2Sa 12:1-13 | KingComments | STEP | When the child is born, Nathan is sent to David by the LORD. Why did the LORD wait so long? Is it because perhaps He waited in His great patience for David’s confession? However, this confession does not come. Therefore He must come now Himself. When Nathan arrives at David’s house, he starts telling him a story without any introduction. He has already come to David once before. Then he came with a beautiful word from the LORD about building the house of David ( ). Now he comes with a message of judgment. He does so in the form of a story to discover David to himself. In the story Nathan tells, David is the rich man and Uriah the poor man. David is the man who has “a great many flocks and herds”, which represent the many wives he has, which, by the way, is very much against the thoughts of God. The poor man is the man with the one little ewe lamb, the simple soldier Uriah, who has one wife, which, by the way, is very much in accordance with God’s thoughts. In the traveler we see the picture of lust that can present itself just like that. The question is what someone does with this traveler when he visits him. One can send him away or take him into his home. He who takes him into the house, which is in his heart, and gives him food, is in the power of the traveler. When David hears the story, his “anger burned greatly”. He makes a sharp and twofold judgment. As for him, the rich one “deserves to die”. At the same time, he demands that the rich one compensate the poor with a large amount of compensation: “He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold.” The latter is according to the law and also happened with David. He has lost four children: the child he conceived in adultery, Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah. His judgment that the rich man “deserves to die” goes beyond the law. It is inconceivable that David had no exercises of conscience. However, a human being can suppress these exercises. Yet they are there and they appear here in a word about others. If he had not lived in sin himself, he would not have pronounced such a judgment. He pronounces this judgment on himself. How well we can judge others, while we ourselves may be living in sin (cf. )! If we realize this deeply, we will pray: ‘Lord, grant that, from what I notice in others, I may learn who I am myself. Give me to take to heart what You say about the log and the speck ( ). I want to be discovered in myself, but am I open to it? If You show me something that is not good, give me that the first thing I do is to place myself in Your light so that You can show me who I am. In that attitude, let me go to others to serve’ ( ).

‏ 2 Samuel 12:1-13

A Rich, a Poor and a Traveler

When the child is born, Nathan is sent to David by the LORD. Why did the LORD wait so long? Is it because perhaps He waited in His great patience for David’s confession? However, this confession does not come. Therefore He must come now Himself.

When Nathan arrives at David’s house, he starts telling him a story without any introduction. He has already come to David once before. Then he came with a beautiful word from the LORD about building the house of David (2Sam 7:4-17). Now he comes with a message of judgment. He does so in the form of a story to discover David to himself.

In the story Nathan tells, David is the rich man and Uriah the poor man. David is the man who has “a great many flocks and herds”, which represent the many wives he has, which, by the way, is very much against the thoughts of God. The poor man is the man with the one little ewe lamb, the simple soldier Uriah, who has one wife, which, by the way, is very much in accordance with God’s thoughts. In the traveler we see the picture of lust that can present itself just like that. The question is what someone does with this traveler when he visits him. One can send him away or take him into his home. He who takes him into the house, which is in his heart, and gives him food, is in the power of the traveler.

When David hears the story, his “anger burned greatly”. He makes a sharp and twofold judgment. As for him, the rich one “deserves to die”. At the same time, he demands that the rich one compensate the poor with a large amount of compensation: “He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold.” The latter is according to the law and also happened with David. He has lost four children: the child he conceived in adultery, Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah.

His judgment that the rich man “deserves to die” goes beyond the law. It is inconceivable that David had no exercises of conscience. However, a human being can suppress these exercises. Yet they are there and they appear here in a word about others. If he had not lived in sin himself, he would not have pronounced such a judgment. He pronounces this judgment on himself.

How well we can judge others, while we ourselves may be living in sin (cf. Rom 2:1)! If we realize this deeply, we will pray: ‘Lord, grant that, from what I notice in others, I may learn who I am myself. Give me to take to heart what You say about the log and the speck (Mt 7:3-5). I want to be discovered in myself, but am I open to it? If You show me something that is not good, give me that the first thing I do is to place myself in Your light so that You can show me who I am. In that attitude, let me go to others to serve’ (Gal 6:1).

David Faced With His Sins

The words “you are the man!” strike David into the deepest of his conscience. They are enough to break him completely and bring him to a complete confession. This is the proof that he is truly a believer. The right word at the right time can lead a wandering believer to confession.

Nathan says to David what he got when the LORD made him king instead of Saul. He has also received everything that had belonged to Saul. David is reminded of how many blessings God has given him. And if that were too little, God would have wanted to give more (2Sam 12:8b), if he had only asked Him to do so, and had not acted arbitrarily. By his actions David “despised the word of the LORD”. We may ask ourselves whether we are satisfied with what God has given us and whether we are grateful to Him for that. If we want more, we should ask Him.

Because David despised the word of the LORD, he committed a double sin. First of all, he took his neighbor’s wife. Secondly, he killed his neighbor.

God’s Judgment on David’s Sins

David has despised the LORD Himself. Sin is a contempt of God’s Word (2Sam 12:9) and of God Himself. Sin can be forgiven. That certainty God Himself gives in His Word (1Jn 1:9). This does not mean, however, that the consequences will always be removed. If our children have sinned, they get punishment. Confession is not to escape a deserved punishment, but to restore the relationship broken by sin. We must bear the consequences.

For David it means that the sword he has used will not depart from his house. He will experience his one beloved child killing his other beloved child. Isn’t that terrible? It also means that the sin of fornication he has committed is punished with what will happen to his wives. His neighbor will commit adultery with his wives. This neighbor will turn out to be his son Absalom (2Sam 16:22). What David has done in secret shall be done with his wives in full daylight. The punishment is heavy because his sin is heavy.

The only word David speaks after Nathan has confronted him with his sin is: “I have sinned against the LORD” (2Sam 12:13). Nathan sees through the depth and sincerity of this statement. David doesn’t need to argue. Where there is true humiliation and confession, this will be recognized, no matter how few words are used. Nathan, therefore, says without hesitation directly that his sin is forgiven.