S147P2 – Lost to disobedience: a son
2 Sam. 12:11-14
“Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of 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. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’ ” 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. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die.” Then Nathan went to his house.
David was a man who lived a life under God’s favor. We know that the everlasting kingdom originally planned for Saul became David’s when he was anointed king. This would be the kingdom to lay the lineage for and usher in the arrival of Messiah. Yes, David spent some time under the ire of King Saul and evading attempts on his life, but the Lord preserved him. Then, David came into power and became the great king he was meant to be. He was a man after God’s own heart, but he did not have enough. There was something he desired to have, someone he was not meant to have, but he would take her at a great expense.
David suffered two consequences as a result of his arranging the death of Uriah so that he could take Bathsheba for himself. First, he would learn the pain of losing his own wives to another, but his pain would be public. Where David took Bathsheba in secret, he would suffer the loss of his wives for all to see. Second, and more critically, God would not let the fruit of his sinful relationship survive. After all, it was the conception of this son that precipitated David’s attempt on Uriah’s life. What we see is that David’s sincere repentance, although it brought him forgiveness, did not remove this consequence. Even though David fasted and prayed, the child would live only one week before succumbing to illness. [15-18]
David seems to have given in to a temptation that can result from abundance. He had many wives, but he wanted the one beautiful woman he did not have. Like the spoiled child who is bored in a room full of toys, his access to anything he wanted made him want more. This was an act of entitlement, but David was not entitled to this act. He interfered with the bloodline God desired for him, and God had to intervene to correct that. It is a harsh reminder that disobeying God can bring us immense pain. We do not know what we will have to lose in order to set the course straight again. Father, help us to remain obedient so that we do not deviate from the lives You have designed for us.