2nd Samuel 12 PAYDAY COMES The longer a wrong practice or an inappropriate matter is allowed to continue, the more likely a person is inclined to think there will be no consequences to face. That idea is entire erroneous. Payday comes someday. A Righteous God does not compromise His justice to suit the opinions of men. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," is a lasting principle. For a year or more David and Bathsheba would have gradually become used to the guilt that probably plagued them for quite some time. However, God was not done with them. Perhaps the waiting time was to allow them to learn a lesson that would not have been learned if judgment had quickly come upon them. We deceive ourselves if we think payday for evil is not going to come. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore is the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."
In the Lord's time, He sent Nathan the prophet to deal with these two people who were hiding sin. Confrontation is very difficult because it is usually resented and people become very defensive as they try to cover sin or belittle its effect. There are times when it is necessary to confront others so preparation is important. To say what is needed and not say too much, requires tact, courage, skill thoughtful preparation and planning. Our objective needs to be clear and precise. Wisdom with words and attitude appropriate to the problem and presenting the message, needs to guided by the Holy Spirit. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
Illustrations often open the doors of understanding and give light to a matter even before the application is made. Illustrations make a message easier to take especially when it is brief and to the point. Consequences follow every action, and in this case, there was no way to escape them. Sins done in public have public consequences. Sin desensitizes people when it is allowed to continue to the place where those who have committed the sin, think they have mastered the problem. Guilt can be avoided for awhile, but payday comes. "Be sure your sin will find you out," is a principle. Sin left unconfessed and undealt with, will be exposed by God against whom we have sinned.
After a year passed, and David now had seen and known the child he had fathered, he may have felt comfortable in spite of his sin. The time had come when he had to learn the full impact of what he had done. God waited until the appropriate time to bring the best possible result from a very bad situation. Condemnation is easy when we can focus our criticisms on other people. Faults are always easy to find if that is what we are looking for. Character flaws seem to stand out in others which we can easily condemn. However, the flaws we first see in others are the ones most obvious in ourselves.
Dealing with a critical spirit in myself will only come when I am honest before the Lord. He knows both me and those who are the objects of my criticism. What I see in others and condemn, likely is the same thing that condemns me. The consequences of sin cannot be avoided. David stole Bathsheba and killed Uriah. Murder was a continual threat in his own family from then on. His own children plotted and rebelled against him. His wives were used by others in public view. His children died terrible deaths. His pleasure brought pain to others as well as himself.
Restoration is possible, is valuable and is available when repentance is real. Restoration is the first step to hope being given even after grievous sin. Psalm 51 was written by David in which he expresses his guilt and his need for forgiveness. Recovery may not remove all the consequences of sin, but it does make possible a return to fellowship with the Lord. Apology does not necessarily remove the consequences of wrong-doing even though fellowship has been restored. There is always judgment for sin that has to be accomplished. Grace provides the way this can be done and we can move on in our life. Psalm 32 expresses the joy of grace being experienced after the drought of being in a spiritual wilderness.
The death of David's child was a judgment on David. The child is with the Lord who gave him life in the first place. This child escaped the terrible life of that dysfunctional family. His siblings had so many issues that plagued them because of the lack of attention given to their upbringing. God spared David and Bathsheba's lives although the law said they should be executed for the sin they had committed. God was not done with them yet, so in mercy they were permitted to live on to fulfill God's purposes through them. The punishment on them by the child's death was probably much harder for them than their own death would have been.
When a terrible, tragic sin has been committed, and when the matter has been dealt with by the sinner in a biblical way, to dwell on that matter is not if any profit. When one repents of their sin and turns to God again and knows they are forgiven, then one should press ahead in fellowship with the Lord in life and not go back again to experience the guilt of sin that has already been taken care of by God's grace. We accept God's forgiveness, we make sure we have changed in our life and attitude, and then move on to accomplish that for which God has in His mind for us. A few years later, Solomon (peaceful) was born to David and Bathsheba. The Lord told Nathan to give him another name, Jedidiah which means "beloved of Jehovah." The grace of God supersedes even the gravest of sins, and allows the guilty to live on to fulfill His will.
In an act of grace, the Lord allowed David to regain a degree of credibility in his nation by giving a victory over the Ammonites and the capture of their capital city of Rabbah. The one-hundred pound crown of gold studded with precious stones was placed on David's head giving to the Israelites and Ammonites the assurance that he was still in control of the affairs of the nation in spite of the personal disgrace he brought upon himself and his family. The Ammonites from then on became physical laborers that would keep them totally occupied to the extent they could not create political opposition. The nation of Israel would be enriched because of the manufacturing and other work done by the Ammonites so that Israel was not only a political power but and economic power in the middle east.