39. THE IMPORTANCE OF REPENTANCE
God can forgive adultery, and murder, but there is one thing He won't forgive. What is it?
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People seem to be fascinated with stories of other people’s failures and even crimes. Some of the most popular shows on television are those where two people are ghting over their relationship, whether it be mother/daughter, husband/wife, or two sisters. News reporters comb the country looking for crimes to reveal to the public who remain glued to the television to hear every detail of the accusation. Why is that? Do we feel more moral when we see others doing things worse than ourselves? Are we really trying to justify our own goodness when we point out and discuss the failures of others?
A number of years ago an executive had an extra-marital affair with one of his unmarried assistants. The affair involved nine meetings over a period of 17 months. It was only after the assistant went to work at another of ce that the affair ceased. Perhaps it would have gone unnoticed but the assistant decided to share her experience with a coworker who secretly recorded the whole story. But that wasn't the first time the executive had an affair.
Prior to the affair, the executive was accused of and charged for the sexual harassment of another woman. As the case was brought against the executive, the prosecuting attorney called to court those who were believed to have had affairs with the man. The assistant was called and gave a statement in court saying that she did not have an affair with the man. When the assistant’s co-worker learned about the denial, she gave the recordings about the affair to the prosecuting attorney. Now it was the executive's turn to testify. When he was questioned this is what he said:
"I have never had sexual relations with that woman."
At that point the prosecuting attorney brought forth the recordings and also a dress that had DNA evidence that an affair had taken place. The executive was caught. He was considered by many to have lied in court, but after citing a grammatical technicality in his testimony charges of perjury were dropped. Who really cares if some executive had an extra-marital affair and then lied about it in court? It matters because the story is true and the executive was the President of the United States!
Quickly some people tried to remove the President from office. Some cried that it was just political motives that instigated the demand for impeachment. Others said,
“No, we can’t have a President that lies under oath and is a womanizer.”
Many people in Turkey laughed at the idea of impeaching a President over this issue.
“It’s just sex. So what?” they said.
But for many Americans, a leader must be a moral man and the president’s conduct was not a proper example to the nation. For many Americans, it is not macho to have an extra-marital affair. It is a shameful sin!
The president blamed his “terrible moral error” on the pressure he felt from opposing political parties and other adverse events such as the death of his mother.
The world seemed entranced by the events and the news was full of the details. But at that point it didn't matter anymore. The
President's marriage was a wreck and his reputation was soiled. A man's moment of passion became one of the biggest scandals of
the 20th century. While, the assistant became one of the most well- known people in the world.
Scandals are common on TV today. What is rare in these television reports is someone confessing their guilt and expressing a deep repentance for their crime. Instead we hear people’s denials and excuses for their deeds. What is the relationship between repentance and our position before God? Will God forgive big sins? What are the conditions of that forgiveness? Do we need to give money or make a pilgrimage to satisfy God? These are some of the questions that come to mind as we read the following story of one leader’s fall from righteousness and his eventual restoration. What can we learn in it about the consequences of our actions and the nature of sin? Let's start by reading 2 Samuel chapter 11 verses 1-4:
1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.
King David’s sin began with a look. He saw something he shouldn’t be watching and it enticed him to sin. Perhaps Bathsheba shouldn’t have been so exposed. But David certainly didn’t turn his head away. He spent time observing and his passions took control of him. It is an important lesson for us. If we spend time looking at things we shouldn’t, we become more susceptible to sin and are more easily overcome by temptation. We should be careful about what we read, watch on TV and what we listen to. Improper media can expose us to great sins.
Just like Abraham who told a lie, Jacob who deceived his father, and Moses who lost his temper and attributed God’s power to himself, we see in these verses a prophet who falls into sin. Prophets are people too and the Bible does not cover up their sins or count them as insigni cant. But we learn much through their experiences. How did they nd favor with God after that? What were the consequences of their sins? In the case of Abraham, Jacob and Moses we saw that they suffered great loss because of their sins. Abraham was required to go through a test of obedience and offer his son as a sacri ce. Jacob had to run away from home and never see his mother again. Not to mention the deception he experienced in his marriage with Leah. As for Moses, he was not permitted to enter the promised land. Often it is the case that one sin leads to another. Let us see what happens as King David tries to cover his sin in 2 Samuel chapter 11 verses 5-27:
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. 8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. 10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open elds; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. 12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee 187 depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. 14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did ght? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. 23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the eld, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. 24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
So David’s sin of adultery led him to become a murderer. That is a lot worse than what Abraham, Jacob and Moses did. A prophet became a murderer! We saw in the story of Balaam that a prophet can become covetous and fall out of God’s favor. Should we expect a lesser consequence for David's sin? He was the king and the specially anointed one of God.
