Portion for Reading 2 Sam 9-12David's Repentance
It was springtime—a time for war. King David had sent the entire Israelite army off to battle against the Ammonites. All the able men had gone and left their women at home.
Instead of going off with the rest of the men, David stayed behind in his palace. It so happened that one fateful evening, as he was strolling on the roof of the palace, he saw a woman bathing.
And she was breathtaking—a lovely vision. Taken by her beauty, he asked about her and found out that she was the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Bathsheba was her name. David sent for her and took her into his bed.
If Hollywood was to remake the story of David and Bathsheba, how wonderfully romantic it would be. Two beautiful people falling in love on a warm spring evening. Imagine that. Throw in an exotic place like the Middle East, and it would probably be a box office hit, too.
But this wasn’t a movie, and God’s wrath was real. Human standards do not reflect the standards of God. And God was angry.
David’s Weakness
Everyone struggles with his or her own weaknesses, and David’s weakness was women. Handsome and charming, it is not hard to see why women loved him. Being the king of God’s chosen people, David could have anything he wanted. Anything.
That night, catching a glimpse of Bathsheba, he wanted to have her for himself. So much that when he found out she had conceived, David sent word to Joab, his commanding officer at war, to put Uriah in the frontlines so that he would fall at the hands of the enemies.
Giving in to the lust of his eyes, David coveted another man’s wife. He committed adultery to satisfy the lust of his flesh. Taking advantage of his authority and power, he sentenced a good man to his death.
In a whirlwind of sins, David broke three of the Ten Commandments and stirred up the wrath of God. He did not even realize that he had done such an evil thing. Not until the Lord sent Nathan, a prophet, to rebuke him.
Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel. (2 Sam 12:10, 12)
God’s punishment of David was fierce and quick, and His wrath cost David the life of his baby son. No matter how much David mourned and fasted in front of the Lord, God’s rod was unrelenting. No more Hollywood ending for this love story.
Blinded to His Own Sins
When Nathan told David the story of the rich man who took the little ewe lamb belonging to the poor man instead of offering one of his own, David was furious. He immediately judged the rich man harshly for his mistake (2 Sam 12:1-4).
The reason David did not realize that he had sinned against God was because he thought his decision to send Uriah to his death was the best way to solve his own problem.
We take matters into our own hands because we are impatient to wait for God’s timing. And for some of us, we probably learn this lesson the hard way, just like David.
Our transgressions always carry consequences, and even when it seems we’ve “gotten away with murder,” God remembers and will hold us accountable.
The problem with getting away with murder is that we think we are clever enough to pull it off. It is also an indication that we have misplaced God in our lives and forgotten that we can hide nothing from Him.
And in the process of pulling it off, we probably will hurt others. There is always a high price to pay in self-protection because selfishness comes to the fore.
Instead of going off with the rest of the men, David stayed behind in his palace. It so happened that one fateful evening, as he was strolling on the roof of the palace, he saw a woman bathing.
And she was breathtaking—a lovely vision. Taken by her beauty, he asked about her and found out that she was the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Bathsheba was her name. David sent for her and took her into his bed.
If Hollywood was to remake the story of David and Bathsheba, how wonderfully romantic it would be. Two beautiful people falling in love on a warm spring evening. Imagine that. Throw in an exotic place like the Middle East, and it would probably be a box office hit, too.
But this wasn’t a movie, and God’s wrath was real. Human standards do not reflect the standards of God. And God was angry.
David’s Weakness
Everyone struggles with his or her own weaknesses, and David’s weakness was women. Handsome and charming, it is not hard to see why women loved him. Being the king of God’s chosen people, David could have anything he wanted. Anything.
That night, catching a glimpse of Bathsheba, he wanted to have her for himself. So much that when he found out she had conceived, David sent word to Joab, his commanding officer at war, to put Uriah in the frontlines so that he would fall at the hands of the enemies.
Giving in to the lust of his eyes, David coveted another man’s wife. He committed adultery to satisfy the lust of his flesh. Taking advantage of his authority and power, he sentenced a good man to his death.
In a whirlwind of sins, David broke three of the Ten Commandments and stirred up the wrath of God. He did not even realize that he had done such an evil thing. Not until the Lord sent Nathan, a prophet, to rebuke him.
Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel. (2 Sam 12:10, 12)
God’s punishment of David was fierce and quick, and His wrath cost David the life of his baby son. No matter how much David mourned and fasted in front of the Lord, God’s rod was unrelenting. No more Hollywood ending for this love story.
Blinded to His Own Sins
When Nathan told David the story of the rich man who took the little ewe lamb belonging to the poor man instead of offering one of his own, David was furious. He immediately judged the rich man harshly for his mistake (2 Sam 12:1-4).
The reason David did not realize that he had sinned against God was because he thought his decision to send Uriah to his death was the best way to solve his own problem.
We take matters into our own hands because we are impatient to wait for God’s timing. And for some of us, we probably learn this lesson the hard way, just like David.
Our transgressions always carry consequences, and even when it seems we’ve “gotten away with murder,” God remembers and will hold us accountable.
The problem with getting away with murder is that we think we are clever enough to pull it off. It is also an indication that we have misplaced God in our lives and forgotten that we can hide nothing from Him.
And in the process of pulling it off, we probably will hurt others. There is always a high price to pay in self-protection because selfishness comes to the fore.
David Confessed His Sin
As soon as David recognized his sin, he was not afraid of what people might think. Immediately, in front of Nathan, David said, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam 12:13).
Almost as immediately as David pleaded for forgiveness did the Lord blot out David’s iniquities, because he held steadfastly onto the Lord and sought Him first. For to David, to lose God was to lose everything.
As soon as David recognized his sin, he was not afraid of what people might think. Immediately, in front of Nathan, David said, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam 12:13).
Almost as immediately as David pleaded for forgiveness did the Lord blot out David’s iniquities, because he held steadfastly onto the Lord and sought Him first. For to David, to lose God was to lose everything.
David faithfully held onto the love and mercy of God because he knew that life would be meaningless without Him. For that, God loved and blessed him. Just as immediately as God’s anger came upon David, His forgiveness and mercy followed.
When we confess our sins before the Lord, there must be a sense of urgency. No one seeks to dwell under the wrath of God because this is much too unbearable.
Recognizing our sins helps us understand that we are weak individuals who need the guidance and mercy of the Lord. It is a form of self-examination and humility that we must often exercise, so that we do not stray too far from the true path of God.
Recognizing our sins helps us understand that we are weak individuals who need the guidance and mercy of the Lord. It is a form of self-examination and humility that we must often exercise, so that we do not stray too far from the true path of God.
The closer we are to God, the more we are attuned to His presence in our lives. We are aware that following His commands please Him, and we know that the transgressions we commit prompt His rebuke.
Confessing sins is an important practice for a Christian. By asking for forgiveness, we take the time to reflect upon our mistakes and to purify ourselves in front of God. In doing so, we are also taking refuge in Him.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise. (Ps 51:17)
David meekly reflected upon himself, and his repentance has touched many of our hearts through the fifty-first Psalm. So sincere and honest was his confession that many of us turn to his words in our own repentance.
As ageless as David’s sin with Bathsheba was, so was his intimate and beautiful relationship with the Lord.
Source: True Jesus Church