A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

life of his king in high regard, David counted the life of Uriah as expendable in covering his sin.
The storming of the walls was a disaster for Israel, but a success for David. Several soldiers lost
their lives in the battle, including one named Uriah, the Hittite. When Bathsheba learned of the
death of her husband, she mourned as was expected. “And when her mourning was over, David
sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that
David had done displeased the Lord” (v. 27).
David had covered his tracks, but he was unable to shake the guilt of his sin. Throughout
the whole ordeal of trying to cover his sin, there was a recurring fear that what he had done
might be discovered and exposed. The growing guilt and fear combined to age him physically
and cause him much discomfort. Later David himself confessed, “When I kept silent, my bones
grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon
me; my vitality is turned into the drought of summer” (Ps. 32:3-4). But the inner conviction of
sin in David’s heart failed to bring this king to repentance. Now it was time for God to initiate
His alternative approach to resolving the problem.
NATHAN: THE PROPHET OF COURAGE
AND CREATIVITY
(2 Sam. 12:1-31; Ps. 51)
“Then the Lord sent Nathan to David” (2 Sam. 12:1). Nathan had the difficult task of
calling a popular yet unrepentant king to repentance. Much had already been done to hide the sin
that had been committed and Nathan had been informed by God that David had arranged the
death of Uriah. If the king was willing to kill one of his most trusted soldiers and able to cover
his sin, certainly he would not stop at killing a prophet also. Even before Nathan arrived at the
palace that day, he knew he was taking a course of action that could endanger his life. He also
knew if he was going to be successful at turning his king back to God, he would have to be
creative in his approach to the king.
God had brought David out from the sheepfold to lead Israel as king, but he had never
taken the shepherd out of David. Therein was Nathan’s hope of success. As he appeared before
the king, he asked for the king’s opinion concerning the matter of a stolen sheep. David listened
intently as Nathan explained how a poor man had only one sheep and had cared for it as best he
could. Then he heard how a rich man with a large flock of sheep and herd of cattle stole the poor
man’s sheep to feed a guest he was entertaining rather than have to give up one of his own sheep.
David’s blood began to boil as he heard of the mercenary actions of the rich man. The man
deserved to die, the king concluded, but not before he restored the stolen lamb fourfold.
Emphatically, Nathan seized the moment. “You are the man,” he declared (v. 7). With
piercing eyes Nathan looked at the fearful king and declared the accusation of the Lord. God had
given David much and had been willing to give David much more if he wanted it, but David had
stepped over the line in the matter of Uriah, the Hittite. He was guilty of murder and guilty of
adultery, and there would be a severe price to pay for his sin. Briefly Nathan reviewed what
David’s sin would cost the fallen king. There would be no hiding this time, “for you did it
secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun” (v. 12).