Answers Bible Curriculum Year 2, Quarter 2, Lesson 3
In this lesson, David Capoccia teaches on the account of King David’s sin with Bathsheba, the king’s repentance after being confronted by Nathan, and the greater aftermath of the king’s sin. We learn from this passage that God wants Christians to take the danger of sin seriously and to bring secret sins into the light. Christians must also praise God for His great mercy and kindness, especially in Christ.
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I am pregnant ok we’re going to stop there and make a number of observations the author presents to us a noteworthy contrast in verse one what is the contrast Danny that’s right now he doesn’t he doesn’t tell us explicitly whether that’s right or wrong he’s just letting us know this is the time of year when kings go out to campaign it’s harder to campaign the winter months usually I didn’t fight then but at the beginning of the year at spring time for the Israelites that’s when you go out to fight but David stays in Jerusalem why does David stay in Jerusalem we don’t know we’re not told at the beginning of verse 2 though before David does anything where is David before he goes on the roof he’s in his dead it gets up from his bed and then he decides to go on a walk on the roof of this palace now that’s not too abnormal in the Bible we see people often go to the roofs to their roofs for an activity even prayer and worship so David going on the roof of his palace is not too strange what time of day does David decide to do this they the evening the word literally refers to dusk so this is after the Sun has gone down but there’s probably still a little bit of light on his walk on the roof of his palace David happens to see a woman bathing now how was David able to see this well Israelite homes at this time we’re often constructed around a courtyard I’ve actually given you a a picture of a picture of what one of those homes might have looked like you had several rooms completely surrounding an open space on the ground floor of the home this is probably where that shiva was that we don’t know too much about the bathing practices of the ancient Israelites it’s likely that they bathed in these small enclosed courtyards David from the roof of his house is able to see into what would otherwise have been an enclosed in private space what does David’s reaction to seeing her what does he notice she’s very beautiful in appearance what does the next thing that David does he tries to figure out who she is he asked someone who the woman is what’s david’s third action he sends messengers to bring her to him and then his fourth action is to lie with her now the second part of verse 4 which refers to her purification from a clean uncleanness can be translated to different ways either it means that before David and Bathsheba lied together she had just finished purifying herself from her and cleanness this is referring to the uncleanness of menstruation or this could refer to that she had not finished that process yet until after the two had lied together it can be translated either way but this detail about the purification of her womanly uncleanness what does that tell us about the resulting pregnancy it is clearly David’s child there’s no way that can be your bias child it is clearly David’s after this adulterous episode Bathsheba returns home but when she notices that she is pregnant she sends word to David why might it be a big deal for Bathsheba to become pregnant while her husband is away everyone will know that she’s committed adultery something has happened to her to make her pregnant her husband hasn’t been around for a while she’s probably committed adultery this is a very dangerous situation for her because as you mentioned Danny what is the penalty for adultery it’s death you’re to be killed both participants if they are known are to be killed alright let’s ask some interpretive questions here was David wrong not to go out with his army what do you think Danny I think so I would answer yes as well not specifically because Kings always have to go out to fight in the spring but because he did not have a good reason to stay behind in Jerusalem the author clearly makes a point of mentioning the idleness of David not honestly not only is he not going out with the army but we’re told that when he’s in Jerusalem he has to get up from his bed before he does anything he’s apparently not doing anything in Jerusalem he’s just lying around if David did have something pressing to take care of in Jerusalem we could excuse his not being with the army but that does not appear to be the case furthermore at the end of chapter 12 Joab David’s commander warns David that if David does not join the army soon Joab will get the honor for conquering the city and the city will be named after Joab and David marcha straight away to join the army it’s like david knew that that’s what he was supposed to be doing Joab knew the same thing so this detail supports that David was not supposed to be in Jerusalem because he had nothing to do there now the bible does not often talk about the relationship between idleness and other sin laziness is often described in the Bible as a that’s definitely a bad thing because it brings hardship upon the people who are lazy they don’t provide well enough for themselves they’re not willing to work and they suffer but the only specific connection that I could find between idleness and other sin is mentioned by Paul