'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'
"This is what the LORD says:
'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.' "
Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die." 2 Samuel 12:5-14
Like we Christians, David wasn't perfect, just forgiven. But there was no free ride here, no idea that he could do whatever he pleased because God would forgive it. His forgiveness came with very grave consequences.
First of all, look at the damage David did to the image of God in the eyes of the world. He caused the enemies of God to show utter contempt. What do we see today if a well-known or outspoken Christian falls to temptation? We hear the utter contempt for Christianity from our critics and people turn away from Christ.
Second, as a result of his actions David is going to see his own children among those who show utter contempt for him and the LORD.
We Christians are not above the law. If we are going to announce what we are with bumper stickers it has to be more than just a bit of whimsy or wit. It has to show in our behavior as well. We need to be diligent in driving within the traffic rules and showing courtesy to others on the road. Frankly, as Christians we should do that anyway, but as humans we sometimes go a bit too fast or slide through stop signs or show anger towards others around us. At least if we do so in anonymity, we get the angry curses instead of Christ, so if our bumper reads, "Jesus Loves You", we better be showing our love for sure.
If we fall to temptation then we bring consequences upon ourselves and too often on others as well. Just because a Christian is forgiven by God doesn't mean they escape punishment for the sins they commit here on earth nor should they. If you act the glutton at every meal, you will get fat and probably shorten your life. If you get angry and beat up you kids your kids should be taken away. If you get drunk and run over someone you should go to jail.
If you are doing all those kind of things, you better rethink your salvation.
The sword never did leave David's house after this. His sons revolted and his family became one big mess, headache and heartache for him. Remember this the next time you are being lured by a temptation you might think you can get away with. David thought he could too.
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(A side note: here we have an expression that David believed in an afterlife where he would go and that the soul of his infant child would be there.)
During this period, David had great remorse and pled for the child. When the child is dead, he knows what is past is past and he must not remain forever trapped by that past. We who live must move on with life. Once we are forgiven we go on with life, not continuely captured by our remorse and doubt and grief.
After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."
David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked.
"Yes," they replied, "he is dead."
Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Samuel 12:15-23
The story of the little white lamb should tell us we can be forgiven for everything. (there is one unforgivable sin, but we won't get into that here.) The latter part of David's life should give us pause. God's forgiveness may cover our sin in his eyes when we reach Heaven, but it doesn't protect us from the consequences of our actions here on Earth. Adam may have been forgiven, but he didn't regain Eden, Moses may have been forgiven for striking the Rock too many times, but he was kept out of Canaan, Peter may have been forgiven for denying Christ, but he did not escape crucifixion, Paul may have been forgiven his persecution of the early church, but it did not prevent his own persecution, David may have been forgiven for his adultery and the murder of Uriah, but he still had to face the betrayal of his sons. In other words, don't do the crime if you can't do the time.
There are worse consequences that having to read William Faulkner's Absalom! Absalom!
END OF THIS LESSON
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