In the last couple of messages we have discussed David’s sin with Bathsheba as recorded in 1 Samuel 12:1-24 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2012:1-24&version=NIV1984.
The Lord told David through Nathan that, because David caused His enemies to blaspheme against Him by committing this sin, the boy born from that act would have to die. This was probably because he would have been a reminder that God had been ridiculed by the sin of David, the man after His own heart. The boy would also have reminded David of that night, which his sinful nature would have remembered as pleasure, but which actually should have been forgotten as sin.
What memorabilia do we keep of our sinful pleasures? Maybe we have been involved in ungodly relationships and still have little things to remind us of that person, or still have pictures of sinful deeds, or we still have goods we have stolen. These are actually reminders that could make us stumble again and, just like we should do with idols, we should get rid of it.
The Lord seemed to have been incredibly hurt and disappointed with the sin of this special servant of His and, even though David had repented, he had to bear the consequences of his sin. There is no record whether the Lord actually did with David’s wives as Nathan had said in 1 Samuel 12:10-12: “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. This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel,’” but in the rest of the book of second Samuel was recorded that his son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar and many other calamities that came over David’s house.
Usually before we are about to sin the Holy Spirit warns us of the consequences. We do not always hear the warning though, but as a rule we would remember the warning once we have committed the sin. Some sins, such as sex outside of marriage have natural consequences – babies – or maybe damage to our bodies, such as in the case of violence or substance abuse. Other sins leave us with criminal records. We need to remember, though that in spite of the consequences, if we confess our sins, we are completely forgiven. Even though David bore the consequences of his sin, the Lord loved and cared for him personally as if he never had sinned, for he had been forgiven.
This is overwhelmingly evident in 2 Samuel 12:24-25: “Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah [which means ‘loved by the Lord’]”.
Incredible the forgiveness of the Lord... Solomon, or Jedidiah as the Lord preferred to call him, became one of the greatest kings who ever lived and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was born from his lineage. Solomon was born from a relationship that originated from adultery and Jesus came from his lineage. How can we dare to try and put the Lord in a box? We dare to play God and judge servants of the Lord who stumbled and fell in sin and cut them off from the call of the Lord on their lives, whilst we all sin – only in other ways. I’m referring to men and women of God who were caught in obvious sin and removed from their ministry in spite of them repenting, whilst many others (including those who cut them off) continue in less obvious sins such as pride and greed. If we repent we are forgiven – full stop. Who are we to hinder God’s work and tell Him what to do, or His servants for that matter?
Lord, please forgive my sins and use me to make a difference.
Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.
Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.
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