Day 130 – 2 Samuel 12:13-14

Scripture Review

2 Samuel 12:13-14

"And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die."

(2 Samuel 12:13)

David finally stops running. Nathan has said, "Thou art the man," and David answers with, "I have sinned against the LORD." He does not say, "I made a mistake." He does not say, "Joab carried out the order." He says, "I have sinned against the LORD." His confession carries no excuse-making or attempt to lessen his fault. Here, I see a man who has been pierced by the Word of God. The same David who once judged the rich man in Nathan's parable now sees that he is the rich man.

But mercy moves quickly. Nathan says, "The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." The confession is simple, and the answer is immediate. God hates sin even in His own people, but when David confessed without excuse, God's pardon was declared. That phrase "put away thy sin" means He would not charge it upon him, impute it to him, or punish him for it, but freely and fully forgive it. God's mercy is greater than the guilt of a truly repentant man.

David deserved death. Under the law, adultery and murder were not light matters. Yet Nathan says, "thou shalt not die." David was a great sinner, but he finally became a great repenter. The issue was not that David had sinned lightly, but that God had shown mercy greatly.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

(1 John 1:9)

Takes me to the scripture after the prodigal son comes to himself.

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."

(Luke 15:20)

"Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die."

(2 Samuel 12:14)

The word "Howbeit." tells me forgiveness is real, but consequences are still there. Nathan has just said, "The LORD also hath put away thy sin," but now he says, "Howbeit." God forgives David, but He does not pretend the sin did not matter. David's deed has given "great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme." That means David's sin has handed unbelieving mouths a reason to mock the name of the LORD. He repented and was forgiven, yet the consequences of his sin were still devastating.

That phrase "the enemies of the LORD" shows me David carried the testimony of the LORD before Israel and before surrounding nations. His sin gave the enemies an opportunity to speak against his God. That is what makes our testimony so important. My sin is never just about me when I carry the name of the LORD.

Then Nathan says, "the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." Because David allowed sin into his heart, the child will die a consequence. David's confession brought immediate forgiveness, but not the removal of earthly consequences. I cannot imagine the heaviness of his guilt at this point. I don't want to belittle mercy, because David has been spared death.

I think of Proverbs,

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

(Proverbs 28:13)