Nathan Rebukes David
Choices have consequences. Consequences can be severe and painful.
Psalm 32:3-4 NLT (Written by David)
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
2 Samuel 12:1-12 is a powerful and convicting story of the prophet Nathan confronting King David over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.
2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT
Nathan Rebukes David
12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
Examine the Scriptures
2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT
Nathan Rebukes David
- Nathan uses a parable to reveal David’s sin indirectly, appealing to his sense of justice before directly confronting him.
A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.
12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story:
God is sending Nathan the prophet to rebuke and announce judgment on the king God had entrusted to shepherd His people.
- We are all accountable to God for our words and actions.
Romans 14:12 NLT
12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
- The Lord confronted David with his sins.
The parable.
“There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought.
The rich man represents David,
the poor man represents Uriah,
and the little lamb represents Bathsheba.
He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
The stealing and slaughter of the lamb represented the adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah by David.
The Lord’s concern for the poor is a major theme in the Bible. As his representative, the king was supposed to protect the poor against abuse by the powerful.
Exodus 23:6 NLT
6 “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.
Proverbs 29:7 NLT
7 The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.
Proverbs 19:17 NLT
17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!
Proverbs 14:31 NLT
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but helping the poor honors him.
Deuteronomy 15:11 NLT
11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.
Matthew 25:34-36 NLT
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!
- David was so angry he pronounced that the man who would do such a despicable thing ought to die, though the Law contained no such penalty for the theft of property.
6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
- David is truly concerned about justice, when not blinded by his own passion.
Exodus 22:1 NLT
Protection of Property
22:1 “If someone steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen.
Note: Four of David’s sons will die.
Bathsheba’s first son
2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
18 Then on the seventh day the child died.
Amnon (13:29)
2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
29 So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.
Absalom (18:15)
2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
15 Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.
Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25
1 Kings 2:25 NLT
25 So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death.
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!
Nathan shifts from the parable to the direct rebuke that Nathan was delivering from God.
- Sin blinds people to their guilt and often requires external confrontation for them to see their wrongdoing.
“You are that man” would have gotten David’s attention. Commentators believe several months had passed since David had committed his gross sins and they were probably not in the forefront of his thinking.
The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.
A reminder of some of the great things God had done for David.
Anointed David king.
Saved David from the power of Saul.
Gave David:
Saul’s house and wives.
The kingdom of Israel and Judah.
- God had done great things for David
- God has done great things for us.
9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed?
Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?
For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.
David is held responsible for despising the word of the Lord, murdering Uriah, and stealing his wife.
Leviticus 24:17 NLT
17 “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.
Leviticus 20:10 NLT
10 “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.
- David is charged with murdering Uriah the Hittite and stealing his wife.
Why was David spared the death penalty? His sin was heinous.
David’s genuine and contrite repentance (Psalm 51)
- God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore David (us).
Although God’s grace could restore his fellowship with God, the impact of his sin remained and had a negative impact on the nation of Israel as well as a negative on David’s personal life.
- Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin.
10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
The scriptures say that David has despised the Lord and his word. (Verses 9 & 10)
- Choices have consequences.
David’s household will experience violence, as seen later in the conflicts between his sons (Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah).
Bathsheba’s first son
2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
18 Then on the seventh day the child died.
Amnon (13:29)
2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
29 So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.
Absalom (18:15)
2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
15 Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.
Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25)
1 Kings 2:25 NLT
25 So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death.
- David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah will all die by the sword.
11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you.
- David’s family will turn against him.
2 Samuel 15:13-16 NLT
David Escapes from Jerusalem
13 A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”
14 “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”
15 “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”
16 So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.
I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
- David will experience public humiliation.
2 Samuel 16:22 NLT
22 So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.
We are responsible for our choices.
Choices have consequences.
God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore us.
Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin.
