Godly fathers-ungodly sons-19

David’s legacy as being a man of God has an uncomfortable parallel in his legacy as being a godly father. One does not automatically work in both areas of our lives. In the lives of our children we need to look at outcomes as well. We would wonder at a ‘Christian’ father who had sons who were lawbreakers, thieves, murderers, and rapists. We would rightly question his godly fathering when looking at the outcomes of his sons. This is the issue with David.

2 Samuel 11:27  When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD. 

Did Bathsheba not know that David had orchestrated the death of her husband? God knew!!! David had done evil in His sight!. We must think like Joseph!

Genesis 39:7  It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." 39:8  But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. 39:9  "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?" 

Joseph knew that the first person and the most important person we sin against is God!

2 Samuel 12:1  Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. 12:2  "The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 12:3  "But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him. 

We often see things clearer through a contrast. God sent Nathan to convict David about this evil he had done. This is an excellent example of specks and logs in our eyes.

12:4  "Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." 

This immediately would require us to be incensed about this unfair injustice. Those with plenty often see themselves above the normal laws and traditions of most of the rest of this world.

12:5  Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. 12:6  "He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion." 

It is far too easy to see the hypocrisy in David’s response. Isn’t the life of a man made in God’s image infinitely more valuable than a lamb? Yet, David says he deserves to die. The Law says that David is guilty and would deserve to die.

12:7  Nathan then said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. 12:8  'I also gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 12:9  'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 

Everyone knew that David was King and held the power of life or death over anyone who came before him. In that manner he was like all the kings around him. But, Nathan came with God’s message and David had to be afraid for his own life.

12:10  'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' 12:11  "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12:12  'Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.'" 

This is a prophecy that will come into view in a few more studies. God is pronouncing judgment on David and on some one in the future who will rise up against him.

David has now lost moral authority over his sons and much of his household plus Joab.

More next Saturday.