When the President of the United States sinned, he tried to cover it up. Why? Well he certainly didn’t want his wife to know. Why should he care if his wife knew? After all he was the most powerful man in the world. What could she do about it? He could just act like a macho man couldn’t he?
He recognized that it would be painful for his wife and daughter if they knew of his in delity and he would be ashamed in front of the nation. Shame is not a word we hear much of anymore. National leaders are caught having affairs and many of them are not only not ashamed, they even boast about it as if it was something to be proud of. President Clinton knew his sin would be a shame to himself, the of ce of the presidency, and the nation. David also knew that adultery was shameful for the king of the Hebrew nation. Remember, God had called them to be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, to show the world the righteousness of the one true God. David’s sin, as Israel’s leader, would lower the standard of righteousness in the country. He tried to cover it up but he could not. One sin of adultery led to lying and then murder. Let's see how God dealt with King David in chapter 12 verses 1-12:
1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: "There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 "The rich man had exceedingly many ocks and herds. 3 "But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 "And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own ock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." 5 So David's anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! 6 "And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity." 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 'I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9 'Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' 11 "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 'For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.'"
According to the law of God, both the man and the woman caught in adultery were to be stoned to death. There is no double standard in God's law. The punishment for both offenders is the same. God is not partial when it comes to justice. Whether you are a man or woman, rich or poor, Turk or foreigner, there is one standard of righteousness. God will judge all, small and great, before His judgment seat whether they have done good or evil. No one should think that the woman in adultery is guilty and the man innocent.
Even if the whole land of Israel had been searched, there probably wasn't anyone who would in ict the death penalty on King David, nevertheless David deserved death, not only for adultery, but also the murder of Uriah and some of his fellow soldiers who died with him. It is interesting to note that David had had a long time to think about what he did. The child of his adultery was born and so it was a minimum of nine months later that the prophet Nathan comes to David with a message from God. It is evidence to the divine source of the scriptures that man is not glori ed in them. When men write according to their own thinking they exalt themselves and hide their sins. But the scriptures do not paint such a picture. The scriptures show that even great men, if they do not stay close to God, can fall into sin. It is a warning to all that we can not depend on our own power to overcome the evil in our nature. No, we must constantly be on watch against temptation and rely on God for strength to overcome our tendencies to evil.
Now what would happen to the guilty adulterer and murderer David? Let's find out in verses 13-25:
13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 "However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die." 15 Then Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, "Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!" 19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead." 20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food." 22 And he said, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' 23 "But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 24 Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, 25 and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
David was exposed before his whole court so the nation would know about his sin. What was David’s response? He confessed his sin. It is interesting to compare David’s case with the rst king of Israel, king Saul. Do you remember how he was rejected as Israel’s king by God? Certainly Saul’s sins were not greater than adultery and murder. What was the difference? If you review 1 Samuel chapter 15 and especially verse 20 we see that Saul denied his sin when confronted with it. Even though he confessed that he was guilty in verse 24 apparently it was not heartfelt because God did not accept his so-called confession. But here David’s repentance is accepted by God. However, let us not forget that repentance doesn't negate all the consequences that result from sin. This is an important principle for us to learn about God. He will forgive our sins when we repent but He will not always shield us fully from the negative impact of our deeds. David was not killed and did not receive the full results of his sin, but God did not stop all of the evil that would result from David’s sin.
The important lesson from this story is that God can forgive even the most terrible sins if we confess them and repent and turn away from sin. But a shallow confession or an attempt to hide or justify our sins will never be acceptable to God. What is remarkable about this story is not the fact that a leader fell into sin. It happens all the time. The remarkable thing is the depth of humiliation, confession, and repentance that David showed and the mercy of God in accepting it.
A policeman once described how he behaves with people who have been stopped for speeding.
“I don’t usually pull them over unless they are going about 15 km over the speed limit. But when I have the radar showing they were going 15 km over, I don’t want to hear a bunch of resistance about their guilt or even lies that they weren’t speeding. If they are honest with me I give them a warning. But if they give me lies and excuses, I write them a ticket.”
Perhaps not every police of cer does that, but we see that even human beings want to be dealt with honestly and are willing to forgive. How much greater is God than man! We should deal openly and honestly with God and not try to hide and cover our sins. In that way we can nd mercy. There is no sin so deep or so bad that our God cannot forgive and rectify as long as we are willing to confess, repent, and turn from that sin.
Discussion Questions
1. The President of the United States is the highest position in America and the executor of its laws, but he is also subject to God’s
laws. Which law did he break?
