Lets Talk About David
The Bible is full of stories of beginning again. Pt. 2
Last time we learned that:
David, chosen by God to be a great king for Isreal:
Gives in to lust;
Commits adultery;
Attempts to cover over his sin; then,
Arranges for the death of an innocent man.
Now let’s look at the fallout of David’s choices.
2 Samuel 11: 26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.
27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.
2 Samuel 12
11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight.
12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.”
David may have thought his adultery, and scheming to murder Uriah was done in secrete, but God knew all along. We don’t really do anything in secret. God sees us, and Satan sees us.
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
14 But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”
15 After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
The Bible does not tell us if David was troubled by his behavior before he was called out by Nathan. We do see that once he is confronted, David becomes remorseful. He confesses in front of Nathan that he has sinned. His confession doesn’t change the reality of his behavior, and the price he must pay is the life of his first child.
16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground.
17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
What we see here is that sometimes we petition the Lord and his answer is no. David had great responsibilities to the people of Israel. God had chosen him to be a great king. David abused is power, and the cost was steep. What we see here is David breaking down, being cleansed, being humbled. Then, after the child dies we are told:
21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’
23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
David has learned a hard, hard lesson. God doesn’t play. When all his human efforts fail, and the child passes away, David understands. He knows that the child won’t be restored to him but some day he will join his son.
David will recover, and he will go on to be a great king. He was the founder of a great Judean dynasty, and united the tribes of Israel. He was the father of Solomon, and ancestor of Christ. He is credited with the writing of many of the psalms, all after his catastrophic fall.
If God can forgive David, creating such a glorious reign, He can forgive you (and me) and lead us to great things as well.