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2 Samuel Chapter 12
Nathan Rebukes David
- 2Samuel 12:1 And the
LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto
him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other
poor.
- 2 The rich man had
exceeding many flocks and herds:
- 3 But the poor man
had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and
nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his
children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup,
and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
- 4 And there came a
traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own
flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that
was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it
for the man that was come to him.
David seems to have forgotten his sin
and thought he got by with it. Perhaps by being king or too busy to
think about it, he was able to erase his thoughts for a season. God
in His mercy sent Nathan to correct David. Nathan was a true prophet
of God and not out for fame or gain because David could have had him
killed then and there. It amazes me even today to meet people who
will risk their lives and welfare to speak the word of God in truth.
Holy boldness by the Holy Spirit is the only way they can do this
and not fear. We see this a lot in the book of Acts.
When people of fervent prayer come
together to refresh themselves in the Lord (which never should be
neglected), they pray many times together at the same time,
rejoicing and worshiping God. God is present when people do that.
Even though they already were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were
always receiving more and more encouragement and boldness as the
Holy Spirit comes into their midst. This is still happening today to
those that truly believe and do not limit God's outpouring of His
Holy Spirit to the days of the apostles. This is for us here and
now. Today.
- Acts 13:47 For
so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a
light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto
the ends of the earth.
- 48 And when the
Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of
the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed.
- 49 And the word
of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
- 50 But the Jews
stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of
the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and
expelled them out of their coasts.
- 51 But they
shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto
Iconium.
- 52 And the
disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
They were constantly being filled with
joy and the Holy Spirit even after the power of the Holy Spirit was
first given on the day of Pentecost. This should never stop. Pray
without ceasing.
- 2Samuel 12:5 And
David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said
to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing
shall surely die:
- 6 And he shall
restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and
because he had no pity.
This is David's real heart and spirit
speaking here. He was a man that was just and sought to do right but
he got off track with the incident with Bathsheba.
- 2Samuel 12:7 And
Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God
of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered
thee out of the hand of Saul;
- 8 And I gave thee
thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and
gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been
too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such
things.
- 9 Wherefore hast
thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his
sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and
hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the
sword of the children of Ammon.
God did not allow David to get by with
sin. In this God shows mercy. It is uncomfortable to receive
correction from the Lord in private or in public but it is the mercy
of God that stops us in our tracks and brings correction by His Holy
Spirit. It is a good thing when God does not allow us to continue in
error and perhaps lose our souls for eternity. Even if our souls are
not lost forever though, our influence in a backslidden state may
cause others to avoid the wonderful salvation given to us through
faith in Jesus our Christ.
- 2Samuel 12:10 Now
therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because
thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the
Hittite to be thy wife.
- 11 Thus saith the
LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own
house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give
them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the
sight of this sun.
- 12 For thou didst it
secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before
the sun.
This prophetic utterance boldly given to
David from the Lord by Nathan the prophet actually came to pass as
further study will show.
I marvel at the boldness of Nathan the
prophet here. David could have had him killed but we shall see that
David genuinely repents. God forgives but the consequences of the
sin remains.
- 2Samuel 12:13 And
David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And
Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin;
thou shalt not die.
- 14 Howbeit, because
by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of
the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee
shall surely die.
God forgives David because his
repentance is genuine, not temporary. Yet the child does die after
he is born alive. One of David's sons, Absolom does lie with the
wives of David in front of all Israel. Also this sin gives the
enemies of God and Israel cause to further speak against Israel and
God.
David's Child Dies
- 2Samuel 12:15 And
Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child
that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
- 16 David therefore
besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and
lay all night upon the earth.
- 17 And the elders of
his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the
earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
- 18 And it came to
pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants
of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they
said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him,
and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex
himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
- 19 But when David
saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child
was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child
dead? And they said, He is dead.
- 20 Then David arose
from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed
his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and
worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required,
they set bread before him, and he did eat.
- 21 Then said his
servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou
didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when
the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
- 22 And he said,
While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said,
Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child
may live?
- 23 But now he is
dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I
shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
David knows that one day he will see
the child again. He believed in the future resurrection. He now
accepted the Lord's will and the word of God that Nathan spoke to
him. This may seem harsh to us today but if God let's us get by with
sin without reproof, there awaits an eternity apart from God
forever. The earth reels already with sin as it is. He forgives and
sent Jesus to make a way out of this mess but so many still have not
received.
Sadly there is now a total disregard
for God's word. Idolatry is returning. The things discribed in the
book of Revelation is starting to look like the world is being
prepared for the final judgment. Even today we see nations in the
name of freedom doing things that is an abomination in the sight of
God. The nations that do not repent, will not last much longer. No
one will get by with ignoring the word of God. David's sin was
forgiven but the consequinces still happened.
The bible predicts these things:
- 2Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the
servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the
same is he brought in bondage.
- 20 For if after
they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with
them than the beginning.
- 21 For it had
been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
In the name of freedom and
discrimination, many ignore God's divine order of marriage. In the
name of a woman's right to choose, they allow the mass murder of
children both inside and outside of a woman's womb. Many other such
things and laws against forbiding them are passed but that doesn't
change God's word or God's law. If there were no bibles in existance
it would not change God's word.
Solomon's Birth
- 2Samuel 12:24 And
David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and
lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name
Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
- 25 And he sent by
the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah,
because of the LORD.
The name Jedidiah means one that is
beloved of Jehovah God. David recognizes fully that he had sinned
and made things right with God. God's forgiveness and grace is shown
here mightily. If only we knew or could grasp the mercy and grace of
God who draws us by His Holy Spirit to the place where we repent of
any evil we have done and turn to Him in truth.
Rabbah Is Captured
- 2Samuel 12:26 And
Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took
the royal city.
- 27 And Joab sent
messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and
have taken the city of waters.
- 28 Now therefore
gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the
city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after
my name.
- 29 And David
gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought
against it, and took it.
- 30 And he took their
king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent
of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's
head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great
abundance.
- 31 And he brought
forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and
under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them
pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities
of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned
unto Jerusalem.
The Ammonites were made servants instead of
being wiped out like some of the other nations like Amalek. Perhaps
because Ammon were children of Lot rather than Canaanites. While
many of us today may not understand some of these things when one
considers the past of evil nations and the things they did to
innocent children in live human sacrifices, we can see clearly why
God allowed other nations to conquer the more wicked ones. The war
with the children of Ammon was how Uriah was killed. DC
2 Samuel Chapter 13
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