in 1st Timothy 5 verses 13 to 15 in these verses he’s talking about why young widow should not be put on a list of specially supported widows of the church why well let me actually be the vs paul says at the same time they also learn to be idle as they go around from house to house and not merely idle but also gossips and busybodies talking about things not proper to mention therefore i want younger widows to get married bear children keep house and give the enemy no occasion for reproach for some have already turned aside to follow Satan that’s some very informative words from all you saying that being put on this list would cause these women to be idle and not only that that idleness would lead them into further sing the remedy was for them to get involved in meaningful tasks and he suggests that they get married they have children they keep house and that they support themselves and they and that way they will give the enemy no opportunity for reproach so we do see at least in this one small area the Bible talk about the danger of idleness certainly we’ve heard many Proverbs from outside the Bible from various teachers or just handed down to us from previous generations about the danger of idleness you probably heard the phrase idle hands are the workshop with the devil standing waters gather filth the bed of sloth often proves the bed of lust experientially many Christians have found idleness to be quite dangerous and the author makes a point to show us that David David’s idleness was a problem it was this person state another question we should ask did Bathsheba and snare David on purpose did the best she bends near David on purpose what do you think we don’t know I mean we can build an argument that she did she knew what she was doing apparently living close to the palace she she should have known that David might see her from the palaces upper stories she does not choose to bathe inside and she didn’t choose to bathe when it was completely dark sheets went out there when it was still light she should have known better she goes when someone by David even at night when a meeting at that time should have seemed suspicious she does not cry out as the law says when a woman is or when a law says that innocent woman ought to do if she’s being raped and afterward she makes no attempt to expose David’s actions so Bathsheba’s she was doing this on purpose you on the other hand you can build a case that she’s innocent well at least that she was being led along by David and had not ensnared him on purpose she chose to bathe in her court yard because that was the best place to bathe as doing so normally accorded one with privacy she never considered that King David might seek to view her she went unwittingly when summoned by David or simply taken against her will and then seduced by David I mean the verb there is he took her she was probably also liable to trust David or even to fear David he was the king after all he was known for righteousness truly david knew what he was doing surely she could trust David surely David wouldn’t lead her down the path of evil surely David could protect her from any bad situation so you can make a case that she’s not to blame ultimately however it doesn’t matter it’s not the text focus the text is not directing us to Bathsheba’s motivations but only on David’s what matters is how David reacts Bathsheba that’s the point the text wants to focus us on and how does David react he does not react like faithful Joseph did and in that situation the woman clearly did try to seduce him and Joseph fled he didn’t try to find out more information or stay there but that’s not what David does David instead proceeds onward like an ox to the slaughter there’s also something in the parable that we’re going to read later on that again directs the the attention away from got Sheba doing any wrong and it’s only on David so what was david thinking i was neither thinking through all of this again don’t have a lot of evidence in the text we can’t say for sure that we can see a progression to david’s actions first it’s just idleness then hold on a second there’s an accidental look then there’s a lustful gaze then a sought identity then secret meeting and then the bedchamber perhaps all along David told himself that he would not go past a certain point I just want to find out who she is that’s all I just want to meet her that’s all I just want to spend some time with her that’s all but this is what’s in always does though its appetite is monstrous it never tells you its full designs in the beginning it merely says just a little more yes Joe contemplating hmm hmm I’ll just repeat your comment that is that you’re wondering whether David stayed behind because he was in a way looking for this kind of opportunity that he was a perhaps thinking that maybe maybe some sort of fling like this would be enjoyable certainly if he wasn’t thinking about that out right the the situation that he was in where he’s not really doing anything and when you’re in that situation you probably just trying to find things that are fun to do a sinful temptation is going to jump on that opportunity it’s like oh I’ve got something fun for you to do your flesh will will go after that so perhaps David even though we can’t say for sure perhaps he was saying to himself all along oh I’m not going to go that far but the flesh it’s deceptive sin is deceptive David puts Bathsheba and himself in a very dangerous situation because God saw fit that