Day 5

PUBLIC CONDEMNATION

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:13

For almost a year David must have thought he had got away with it (2 Sam. 11:27). Bathsheba observed a time of mourning for Uriah and then David sent for her. He obviously genuinely loved her. No one was any the wiser? The palace servants who had been in attendance that fateful day knew. Those who had slept in the servant's quarters knew that Uriah had not been home to his wife since the war began despite David's efforts (2 Sam. 11:9,12,13). Rumour and innuendo must have spread fast about the king and his new wife. But perhaps no one spoke of it openly and risked the king's disfavour. Bathsheba had a son and all seemed well. But God had not forgotten: "the thing that David had done displeased the Lord" (2 Sam. 11:27).

Nathan the prophet came to court and faced David with God's message. First he lulled him into false security with an anonymous story of injustice. Then when David outraged pronounced judgement on the malefactor. Nathan rocked him with the accusation, "Thou art the man"! (2 Sam. 12:7)

Why did God wait so long before sending Nathan? Was it necessary that David should be publicly rebuked for his sin?

Was the sin worse because a king committed it? What do we learn about David from this episode? How do you react when confronted with evidence of your sins?

E.G. White's account of this part of David's life in Patriarchs and Prophets is very helpful (pages 717-726).