I can remember the first time I read this text as an adult. It was wonderful to see the integrity and faith of David. I couldn’t help thinking, “I would have followed that guy into battle as well!” I still sing his songs. As the Lord’s anointed, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. David had been blessed and protected by the Lord and yet fell headlong into sin. I found it frightening that such a godly man could fall so greatly. I still do. It helps me not to risk getting too close to women who aren’t my wife.
Nathan the prophet rebukes David which leads to repentance and restoration. Yet it doesn’t remove a terrible punishment. There are consequences, even if they are not as bad as they could have been. David’s life should have been forfeited. Instead, David and Bathsheba’s baby dies. God has the right to take anyone at any time. If you don’t understand anything else from the text, recognize that God is the judge of all the earth. Yet David understands that he will see that little baby in the kingdom.
Shortly we are told they have another baby named Solomon. Nathan speaks a word of prophecy, blessing the child, giving him the nickname “Loved of the Lord.” The spoken word proves out.
In our broken world, we have a host of broken families and broken children. Very few have the privilege of living with both parents. We need to believe that like Solomon, they too are loved of the Lord. We need to speak a word of blessing into their lives and tell them of God’s love shown to them by Jesus, son of David, son of man, son of God.
Claim the next generation for God.
Russell Carle