their rendezvous would result in the conception of a child what do we do now David Bathsheba asks David well David comes up with a plan let’s see how it unfolds we’re now going to read the rest of the chapter verses 6 226 follow along with me then David said to Joab saying send me your I the Hittite so Joab sent Uriah to David when you’re I came to him David ass concerning the welfare of Joab and the people and the state of the war then David said to Uriah go down to your house and wash your feet and your I went out of the king’s house and a present from the king was sent out after him but Uriah slept at the door of the King’s house with all the servants of his Lord and did not go down to his house now when they told David Sanger ride to knock her down to his house David said to Uriah have you not come from a journey why did you not go down your house Uriah said to David the ark and Israel and Jew are staying in temporary shelters and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field shall I then go to my house to eat and to drink and tell lie with my wife by your life and the life of your soul I will not do this thing and David said Uriah stay here today also and tomorrow I will let you go so you riah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next now David called him and he ain’t and drank before him and he made him drunk and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with his Lord servants but he did not go down to his house now in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah he had written the letter saying place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw for him from him so that he may be struck down and die so it was as Jobe kept watching the city that he put your riot at the place where he knew they were valiant men the men in the city went out and fought against Joab and some of the people along among David servants fell and Uriah the Hittite also died then Joe absent and reported to David all the events of the war it charged the messenger saying when you finished telling all the events the ward of the king and if it happens that the King’s wrath Rises and he says to you why did you go so near to the city to fight did you not know that they would shoot from the wall who struck down a bimolecular son of jurupa chef did not a woman throwing up or millstone on him in the wall so that he died at pay bez why did you go so near the wall then you shall say your shipment Uriah the Hittite is dead also so the messenger departed and came and reported to Dave at all that job had sent him to tell the messenger said to David the men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field we press them as far as the entrance of the gate or over the archer shot at your servants from the wall so some of the Kings servants are dead and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead then David said to the messenger does he shall say to Joab do not let this thing displease you for the sword devours one as well as another make your battle against the city stronger and overthrow it and so encouraged him when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband dead she mourned for her husband Oh actually I’m next one more verse when the time of mourning was over David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife then she bore him a son but the thing that David had done was evil in the side of the Lord okay this is a much longer section we won’t be able to observe everything here but let’s notice the main things what is David’s first plan to provide cover up that’s right get your ride to come back and sleep with his wife if you comes home be normal that a man might eat drink and sleep with his wife that way everyone will think that probably think that child is your eyes he’s basically planning to cuckold Uriah but this plane of deception does not work why not it’s not that I didn’t want to leave his men because he’s been forced to leave his men in the field but has something to do with that yeah suit yeah he says it’s not right that he should be enjoying himself at home while everybody else is enduring hardship in the field there might be a little message to david through that as well but he says it’s not right for me to go home in this situation and i think as you were suggesting sue this took this points to Uriah’s character he goes far beyond beyond the standard of a good soldier he’s an extremely noble one so David comes up with a second plan what’s this second plan to cover things up before you get your I kill he has that’s right he tries to get Uriah drunk that way your riot will let go of his convictions and hopefully go home and sleep with his wife now is it sinful to make somebody drunk on purpose absolutely that is a very unkind thing to do that makes that person quite vulnerable and they might do some things that they later regret but this plan doesn’t work either even when inebriated your riya stands by his conviction not to go home to his wife but instead sleeps in the same area as David’s other servants noble guy even when he’s drunk he doesn’t break his conviction now David probably desperate by now comes up with a third plan and it’s the one you mentioned Esteban he’s going to get your riot kill by manipulating the battle situation so that the ammonites kill you right by the way what position does Uriah hold and David’s army we don’t learn it here but we learn in another section scriptures not general I don’t know what the exact term would