2. God said that David’s sin would give the enemies of the Lord opportunity to blaspheme. What did He mean by that?
3. The President of the United States was the highest official and upholder of American law, but he still came under God's laws. What
law had he broken?
4. Is media a negative in uence in your life? What do you think you should do about it?
A number of years ago an executive had an extra-marital affair with one of his unmarried assistants. The affair involved nine meetings over a period of 17 months. It was only after the assistant went to work at another of ce that the affair ceased. Perhaps it would have gone unnoticed but the assistant decided to share her experience with a coworker who secretly recorded the whole story. But that wasn't the first time the executive had an affair.
Prior to the affair, the executive was accused of and charged for the sexual harassment of another woman. As the case was brought against the executive, the prosecuting attorney called to court those who were believed to have had affairs with the man. The assistant was called and gave a statement in court saying that she did not have an affair with the man. When the assistant’s co-worker learned about the denial, she gave the recordings about the affair to the prosecuting attorney. Now it was the executive's turn to testify. When he was questioned this is what he said:
"I have never had sexual relations with that woman."
At that point the prosecuting attorney brought forth the recordings and also a dress that had DNA evidence that an affair had taken place. The executive was caught. He was considered by many to have lied in court, but after citing a grammatical technicality in his testimony charges of perjury were dropped. Who really cares if some executive had an extra-marital affair and then lied about it in court? It matters because the story is true and the executive was the President of the United States!
Quickly some people tried to remove the President from office. Some cried that it was just political motives that instigated the demand for impeachment. Others said,
“No, we can’t have a President that lies under oath and is a womanizer.”
Many people in Turkey laughed at the idea of impeaching a President over this issue.
“It’s just sex. So what?” they said.
But for many Americans, a leader must be a moral man and the president’s conduct was not a proper example to the nation. For many Americans, it is not macho to have an extra-marital affair. It is a shameful sin!
The president blamed his “terrible moral error” on the pressure he felt from opposing political parties and other adverse events such as the death of his mother.
The world seemed entranced by the events and the news was full of the details. But at that point it didn't matter anymore. The
President's marriage was a wreck and his reputation was soiled. A man's moment of passion became one of the biggest scandals of
the 20th century. While, the assistant became one of the most well- known people in the world.
Scandals are common on TV today. What is rare in these television reports is someone confessing their guilt and expressing a deep repentance for their crime. Instead we hear people’s denials and excuses for their deeds. What is the relationship between repentance and our position before God? Will God forgive big sins? What are the conditions of that forgiveness? Do we need to give money or make a pilgrimage to satisfy God? These are some of the questions that come to mind as we read the following story of one leader’s fall from righteousness and his eventual restoration. What can we learn in it about the consequences of our actions and the nature of sin? Let's start by reading 2 Samuel chapter 11 verses 1-4:
1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.
King David’s sin began with a look. He saw something he shouldn’t be watching and it enticed him to sin. Perhaps Bathsheba shouldn’t have been so exposed. But David certainly didn’t turn his head away. He spent time observing and his passions took control of him. It is an important lesson for us. If we spend time looking at things we shouldn’t, we become more susceptible to sin and are more easily overcome by temptation. We should be careful about what we read, watch on TV and what we listen to. Improper media can expose us to great sins.
Just like Abraham who told a lie, Jacob who deceived his father, and Moses who lost his temper and attributed God’s power to himself, we see in these verses a prophet who falls into sin. Prophets are people too and the Bible does not cover up their sins or count them as insigni cant. But we learn much through their experiences. How did they nd favor with God after that? What were the consequences of their sins? In the case of Abraham, Jacob and Moses we saw that they suffered great loss because of their sins. Abraham was required to go through a test of obedience and offer his son as a sacri ce. Jacob had to run away from home and never see his mother again. Not to mention the deception he experienced in his marriage with Leah. As for Moses, he was not permitted to enter the promised land. Often it is the case that one sin leads to another. Let us see what happens as King David tries to cover his sin in 2 Samuel chapter 11 verses 5-27:
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. 8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. 10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open elds; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. 12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee 187 depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. 14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did ght? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. 23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the eld, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. 24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
So David’s sin of adultery led him to become a murderer. That is a lot worse than what Abraham, Jacob and Moses did. A prophet became a murderer! We saw in the story of Balaam that a prophet can become covetous and fall out of God’s favor. Should we expect a lesser consequence for David's sin? He was the king and the specially anointed one of God.
When the President of the United States sinned, he tried to cover it up. Why? Well he certainly didn’t want his wife to know. Why should he care if his wife knew? After all he was the most powerful man in the world. What could she do about it? He could just act like a macho man couldn’t he?
