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Grounded-In-Biblical-Truth | |
Sovereign Grace Doctrines
Concerning 'THE GOSPEL' - JESUS CHRIST
DAVID'S REPENTANCE
2 SAMUEL 12:13
David was king of Israel during a most favored period in that nation's history.
The land enjoyed considerable peace. The enemies which had earlier attacked Israel had been conquered. The only military action was in Rabbah, on foreign soil beyond the boundaries.
The economy was robust. The coffers of Jerusalem, the capital city, were filled with spoils from previous military victories. Trade routes were free from molesters, and commerce was brisk.
David was highly esteemed by his subjects. He was vastly more popular than his predecessor. The peace and prosperity which blessed his rule endeared him all the more to his subjects.
Then David grievously sinned. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, a very beautiful woman who lived close to the palace. This adulterous affair resulted in her pregnancy.
David schemed to cover his sin. He had Bathsheba's husband Uriah sent home to her from the battle field in the hope that Uriah might later have no doubt that her child was his own. But Uriah remained an austere soldier even in Jerusalem, and would not depart his king's door to visit his wife.
David compounded his sin by sending Uriah back to the battle and ensuring that he would be killed in the siege of Rabbah.
The Lord God sent His prophet Nathan to confront David regarding his sins. Nathan told to David the parable of a rich man who wickedly took advantage of his poorer neighbor, taking from him that which was very precious to him. David's anger was hotly aroused by this injustice. He declared that the wicked man should repay four-fold for what he had taken, and then he should die.
Nathan replied by applying the parable to David's case and then accused, "You are the man!" And he informed David that God would punish him according to the severity of his sins.
How should David respond?
Should he wag his finger before all his subjects and declare, "I want you to listen to me: I did not have sex with that woman, Ms. Bathsheba"?
Should he send his royal advisors throughout the realm to repeat this denial in every town?
Should he reinforce his denial with a show of sanctimony, having published throughout the land reports of himself frequenting the house of God clutching Holy Scriptures in his hands?
Should he exonerate himself from the murder of Uriah by redefining murder so that no one except he who personally wielded the sword was culpable, and so that all accomplices were innocent?
Should he confess his violations of the law of God, but vehemently protest that his sins were not high crimes or misdemeanors rising to the level of punishment God had decreed?
Should he mute the voice of Nathan by hiring some peddler of sleaze to investigate the background of this prophet in the hope of publishing a report of some salacious deed he had done?
Should he lay most of the blame on Bathsheba, accusing her of being a trashy woman who had stalked him until she beguilingly had entrapped him?
Should he convince his subjects to overlook his sins because he was just being a normal man when he committed them?
Should he argue that he should not be punished for his sins on the grounds that he had brought peace and prosperity to the nation, and that he was too busy with the affairs of state to be troubled with a mere sexual matter?
Should he make himself the victim of an unpatriotic plot by his enemies?
He could have.
But he did not, because David was a man of God. He therefore confessed, "I have sinned against the LORD" (read his full confession in Psalm 51). God graciously forgave him (read of his forgiveness in Psalm 32).
Lord, give us today statesmen like David of old.
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
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