be once we talk about it maybe it involves some command not general use one of David’s mighty men one is checked sections of scripture talks about there are various champions of David he has a group called the 30 it was actually a 37 men and your eye is one of them he’s one of david’s champions he’s a great warrior he may have some commanda as someone i think just mentioned he was an important part of david’s army but david says it’s actually more important that he’d be killed Davis tells job to not only purposefully put your riot where the fighting is fiercest that would be greatly increase the probability of your iodine but then to even withdraw from your riya suddenly so that your Ryan might be alone and overwhelmed it’s an even further increase the chance that your I will die notice who brings the message to Joab detailing how your eye is to be killed your riya does isn’t that really chilling but it also points to rhys character he didn’t look at the message the plan succeeds uriah is killed Israel’s army comes to close the enemy walls and not only does Uriah die but some of David’s other soldiers die too there’s collateral damage just to get your riya killed but David’s okay with that upon hearing the news of your eyes death David encourages Joab with the words do not let this thing to squeeze you for the sword of ours one as well as the other those words about a sword will prove haunting to David Bathsheba after hearing of her husband’s death warrants for him but as soon as his proper David makes Bathsheba his wife she joins the Royal harem and gives birth to a son but we’re told at the end of the passage that the thing that David did was evil in the sight of the Lord let’s ask a few interpretive questions now again after all of this should David believe that he has executed a successful cover-up this is a at first might be like well yeah I mean he got what he wanted he got Uriah killed off and Bathsheba’s married so everything is going to work out but as I think Steve you mentioned there are actually some practical or they’re practical considerations that should have made David aware that he hasn’t kept things that well under wraps first of all the circumstances in David and Bathsheba is marriage look awfully suspicious murr over it probably wouldn’t be too hard for an observer to count backward from the birth of Bathsheba’s child to realize that the child was conceived before David and Bathsheba were married furthermore it’s likely that one or more the people involved in David’s plots would make the matter known just think of how many people david has involved in his schemes up to this point many of the palace servants were instruments of or witnesses to David’s in Joab is a straight up accomplice to murder even some of the soldiers under Joab are aware that something abnormal has happened or even designed to get your riya kill lots of people know that something is up and we know people talk rumors about David are sure to spread from these sources but most importantly David should not believe he successfully executed a cover-up because God knows God sees it was evil in his sights and God is sure to not let people get away with her sin this is clear from Scripture Moses warned Israel in numbers 3223 he was speaking specifically to the two and a half tribes who were settling beyond the Jordan and they had made a vow to fight for the rest of the tribes he says but if you will not do so behold you have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out your sin will find you out that’s just what sin does and Jesus says in Luke 12 to 23 when he warns his disciples against hypocrisy but there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known accordingly whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light and what she whispered in the inner wounds will be proclaimed upon the housetops sin even secret sin will eventually be revealed I’m certainly Olson will be exposed at the judgment at the final judgment of God God will call men to account for every word thought and deed that they have committed but sin is also frequently exposed in this life sin has a tendency to come out secrets have a tendency to become revealed no person perfectly covers his tracks or can perfectly keep others quiet one preacher said it succinctly sin will out sin will out you might get away with with it for a while as David does but your secret sin will eventually come out be sure your sin will find you out how foolish then was David attempt to cover his sin what a tragic waste you’re riya is needlessly slaughtered to cover up a sin that was going to be revealed anyways but this is the senselessness of sin sin is horrible it caused you to do the things that are so foolish and hurtful to yourself and others how might have David though we rationalized to justify his actions to either make them not seem so bad or not bad at all like he was deceiving himself into thinking okay I got this completely under control but everyone around him is like no you don’t find that that’s that’s one thing it’s almost like you the person like begins to lie to themselves and really thinks that the thing that they’ve done is somehow okay yeah you know yeah I think that’s absolutely bike when we talk about the deceitfulness of sin it’s not merely deceiving others its most primarily deceiving the person who commits it and certainly that’s where these rationalizations come in where you feel like your sin is not that bad or maybe not bad at all