Grace to Go Forward
Grace to Go Forward
2 Samuel 12:13-31
13 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 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.
And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing 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 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows 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 will not return to me.”
24 Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him 25 and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28 Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30 And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David's head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
13 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 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.
And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing 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 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows 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 will not return to me.”
24 Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him 25 and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28 Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30 And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David's head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Full Forgiveness
This has been a shocking story. But the greatest shock is Nathan’s reply to David: “Yahweh also has put away your sin; you shall not die (13).” All of that horrendous, damaging, arrogant sin we’ve been trudging through? Put away. Gone. Not held against you. God offers full, unconditional, and immediate forgiveness. It is hard for us to accept! It would have been harder for David. It would be even harder for Uriah’s family. God’s forgiving grace shocks our system, so scandalous as to raise questions about his character. It will take another 1,000 years to learn how a holy God can put away the sin of the bad people he loves: he must put forward his own Son as a ‘propitiation,’ a wrath-bearing sacrifice (Rom 3:21–25). At the cross, Jesus gets all the justice that David (and I) had coming. The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.
Catastrophic Earthly Consequences
But there’s still a “nevertheless” to deal with. God’s mercy is not magic dust that instantly fixes our lives. As a forgiven sinner, David will neither die nor lose his kingdom. He’s as right with God as the day that Samuel poured the oil on him. But he will still bear catastrophic earthly consequences. I can be saved from my sin, yet still suffer from my sin. God can put away all my sin, yet I can still deal daily with my choices. God loves me totally, but doesn’t always bail me out of reaping what I sowed. We struggle to hold these realities together, but we’ll see it play out for the rest of 2 Samuel. It starts here: “Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned Yahweh, the child who is born to you shall die (14).” If God seems too soft in v13, he seems too severe in v14.
The judgment tears David apart. For over a year, he hasn’t spoken to God; now for seven days, he won’t eat, sleep or leave his face before God, pleading for the child’s life. We are encouraged about David’s soul, but God’s judgment stands. Forgiveness from God does not remove all the pain and cost of sin. It does mean that we have God.
The judgment tears David apart. For over a year, he hasn’t spoken to God; now for seven days, he won’t eat, sleep or leave his face before God, pleading for the child’s life. We are encouraged about David’s soul, but God’s judgment stands. Forgiveness from God does not remove all the pain and cost of sin. It does mean that we have God.
How Faith Moves Forward
When the child dies, David’s servants fear that he will be suicidal. Instead, he showers, goes to church, and eats his first meal in a week. David explains: “I begged for the child; when God said no, I can’t curse God or curl up in a ball. I’ve got to accept it, knowing that I will see him again. Now, I must move forward.” As this final section shows us, David can’t undo his choices or control their consequences. But he can put his future in God’s hands, and he can move ahead in humble, repentant, faith. This under-appreciated episode shows us how, by God’s grace, faith moves forward.
Staggering Grace
David’s repentance begins with Bathsheba. He has been a selfish monster, exploiting her and taking everything from her. Now, he “comforts his wife Bathsheba (24).” I can only guess that she hated and feared him. But God’s grace gets involved, and makes a family out of this wicked mess. The Bible calls her David’s “wife” for the first time (24). Instead of cursing this union, God blesses them with another son, and sets his heart on him. Like an indulgent grandpa, God gives the baby a pet name: “Jedidiah,” beloved of Yahweh. God chooses that son to be the next king, in the line of his Son, Jesus. And holding him at parent-child dedication are…David and Bathsheba. Staggering grace!
David also gets back to work. He (and Joab!) goes to war with the Ammonites. I expect God to let David get thrashed. Instead, he gives victory, and David ends this story with a crown of gold on his head (26–31). Truly, God’s grace runs downhill to us, at our very worst. David will still face many consequences, as we will see. But God is still with him and for him. He can go forward.
David also gets back to work. He (and Joab!) goes to war with the Ammonites. I expect God to let David get thrashed. Instead, he gives victory, and David ends this story with a crown of gold on his head (26–31). Truly, God’s grace runs downhill to us, at our very worst. David will still face many consequences, as we will see. But God is still with him and for him. He can go forward.
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Article by Eric Smith
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
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