When Bethsheba heard her husband, Uriah, was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David brought her to his house and she became his wife, and bore him a son.
Now, the Lord needed to rebuke David for his selfishness concerning Bethsheba, and he sent Nathan, a prophet, to David. This is what Nathan said, "There were two men, one rich and one poor. The rich man had much, with many sheep and cattle. The poor man who was traveling, had only one little ewe lamb. The rich man refrained from using any of his sheep or cattle for meal preparation, and took the little ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for dinner."
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity." Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, '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. 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."
And Nathan continued, "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 of Israel.' "
Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And 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." And the child immediately became ill. David pleaded with the Lord, fasted, and spent the nights lying on the ground. He would eat no food, yet on the seventh day the child died. David went to Bathsheba and comforted her, laying with her again. She later gave birth to a son. She had over the years four more sons, and the last son was named Solomon.
Study/ "David did not continue to dwell on his sin. He returned to God, and God forgave him, opening the way to begin life anew. Even the name God gave Solomon, "loved by the Lord," was a reminder of God's grace. When we return to God, accept his forgiveness, and change our ways, he gives us a fresh start. To feel forgiven as David did, we must admit our sins to God and turn to him. Then move ahead with a new and fresh approach to life."
This part of David's life disappointed me, as I held David in such high esteem. But, I see the part of his return to God by asking for forgiveness is the most heartening part of his story, the part that is most difficult for me. I am working on this aspect of my life, for I know in my head that God's forgiveness is for everyone who asks for it, but my memories keep reminding me of a little girl who could not say, "I'm sorry." She did learn to say it, but somehow never quite believes everything is yet forgiven.
Still working on it!
Jo INMN
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