We ended the last episode with the information from 2 Samuel chapter 11, “that the thing David had done displeased the Lord.” Nothing is hidden from God’s sight. And he loves David too much to let him go any further in his sin.
In 2 Samuel 12, it is God’s turn to send. God sends Nathan. God sends a message. And God sends a consequence.
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13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for[a] the Lord, the son born to you will die.”
With 6 simple words, David turns and gets back on the path to good. But his path to good will never look the same. It will be fraught with heartbreak. His family will be torn apart. His son the innocent child, the evidence of his affair, the reason he killed Uriah, will die! But David knows that there is something even more important at stake here than the peaceful life he has lost – and that is his relationship with God. Repentance leads to a right relationship with God. And with just 6 words David was restored and forgiven.
Saul never learned this lesson. And this is where there is a glaring difference between Saul and David. God provided both Saul and David an opportunity to confess, and a willing prophet to hear their confession. Saul had Samuel and David has Nathan. Only David took advantage of the opportunity. In response to David, Nathan listens and reassures him that he has been forgiven. David was forgiven because…David made a heart adjustment and Saul did not. And that was the difference to God.
Solomon may have learned the importance of confession from his father, David because he wrote in… Proverbs 28:13
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
David suffered the consequences of his sin but it was far outweighed by the blessing of a restored relationship with God.
Scene 1: God Rebukes and David Repents
Scene 2: David Accepts the Consequences
In Scene 3: Restorations Gives Birth to Hope and Hope to Life
Scene 4: David is Restored to His Calling
Verses Mentioned:
The author of this article is Hayley Mowatt, producer of Bible Book Club.