how specifically my David trying to justify his actions well he married Bathsheba and maybe that that’s one way he thought to smooth over his adultery well at least I married her so you know that that makes everything fine hmm you know that’s a good point that this is definitely one way that the flesh and sim comes at us as we do a lot of good work for the Lord or in this case David for his nation and disciple why shouldn’t I receive something that I want or this is such a small thing compared to all the good things I’ve done surely it’s not that bad how else my David have tried to justify himself he may have said well I didn’t really commit murder why that’s right it was the ammonites or killed I didn’t do it I mean he perished due to the hazards of his profession I mean he was where the fighting was fiercest but he could have survived if he was adept enough as a soldier people die in war wasn’t really my fault he may have also rationalize did his desire to protect Bathsheba oh I don’t want her to get in trouble I don’t want her to die after all really was my fault I have to do whatever I need to do in order to make sure that she’s not executed for adultery perhaps he thought that it was better for the people that he do this it would be more hurtful to people if they knew the truth about my sin it would actually be less hurtful to them if I just did Morstan to cover it up this is really for the good of the people or maybe the good for the kingdom as a whole if I don’t do this and people find out then people might question my authority to judge evil they might even rebel and attempt to overthrow me for the sake of the Peace of the kingdom I must do these further sins yeah yeah yeah yeah I tried to do the less the less hurtful things that I didn’t work so god I’ve got no other choice yeah but with these justifications like oh it’s for the good of the people for the good of Bathsheba for the good of the kingdom or or whatever he was saying what’s the satire needs all of them it’s precisely these cover up measures that brought about all the things he feared we’re going to see that God’s judgment would result in people rebelling against his authority that he would actually have to flee from Jerusalem that he would hurt Bathsheba that he would bring dishonor to himself that he would discourage the nation that he would embolden people to sin specifically because he tried to cover up his sin instead of merely confessing me David probably did rationalize the sin that’s the deceitfulness of sin as you mentioned shame but his sin and the cover-up greatly hurt his people no matter how we said oh this is for the good of the people it was actually a great pregnant hmm that’s a good points to his maybe he couldn’t convince everybody that he was innocent but for those who weren’t super acquainted with the situation they know you’re I came back and that she became pregnant maybe they figured that oh yeah right is a missa father even though they weren’t quite aware and then marrying the widow oh wow what a nice thing to do polygamy aside but you know he’s taking care of the widow yeah so I think you’re right David was painting himself as even the good guy even more righteous in this situation which is horrible because he was actually more evil than people could imagine he’s acting in a more evil way it’s really shocking it’s really socked shocking the extent of sin that David does but it began with small sins it escalated into further sins and he just became one more deceived in his own mind and while this is all shocking there’s another part to this account which is also shocking and that’s God’s response let’s look at the first part of that in chapter 12 second Samuel 12 verses 1 to 12 starting in verse 1 then the Lord sent Nathan to David and he came to him and said there were two men in one city the one rich in the other poor a rich man had a great many flocks and herds but the poor man had nothing except one little you land which he’s bought and nourished and it grew up together with him and his children they would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom it was like a daughter to him now a traveler came to the rich man and he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd to prepare for the Wayfarer who would come to him rather he took the poor man’s you land and prepared it for the man who had come to him then David’s anger burned greatly against the man and he said to Nathan Nathan as the Lord lives surely the man who has done this deserves to die he must make restitution for the lamb for full because he did this thing and had no compassion Nathan then said to David you are the man thus says the Lord God of Israel it is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul I also gave you your master’s house and your masters wise into your care and i gave you the house of israel and judah and if that had been too little i would have added to you many more things like these why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in the sight you have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword have taken his wife to be your wife have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house because you have despised me and have taken the wife Uriah the Hittite to be your wife thus says the Lord behold I will raise up evil against you from your own household I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion and he will lie with your wives and broad daylight indeed you indeed you