Day 127 – 2 Samuel 12:2-4

Scripture Review

2 Samuel 12:2-4

"The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:"

(2 Samuel 12:2)

Remember One city, two men, one rich, and one poor. Nathan describes the rich man as having, "exceeding many flocks and herds." He had abundance. More than enough. Sheep and cattle in large numbers. This was David's position. He was not poor in blessing. God had taken him from the sheepcote and made him king over Israel. God had given him Jerusalem. God had given him victory over the Philistines, Syrians, Moabites, Ammonites, and others. God had promised him a house in 2 Samuel 7.

This helps me realize sometimes the greatest danger is not when I have nothing, but when I have much. Blessing can make a man thankful, or blessing can make a man careless in his walk with the Lord.

"But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter."

(2 Samuel 12:3)

Nathan wants David to feel this lamb. He says the poor man had "nothing, save one little ewe lamb." Not a flock or herd. Not a field full of animals. One little ewe lamb. And the poor man did not treat that lamb like mere property. He "bought and nourished" it. He fed and raised it. It grew up with him and with his children. It ate from his own food, drank from his own cup, and lay in his bosom. Nathan says it "was unto him as a daughter." This lamb had become part of the home. The children knew it. The poor man loved it. It was not just meat for a meal; it was dear to his heart. The poor man loved what he had.

"And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him."

(2 Samuel 12:4)

A traveller comes to the rich man. Hospitality was a serious matter in that culture. A guest needed to be fed. There was nothing wrong with preparing a meal. The sin is not that the rich man had a visitor. The sin is that the rich man "spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd." He had exceeding many flocks and herds, but he guarded them for himself.

Nathan says he "took the poor man's lamb." That word "took" brings me right back to chapter 11: David "sent messengers, and took her." The rich man took the lamb. David took Bathsheba. The rich man would not give from his own abundance. David would not restrain himself within what God had already given him.

I notice how quickly the poor man's lamb becomes food for someone else's appetite. The lamb that ate at the poor man's table is now dressed for the traveller. What was loved in one house becomes consumed in another. That is what selfish sin does. It takes what is precious to someone else and uses it for its own passing desire.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

(Exodus 20:17)

Coveting does not begin with the hand. It begins in the heart. It looks at what belongs to another and says, "I want that for myself." David's fall began when he stopped guarding his eyes and heart, and now Nathan paints a poor man's lamb so David can feel the ugliness of taking what belongs to another.