He recognized that it would be painful for his wife and daughter if they knew of his in delity and he would be ashamed in front of the nation. Shame is not a word we hear much of anymore. National leaders are caught having affairs and many of them are not only not ashamed, they even boast about it as if it was something to be proud of. President Clinton knew his sin would be a shame to himself, the of ce of the presidency, and the nation. David also knew that adultery was shameful for the king of the Hebrew nation. Remember, God had called them to be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, to show the world the righteousness of the one true God. David’s sin, as Israel’s leader, would lower the standard of righteousness in the country. He tried to cover it up but he could not. One sin of adultery led to lying and then murder. Let's see how God dealt with King David in chapter 12 verses 1-12:
1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: "There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 "The rich man had exceedingly many ocks and herds. 3 "But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 "And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own ock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." 5 So David's anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! 6 "And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity." 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 'I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9 'Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' 11 "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 'For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.'"
According to the law of God, both the man and the woman caught in adultery were to be stoned to death. There is no double standard in God's law. The punishment for both offenders is the same. God is not partial when it comes to justice. Whether you are a man or woman, rich or poor, Turk or foreigner, there is one standard of righteousness. God will judge all, small and great, before His judgment seat whether they have done good or evil. No one should think that the woman in adultery is guilty and the man innocent.
Even if the whole land of Israel had been searched, there probably wasn't anyone who would in ict the death penalty on King David, nevertheless David deserved death, not only for adultery, but also the murder of Uriah and some of his fellow soldiers who died with him. It is interesting to note that David had had a long time to think about what he did. The child of his adultery was born and so it was a minimum of nine months later that the prophet Nathan comes to David with a message from God. It is evidence to the divine source of the scriptures that man is not glori ed in them. When men write according to their own thinking they exalt themselves and hide their sins. But the scriptures do not paint such a picture. The scriptures show that even great men, if they do not stay close to God, can fall into sin. It is a warning to all that we can not depend on our own power to overcome the evil in our nature. No, we must constantly be on watch against temptation and rely on God for strength to overcome our tendencies to evil.
Now what would happen to the guilty adulterer and murderer David? Let's find out in verses 13-25:
13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 "However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die." 15 Then Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, "Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!" 19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead." 20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food." 22 And he said, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' 23 "But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 24 Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, 25 and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
David was exposed before his whole court so the nation would know about his sin. What was David’s response? He confessed his sin. It is interesting to compare David’s case with the rst king of Israel, king Saul. Do you remember how he was rejected as Israel’s king by God? Certainly Saul’s sins were not greater than adultery and murder. What was the difference? If you review 1 Samuel chapter 15 and especially verse 20 we see that Saul denied his sin when confronted with it. Even though he confessed that he was guilty in verse 24 apparently it was not heartfelt because God did not accept his so-called confession. But here David’s repentance is accepted by God. However, let us not forget that repentance doesn't negate all the consequences that result from sin. This is an important principle for us to learn about God. He will forgive our sins when we repent but He will not always shield us fully from the negative impact of our deeds. David was not killed and did not receive the full results of his sin, but God did not stop all of the evil that would result from David’s sin.
The important lesson from this story is that God can forgive even the most terrible sins if we confess them and repent and turn away from sin. But a shallow confession or an attempt to hide or justify our sins will never be acceptable to God. What is remarkable about this story is not the fact that a leader fell into sin. It happens all the time. The remarkable thing is the depth of humiliation, confession, and repentance that David showed and the mercy of God in accepting it.
A policeman once described how he behaves with people who have been stopped for speeding.
“I don’t usually pull them over unless they are going about 15 km over the speed limit. But when I have the radar showing they were going 15 km over, I don’t want to hear a bunch of resistance about their guilt or even lies that they weren’t speeding. If they are honest with me I give them a warning. But if they give me lies and excuses, I write them a ticket.”
Perhaps not every police of cer does that, but we see that even human beings want to be dealt with honestly and are willing to forgive. How much greater is God than man! We should deal openly and honestly with God and not try to hide and cover our sins. In that way we can nd mercy. There is no sin so deep or so bad that our God cannot forgive and rectify as long as we are willing to confess, repent, and turn from that sin.
Discussion Questions
1. The President of the United States is the highest position in America and the executor of its laws, but he is also subject to God’s
laws. Which law did he break?
2. God said that David’s sin would give the enemies of the Lord opportunity to blaspheme. What did He mean by that?
3. The President of the United States was the highest official and upholder of American law, but he still came under God's laws. What
law had he broken?
4. Is media a negative in uence in your life? What do you think you should do about it?