did it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and under the Sun will stop there for a second let’s observe at this point David and best keep his child is born so this is at least nine months after David’s initial sin and he’s not repented or confess this in the entire time Nathan tells David story what’s David’s reaction to the story he’s extremely angry how could this rich man take the poor man’s you lamb and slaughter it he had so many himself what judgment does David pronounced on a rich man he deserves to die David you can’t be put to death or go into the law just for stealing he actually says he should repay fourfold but the man deserves to die why specifically what was so heinous about his crime he had no compassion that’s what it was the aggravating circumstance but David does not realize that the story is actually a parable who really is the rich man who’s lacked compassion it’s David who was the poor man who loved his ulam Uriah what did the rich man’s flocks and herds David’s great possessions and his wives and concubines and who’s the Yule and Sheba you stole her you took her and it’s the slaughter I think refers to your eye is death God through navin explained through Nathan explains all this to David you are the rich man who stole away the beloved you lamb of Uriah even though you were already so amply supplied God reminds David of how much God has done for him how much God has given him I made you king over Israel I delivered you from the hand of Saul I gave you your masters house houses and wives I gave you all Israel and Judah if that were too little to rightly satisfy you I would have given you more God then rebukes David David’s evil asking how David could act with such ingratitude God dismisses absolutely that David had not committed murder he says you struck down Uriah you use the sort of a min but it was you who did it and then God pronounces judgment the sword will not depart from your house your family will now be full of conflict and bloodshed and while you violated another’s wife and secret I will cause your companion one from your own household to violate your wives and the sight of all Israel some serious words too quick interpretive questions how does David’s or how does Nathan’s confrontation of David via parable reveal David’s Apocrypha I mean David does give a righteous pronouncement right but why is that a revelation of his hypocrisy he’s willing to pass judgment on the evils of others but he will not deal with his own evil this is the definition of hypocrisy he’s passionate he’s incensed that the evil of others the lack of compassion and others and yet he will not turn the gaze on himself not confess or deal with his own soon slightly different question and these words from nathan is God condoning polygamy in this parable and then gave you your masters wives gosling he approved the polygamy the answer is now what’s happening here is that God merely acknowledges the multiplicity of David’s wives as further evidence that David’s actions are completely unjustified it’s just stating how things are rather than approving of it now something we should note about the phrase masters house and masters wives it’s strange because David did actually actually did not receive any of the wives of Saul though David did marry the daughter of Saul Michael in fact Saul appears have a to have had only one life and that at least there’s only one wife mentioned in the scriptures while the kings of Israel’s neighbors often inherited the harems of the previous King in this case the phrase masters house and masters wives appears to simply mean everything that belonged to the previous King it’s not specifically saying you got some wives from Saul God is simply saying I gave you everything that it’s all had all his blessings we’ve said before God tolerated polygamy in the Old Testament but it was never his design and nearly every time it’s mentioned in the Bible we see that polygamy leads to trouble it’s actually going to even for David so all of this has transpired like a great tragedy David commits a heinous sin and then commits an even worse in trying to cover up the first now Davidson is exposed and judgment has been print how could this situation possibly be salvaged well here comes the shocking part let’s look at verses 13 to 15 then David said to Nathan I have sinned against the Lord and Nathan said to David the Lord also has taken away your sin you shall not die however because by the steed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blasting the child also that is born to you shall surely die so Nathan went to his house it’s just a few short verses but what happens here is momentous let’s observe when his sin is exposed what does David do he confesses it he confesses that he has sinned greatly and against whom does David say he sinned the Lord obviously sitting as other people too but even here he recognizes it was chiefly the Lord that I sinned against what does God do in response you pardon stated sin God takes away Davidson and he tells David that David shall not die this is shocking because as we’ve seen the penalty of adultery is death also the penalty of murder is death and David did other sins besides these and he’s the leader of Israel he’s to be held to an even higher standard if anyone deserves to die it’s David but God says you shall not die I’ve taken away your sin that’s incredible nevertheless God does also say to David that David’s and Bathsheba’s child shall die