David’s Repentance

God was obviously displeased by not only David’s adultery and murder, but also by his intricate schemes to coverup those sins. Since David was no longer seeking the Lord’s direction, therefore the Lord had His prophet Nathan speak to His wayward and rebellious king.

1 Nathan’s Words to David

2 Samuel 12:1-4

Nathan spoke to David, by presenting a very applicable parable, designed to show how David, who had been given so much by the Lord, wasn’t satisfied with what he had, and set his sights on another man’s wife, which was the beginning of the downward spiral which included adultery, murder and an extensive coverup.

Nathan’s parable included one man with many flocks and herds, and another who only had one pet ewe lamb. The man with the many sheep and lambs wasn’t satisfied with that, when it came time to preparing dinner for a guest. He then took the pet lamb of the poor man.

The parable would have struck a chord with David, who of course had been a shepherd since he was a young boy tending his father’s flock. He understood the relationships that shepherds forge with their sheep, and he would have been fully aware that many families of his day, would have pet lambs which would even have access inside their homes.

2 David’s Overreaction

Because David was in a backslidden state, he was acting and reacting simply on fleshly emotions, which caused him to be enraged by Nathan’s parable:

2 Samuel 12:5-6

David became so enraged by what Nathan was relating, that he didn’t seem to comprehend that it was only a parable, which means that it was designed to be applicable to something David could understand and relate to, to then elicit a spiritual understanding from the king.

However, David showed his backslidden state, by overreacting by stating the offending rich man should not only be made to repay the poor man four-fold, but that he should then be put to death. While restitution would have been justified (if it was a real event) – capital punishment would not.

3 Nathan Confronts the King

After David had shown that he completely misunderstood not only what he had been told, but that he was enraged to the point of wanting the offender put to death, the Lord then had His prophet Nathan to then directly confront David.

Nathan took a direct approach as he confronted David with his sin:

2 Samuel 12:7-12

The Lord was having his prophet remind David, that He had anointed and made him king, had delivered him from the hand of Saul, and then more recently had given him all that had belonged to Saul. Yet, despite those blessings, God said that David had “despised (His) commandment” and did evil in God’s sight.

In actuality, David had broken two commandments, but they were both recorded in one verse:

2 Samuel 12:13-14

God wanted to show David, that his sinful actions weren’t only against Uriah, but were against God Himself.

In verse 9, the Lord used Nathan to give a very detailed account of what David had done, showing that of course, nothing which David had done had escaped His notice.

Then in verses 10-12, Nathan spoke prophetically about what would take place in the future for David:

2 Samuel 12:10-12

Strife and division would mark David’s literally home. In addition, he was told, that while he committed adultery in secret, someone who do the same thing affecting him, but that it would be done in in public, which was fulfilled by his son Absalom:

2 Samuel 16:21-22

4 David’s Repentance

While much of David’s actions and initial reactions reflected those of his predecessor Saul, that fact that he realized his son was against God, showing his repentant heart, totally differentiated the two men:

2 Samuel 12:13-15a

David would later reflect upon and write about his backslidden state before his repentance:

Psalm 51:4

God’s Word is clear, that if we sincerely confess our sins, that the Lord is faithful and just to forgive them:

1 John 1:9

In verse 14, that even though the Lord had forgiven David’s sin, there would still be ramifications for that sin.

One ramification was that the child from the adulterous relationship would die. A second ramification would be that David’s actions would then give cause to Israel’s enemies would blaspheme God.