April 6th

April 6th -- 2 Samuel 12:1-25 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2012:1-25&version=NLT)

Nathan rebukes David ; David confesses his guilt

After the Bathsheba incident, God sends Nathan the prophet to David with a story. This story has a rich many with many sheep having a guest come. This man, instead of killing one of his sheep instead takes the only sheep of a poor man, who raised the sheep like a child. David is outraged by the story and says that man deserves to die and should repay the man with four sheep. Nathan explains that the man represents David. David has a grand house, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and many wives. Yet, he took Bathsheba as his own, murdering Uriah to do so. Nathan says that God has said that for what David has done, his household will turn against him. Also, his wives will sleep with another man, and publicly, not hidden, as David tried to keep his deed.

David then confesses to Nathan that he has sinned. Nathan says God has forgiven him, yet he will still be punished with the death of his child. Nathan returns home and David's child (from Bathsheba) becomes horribly ill. David begs God, fasting and praying prostrate, yet the child dies after a week. When David hears this, he goes to the temple and worships God, then returns home and eats. His advisors are confused, but David explained that God did not spare the child for his fasting and prayer, so there is no point in continuing it now that the child is gone. David and Bathsheba comfort each other, and as a result Bathsheba becomes pregnant again. She has a son and he is named Solomon. God loved this child greatly, even sending Nathan to tell David to name him Jedidiah, as it means "beloved of the Lord".

For anyone who may not have read yesterday's post, quickly go read it.

So, as I said yesterday, punishment may not always come right away. It comes, though. In David's case it was the child who was the product of that night's sin. The punishment usually fits the sin. Sometimes it is a bigger deal than other times. Sometimes we may not even see a punishment for what it is. Yet, God also wants to bless us. We see that as David and Bathsheba later have another son, Solomon. God may seem, sometimes, as if He's being mean to us, but He never is. He's more concerned with our eternity than our earthly comfort. It may hurt to learn, but He knows what's best for us and wants only that. Whatever we go through, He has a reason for. Forgiveness may not mean no punishment, as that means we may not learn as we should from our past sins/mistakes, but forgiveness means God will not hold it against us. He does not love us more or less based on some sort of tally of sins. He loves us all equally and also unconditionally.

Well, that will be all! God bless! Shalom!