You Are That Man

Passage: 2 Samuel 12:1-14

King David’s life is full of famous vignettes. The most famous is undoubtedly the story of his greatest triumph: his defeat of the giant, Goliath. Only slightly less famous is David’s greatest failure: his affair with Bathsheba. The latter is a sensational story. We can’t help but get sucked in by the lurid details. David is lounging on the balcony of his penthouse suite. He looks out and his eye is drawn to a nearby rooftop. He sees the wife of one of his soldiers bathing in plain view of the palace. An invitation? David can’t resist. He sends for her. Has her. Finds out she’s pregnant, makes a futile attempt to cover it up, and finally has her husband killed. No one’s the wiser.

Except God. Shortly after David’s plan comes together, God’s prophet shows up at his door. Nathan tells the king a story about a rich man taking the prized possession of his poor neighbor; we the readers can’t believe David doesn’t clue in that the story’s about him. In fact, we can’t believe that David seems generally clueless about how badly he’s messed up. It isn’t until Nathan explains the story, describes David’s sin, and pronounces God’s judgment that David says, “Oh. I have sinned against the LORD.” You think?

We conclude that David’s in trouble for the sins of adultery and murder. These are disastrous transgressions that alone warrant whatever judgment God metes out. But in his speech to David, Nathan identifies the bigger problem. Nathan says,

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?

God says to his servant, “Have I not given you enough? What could be worth so much that you’d be willing to get it on your own?” The essence of God’s relationship with David has been trust. A much younger David faced Goliath because he knew God would win the fight. Somehow David has gotten to the point where he’s his own agent, and God isn’t even in the picture. David sees what he wants, and takes it. God promises to give David what he wants so long as he asks. So long as he accepts it on God’s terms. God will not tolerate his servants working around him to get what they want.

This is the lesson for us. It’s not just a cautionary tale against adultery and murder (although I suppose another cautionary tale about adultery and murder can't hurt). It’s a reminder that all good things come from God. If you have to get it on your own terms, it’s not worth getting. Why? Because in the process of getting it, you lose the thing that matters most.