and what’s the reason reason God gets this will happen because say it again well we’ll talk more about that it’s a natural consequence of his sin but Khan specifically says you have given the enemies of God occasional blaspheme okay let’s explore these a little bit more now as we interpret this confession of sin all that is necessary for receiving the Lord’s forgiveness no it’s an important part confession of sin saying the same thing with God about your sin is an important part of repentance but here it is emblematic of David’s whole repentance we don’t see it all mentioned here but this confession is a sign of David’s whole repentance why does God pardon Davidson why does God do that and that’s not what we expect or might not do we expect God is merciful that’s what it comes down to you right I mean yes we’re going to talk about that little bit more you repeat your comment David wrote the book of psalms the Psalms have a high number of Messianic prophecies this is going to be looking forward to the reason that God is able to pardon but why God pardons not just his ability to pardon but why he chooses to one answer is that it’s the response of God to repentance dave is going to say later in a psalm actually about this episode that God does not refuse a broken and contrite heart so God fully forgives when man fully repents one man truly repents but the greater answer is that this is simply the sovereign mercy of God this is the great mercy of God God out of love for David chooses not to give David what David deserves David did not exercise compassion toward Uriah Bathsheba the nation or many of the others involved but God exercise exercise compassion on David and this is part of my god is so great his loving kindness is far greater than we can imagine since I will be merciful to you David simply because I’ve set my love on you how can God do this how can adjust God pardon sin doesn’t that make him unjust what’s that bill mentioned God made a provision so that he can pardon sinners and that is he was going to provide payment from someone else a perfect sacrifice David didn’t know what that covering would be specifically he trusted that God would provide covering and that God could provide pardon we know and a fullness of time God sent His Son Jesus that he might pay for the sins of God’s people God is able to pardon because of Christ’s sacrifice if ur God is free to be merciful however if God forgives David for Davidson why does God still punish David didn’t he say I taken away your soon yeah Steve just mentioned you reap what you sow sin has natural consequences there’s another element here to David as the leader of Israel said a horrible example for his people and God has seen fit that when Israel’s leaders sin often he gives a special punishment to that leader so that the rest of the nation might fear the rest of the nation might not be taken off track you remember Moses he commits one sin he does not give God glory when he is to bring forth water from a rock but God says because you did not honor me before the people you will not go into the Promised Land oh god did you not forgive Moses when he was repentant no I’m sure he did but he said you set a terrible example for the people you’re the leader so I have to make an example of you God partially does that to David some of these judgments are merely because David’s the leader he said a very bad example so God needs to make an example of David but the other part of the answer is that sin has natural consequences you do reap what you sow these consequences come to pass regardless of one’s repentance and forgiveness because sin does immediate damage the damage is intrinsic to the sin this again as part of my sin is so horrible it’s like sin is a delicious but but poisonous drink that God has commanded us not to drink if we continue to drink it in rebellion against God oh I don’t care what you say God I’m gonna do what I want well not only will a drink itself poison us but God will punish us for transgressing his command but if we start to drink of sin and later repents though God’s justice does not need to come down on us because through our repentance and faith in Christ God’s justice is satisfied in Christ nevertheless we still suffer the effects of sins poison we’ve already taken it in it’s already done its damage to our bodies that is it’s done its damage to our lives into their relationships that we have obeying God causes us to heal many of the effects of sin but some of the painful or poisonous effects of sin may not be fully healed for a long time or maybe not even during our lives not until God creates a new heaven and a new earth I mean really Adam and Eve’s the perfect example of that right I’m sure they were repentant but their effects let this the effects of their sin lasted far beyond them so God is able shockingly to pardon Davidson to totally take it away and to pronounce for David you will not die but nevertheless sin has its consequences we’ve seen David shocking dissent in the sin we’ve seen God’s shocking merciful response to David’s repentance but now let’s look at the aftermath what were the results of David’s and God’s actions I’ll share this by way of summary first the promised judgments and consequences of sin do come to pass on David and his house davida Bathsheba’s child does die David’s family becomes wracked by conflict perhaps an imitation of his father’s unbridled lust David’s son Amnon rapes his half sister Tamar Tamar’s brother