mess-up, an indiscretion, or a problem. Against the LORD: This expressed the enormity of David’s sin. His sin against Bathsheba, against Uriah, against Ahithophel, against his wives and children, and against the nation were great. But his sin against the LORD was greatest of all. There are no small sins against a great God, and great sins are even greater. And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away (abar - lit - "removed") your sin; you shall not die - David confessed and God proved 1 John 1:9 to be true, for it says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Play this great Charles Wesley hymn which David might have sung had it been written then.... Depth of mercy! Can there be mercy still reserved for me? Can my God His wrath forbear Me, the chief of sinners spare? I have long withstood His grace: long provoked Him to His face; would not hearken to His calls; grieved Him by a thousand falls. I my Master have denied, I afresh have crucified, oft profaned His hallowed name, put Him to an open shame. There for me the Savior stands, shows His wounds and spreads His hands: God is love! I know, I feel; Jesus weeps, but loves me still! Now incline me to repent! Let me now my fall lament! Now my foul revolt deplore! Weep, believe, and sin no more. G Campbell
2 Samuel 12
Guzik - There is a difference in judgment for sin and judgment by sin. God forgave David’s sin, but He would not shield him from every consequence of the sin. David had to face the consequences of his sin, beginning with the death of the child born by Bathsheba. This shows that God didn’t only want to heal David of the guilt of his sin; He also wanted to heal David of the presence of this sin. We never read of David committing adultery again because God used these chastisements to drive such impurities far from David.
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Guzik points out that "This is the first time the biblical writer called this woman Bathsheba except for the mere reporting of her name in 2 Samuel 11:3. Each time before this she is called the wife of Uriah. Only now, after the chastisement for sin, is she called Bathsheba his wife." This shows that God did not command that David forsake or leave Bathsheba, even though his marriage to her was originally sinful. He was to honor God in the marriage commitment he made, even though it began in sin.. Paul commands the same principle in 1 Corinthians 7:17+: As the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. In part, this principle in context warns us against trying to undo the past in regard to relationships. God tells us to repent of whatever sin is there and then to move on. If you are married to your second wife, after wrongfully divorcing your first wife, and become a Christian, don’t think you must now leave your second wife and go back to your first wife, trying to undo the past. As the Lord has called you, walk in that place right now. And went in to her and lay with her - Euphemism for sexual relations. And she gave birth to a son - She gave David a son, but it was ultimately God who gave him a son. What a picture of the incredible amazing grace of God, truly "unmerited favor" in this passage! Children are a gift from the LORD and here God blessed their marriage with a second son. Note that 1Ch 3:5 suggests that Solomon was actually the fourth son of Bathsheba - "These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four, by Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel." and he named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved him - David (he not "they") named their second son Solomon (their first was never named) which means "Peaceable." Solomon was the tenth son of David, the successor of King David as the third king of Israel, the father of Rehoboam, and an ancestor of Jesus. Guzik - Here is the great forgiveness and tenderness of God. He did not hold a grudge against David and Bathsheba. The days of blessing and fruitfulness were not over for David. “David’s best sons came of Bath-sheba; because they were the fruit of their humiliation.” (Trapp) Remarkably it is this son– the son born out of a marriage that began in adultery – that will be heir to David’s throne. God chose this son among David’s many sons to be heir to the throne and the ancestor of the Messiah to demonstrate the truth that God forgives repentant sinners. People may not forgive; we may refuse to really believe that we are forgiven. But God forgives repentant sinners.
2 Samuel 12
Guzik - Joab goaded David into returning to battle by saying, “I’ll take all the credit to myself if you don’t come and finish this war.” i. Joab struggled for more than a year to conquer Rabbah, and the victory only came when David got things right with God. There was an unseen spiritual reason behind the lack of victory at Rabbah. “David’s sin at home had hindered Joab’s good success abroad, and retarded the conquest of this city Rabbah, which now is ready to be taken, that David reconciled to God may have the honour of it.” (Trapp) 2 Samuel 12:29 So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it. 2 Samuel 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DAVID COMES IN RESPONSE TO JOAB'S MESSAGE So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it - Now that David's sin was no longer covered, Yahweh could prosper him! Proverbs 28:13+ says "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." David has found compassion from Yahweh. The tragic irony of this verse is that if David had come to the battlefield at the beginning of the siege (2Sa 11:1-2+), the giant of lust which caused the greatest sins of his life would have been defeated! Guzik - David was in victory once again. His sin did not condemn him to a life of failure and defeat. There was chastisement for David’s sin, but it did not mean that his life was ruined. THOUGHT - Do not let you past sins which you have confessed prevent you from have present (and future) victories in Christ, by His Spirit and Word!
2 Samuel 12:1-14
Guzik adds that... The sin Nathan describes is theft. There is a sense in which David stole something from Uriah. The Bible says that in marriage a husband has authority over the body of his wife (and vice-versa). Obviously David did not have this authority over the body of Bathsheba and he stole from Uriah. Adultery and sexual immorality are theft - taking something that does not belong to us. This principle is also true regarding pornography and lust. Leviticus 18 describes the sin of uncovering the nakedness of those other than our spouse. The idea is that the nakedness of other doesn't belong to us and it is theft if we take it. Who would the "traveler" be equated with in this story portraying David's horrible sin? I think Henri Rossier offers a reasonable suggestion when he names this traveler "Lust" writing... Let us watch out for this sort of traveler, for we are all prone to be visited by him. Certainly when he appears it is better to close the door against him. This wayfarer is lust, a passing desire, and not one that we habitually entertain and feed. This wayfarer had entered the king's house, knowing he would find something to feed on there. Our hearts too ever contain that which it takes to succumb to Satan's temptations (Jer 17:9, 10). David forgot to depend on God and thought he could relax instead of serving and fighting. This was enough to allow the traveler to open the door and let himself in and to mark his visit with disorder and ruin. (2 Samuel) Wiersbe agrees with Rossier writing... David didn’t seem to realize that he was the rich man, Uriah was the poor man, and Bathsheba was the ewe lamb he had stolen. The “traveler” whom the rich man fed represents the temptation and lust that visited David on the roof and then controlled him. If we open the door, sin comes in as a guest but soon becomes the master. (See Ge 4:6, 7)