2 Samuel 12:1-31

There is no such thing as “secret sin,” sometimes we live under the impression that there are some things that are done in secret.  The reality is that secrecy is only a myth.  Nothing is secret because God knows everything and sees everything we; He even know everything that we think and what our motives are in every situation.  Many of our sins are hidden from men, but none of our sins are ever hidden from God.  As we have seen so very often, man is able to choose to obey or to sin; what man is not able to choose, are the consequences of his sin.  David enjoyed his sin very briefly, but then when Bathsheba became pregnant his pleasure turned to panic as he scrambled to keep his sin private.  Now he finds himself facing even more drastic consequences from the hand of God.  We must be careful not to live under the delusion of secret sin and be clearly warned of the dreadful consequences that sin brings about.

DAVID IS CONFRONTED WITH HIS SIN: Nathan comes to David and confronts him with the story of the poor man with a pet sheep who was mistreated by a rich man with many sheep.  David’s sense of justice had not trouble discerning that this was an egregious sin and David says that this man does not deserve the air he breathes.  David demands that the poor man receive a fourfold restitution for his lost sheep.  There is nothing wrong with David’s sense of justice or his ability to discern between right and wrong.  David’s problem is that his conscience has been seared to the point that he is no longer able to apply his sense of justice to himself.  It is always much easier to discern the sins of others as opposed to being able to see our own sin.  That is why we so desperately need the help of other believers who are courageous enough to confront us with our sin.  Nathan clearly points out David’s sinfulness and lets him know that he is the villain of the story.  This is where David differs so greatly from Saul; once he is confronted with his sin, he recognizes it.  He does not make any excuses for it or try to blame someone else; he simply admits that he has sinned.   

DAVID LEARNS THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS SIN: God now reveals to David that he will face great consequences because of his sin.  He learns that the sword will never pass out of his reign.  David would always be at war throughout his entire reign.  He also learned that he would be publicly humiliated.  David had humiliated Bathsheba and Uriah privately; but David’s family would be publicly humiliated.  He also found out that his son would die.  David was not the only person who would be affected by these consequences and that is always the case.  The reaches of sin stretch very far beyond the people who commit the sin.  All the men who would die in these wars, David’s family members and the innocent son would all pay the price for David’s few minutes of comfort.  The price of sin is always much greater than any pleasure it might afford.

DAVID IS RELIEVED FROM THE CATASTROPHE OF SIN: God does tell David that his sin has been put away.  God forgave David, but we must never confuse forgiveness with consequences.  God can bring consequences for sins that He has forgiven.  David deserved eternal punishment in hell for what he did, but God was gracious and forgave David based on his faith in the promise of God to send Messiah to pay for his sin.  David’s son dies, but God gives David another son through Bathsheba that won the favor of God and would become the next king.  David continues to go to war, but God continued to give him victory.  It is a very good thing that God is faithful even when we are not.  There is forgiveness with God and He calls us to experience that forgiveness through faith in Christ.