Absalom then later murders Amnon and is banished later after Absalom is allowed to return to Israel Absalom raises a rebellion against his father and he nearly destroys David’s Kingdom absalon takes Jerusalem he captures ten of David’s concubines and then to strengthen the hands of his supporters Absalon then pitches a tent on the palace roof and goes into david’s concubines in the sight of all Israel God’s words of judgment came to pass second though rather than simply ignore cover up or try to forget his sin with Bathsheba David as part of his repentance actually memorial I memorializes God’s grace to him via a song we don’t have time to read it this morning but Psalm 51 has this as its introductory description for the choir director of psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came to him after he had gone into Bathsheba first one thumbs up a whole song be gracious to me O God according to your loving kindness according to the greatness of your compassion blot out my transgressions this is very surprising you can courageous I mean we might ask who makes the song commemorating the worst thing he ever committed but david has returned to his previous righteous attitude he is saying essentially I don’t really matter God matters and look at how kind he has been to me when I sinned against him terribly he did not cast me off he heard my cry of repentance and he cleanse me anew and he can do the same for you I want all Israel to remember this what the mall to know what kind of God they serve and then there’s a third result a third happening in the aftermath and that God chooses to display his kindness again to David to Bathsheba and to their descendants though God allowed Absalom to rebel against David and to send David running for his life God also delivered david from Absalom Absalom is killed the rebellion is put down David’s Kingdom is reestablished there furthermore though God caused David and Bathsheba first son to die God gives the two of them another son you’re going to actually see it right in second samuel 12 look down to verses 24 to 25 after the child the first town dies verse 24 says and David comforted his wife Bathsheba excuse me and went into her and lay with her and she gave birth to a son and he named him Solomon now the Lord loved him and sent word through nathan the prophet and he named him Jedediah which means beloved of the Lord for the Lord’s sake excuse me why business also astounding though the pair suffered greatly because of their sin God’s kindness comes upon them again he gives them another son a son on whom God is pleased to set his love the man of peace Solomon God is faithful to his promise he would not remove his loving kindness from David’s house he redeems the sinful marriage of David and Bathsheba it gives them joy in him again and not only that their son becomes the next king he build God’s house and through him comes the greater seed of David a greater fulfillment of the promises to David Jesus Christ as we’ve seen before so many people in the lineage of Christ are not the kind of people we would expect to be the forebears of God’s holy son Rahab Canaanite former prostitute Ruth former idolatry and Moabite and now David and Bathsheba adulterers pardoned and cleansed by god this is not again a picture of the beautiful gospel foolishness of God God will use the week to shame the strong the things that are not ashame the things that are so that no man may boast except an avoid alone he is our righteousness he is our wisdom he is our strength he is our Redeemer he bought us back so as we close today there are a lot of things that we can take by wave application from these passages I’ll just mention a few things first please ask yourself do you take the danger and horror of sin seriously sin takes control and wreaks havoc no man or woman no matter how righteous is immune to its attacks without taking yourself out of the world do you nonetheless stay as far away from soon as possible stay away from its toxin another question do you Harbor or secret sin in your life do you still suppose that you can hide it from God and others that you’re smart enough observant enough since see you’re sounding enough do you not believe God when he says be sure your sin will find you out finally do you love the Lord because there’s redemptive kindness to you to glory in your Savior do you worship the Lord because the shocking kindness to you revealing himself and his wave salvation to you delivering you from sins power and it’s a tunnel penalty and calling you its into a tunnel fellowship with himself do you love the Lord your Redeemer it’s all we have time for today next week we look at the Psalms a little bit we’re going to overview the Psalms here’s our memory verse again 2nd Samuel 722 we see this in another light therefore you are great o Lord God but there’s none like You or is there any God besides you according to all that we’ve heard with our ears the other questions or comments come see me afterwards that’s right honor this is a great word the sin is horrible that David committed and yet you showed yourself glorious in response to it you are merciful you pardoned his sin you restored to him the joy of salvation even though he had to bear the consequence as iveson nevertheless you gave him join you again your loving-kindness did not depart from them and we thank you for that God because that means you’ll do the same for us your character doesn’t change what we glorify you this amen