Caught Red Handed, Part 2

Sold by the prophet Samuel for disobeying God.

Saul immediately comes back with Noel is actually God's fault makes excuses that he did he make some allies will David do the same.

Verse 13 David said to Nathan study is to speak, I have sinned against the Lord's only two words by the way of the Hebrew language to words what is the fall. You need to read that guilt confessed.

The other option is for you to pursue only right solution. Admit and confess your sins to God today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen Davey takes us back to the life.

An example of King David. David committed some terrible sins that were destructive to him and others will face consequences for his sin, but more significantly, David will experience God's forgiveness. The same forgiveness available to us when we sent to stay with us for a lesson called caught red by the way is using words to the Hebrew year with location and point out a couple in verse three he said this little lamb lay in his arm. That word is never used between a pet and the owner. It's a word commonly used from man embracing hugging his wife so already. He's he's sort of noodling around the edge. He also do something else. The phrase that comes next in this lab was like a daughter that's actually the same Hebrew word the first part of it that you find in the name that she bought the land was like up back to him and that must've arrested, perhaps unconsciously, David's heart pricked those first four that there came a traveler to the rich man he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or her to prepare for the guest to come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who would come to him again. Nathan is using loaded words.

In fact, the word for traveler here that I read is a word for someone who was walking around it.

It's a different kind of work for someone traveling from home to some location it's it's actually work for some reason walking around in the interesting thing is that it appears that same verb Hebrew language back in chapter 11 to describe David who was walking around his roof again. Nathan is his load that here. David isn't necessarily connecting the dots. But but there is something happening to him emotionally because he responds with rage, notice verse five and David's anger was greatly kindled against the man he said to Nathan as the Lord lives. The man was done.

This deserved to die and he shall restore the lab for fall because he did this thing and because he had no pity keep my David just sentenced himself before we get there. Don't you find it interesting to see in David our own ability to condemn others for doing less than what we have done ourselves quick to see someone even the slightest sliver of what we do in coming down so hard the Lord Jesus talks about this and this is another sermon that I just want to drop it in here as an aside, Matthew seven.

How is it that we can see the splinter Lord in someone's eye when we have a theme protruding from our own.

The splinter in the beam by the way are made out of the same thing the same substance would in other words, the person who sends the most in some area is able to spot that same sin in someone else's life even though it's only a fraction of there's the rich man stole something. David is incensed when he steel all I am David steel all life a man's life that she still die. Why well because he stole something he had plenty of because he acted without pity towards someone who can defend himself because he abused his power to do whatever he wanted because he ripped the family apart with grief yes all the above and David just comes off his throne and he splatters in rage as God lives (got into it, but God lives that Manny that deserves to die and you can just imagine Nathan causing fourth is David's sentence just reverberates around the palace wall gets quiet. Nathan looks David in the says in verse seven, you are that man that rich man is. I can imagine the David's jaws when author said probably dropped open.

He probably blinked a couple of times looking at Nathan inquisitively at first and then his eyes open wide with sudden recognition. He probably slumped back to his throne as his heart begin the beat against his chest. He didn't know that anybody knew outside of the close circle that kept the secret he getting thought of the fact that God knew he knew God knew the prophet of God has just arrived to spill it.

David has been caught effectively read him. David had stains on his heart that it already begun to eat like corrosive rust away this peace and joy is communion with God is or something. By the way friend that you hope never gets out. As you look at the text by the way, this is a just look at David's to look in the mirror of the word it ourselves or something is or some stain your hoping never gets detected. Is there some evidence that you hope never surfaces. One of the prophet of God by the name of Nathan showed up at your doorstep this afternoon. What would happen to the palms of your hand beating of your heart.

When author told the interesting story of a man named Rogers Kayden head happened not too long ago I clicked it. Put it away, pulled out, that would be the timely illustration when Pope John Paul II died. Rogers and others do this. Some like a pretty decent living off purchased all web domain, assuming it would be needed later that web domain, he purchased he registered as www.Benedict 16., and he waited. He guessed correctly that would be the pope's new name the new pope's. He knew that Rome would want it. He watched as another name Pope Benedict 16.calm and sold on eBay for $16,000 you wishing you had the idea yourself do it.

He figured that his would be worth more money and it would be. The article said in a surprising twist, Rogers informed the Catholic officials who came knocking.

They did that he didn't want money.

He was a Catholic himself and wanted the church to have the domain instead he wanted to thing he wanted a free night in the Vatican hotel and he wanted complete absolution, no questions asked. For the third week of March 1987. Makes you wonder what happened the third week of March 1987. Whatever was that man was carrying his being very he didn't want the news out but he just wanted wiped away. I wonder if you're hiding something from God. Is it a business practice. God would never honor or your spouse if they found out is it up a relationship you are nursing along. Shouldn't have. This is a test score. You didn't deserve his diploma that you didn't learn. Could it be a an award you didn't merit all resume where you didn't completely tell the truth. Is it something from the past you've never admit it isn't something like David that when we look at the text like this. It surfaces in your hands feel stained all over again.

It robs your joy in your sleep and your communion with God because you know deep down God knows to what happens next is the ultimate solution and it isn't found in some churches absolution the church can't wipe stains away before David can interrupt Nathan saying anything. What were often remiss in not noting is that Nathan continues on and deliver some consequences to David's sin there. Three of them first bike and put it into a sentence form violence and death would become a part of David's household done in verse 10 now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house because you despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Now if you study the final years of David's reign. From this point forward the support never never stops swinging never murder among the royal family will become the scandal of Jerusalem's Gary Frank page it would it would make a serial show fit for 21st century television staying the legacy of David's reign.

Secondly, not only will violence and murder become part of his household, but elicit lust and immorality affected the very next chapter lust and rape will enter the palace grounds among members of the royal family. David will be powerless to remedy it like it's going to end in even more murder. There will be immorality that David would never dream of why because his children will see his compromise and his sin and they will take it a thousand miles further than he would've ever wanted to run with it because that mud toddlers home to and they'll excuse themselves on what they've seen their father. That's one of the challenges and penalties of being a parent, or even being a leader in verse 11, Nathan says, thus says the Lord will hold I'm going to raise up evil against you out of your own house and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. This is by the way judgment on David's ongoing sin. Having more than one wife.

He this neighbor shall lie with your wives in plain view verse 12, you did it secretly, but I will do this thing for all Israel before the sun always guys can allow a sinner to take what David did secretly and prorated. This is going to be fulfilled by Absalom, David's son, as he overthrows his father's throne are temps stupid.

In the meantime about to as David is running for his life. Absalom takes David's harem pitches attends on the top of the palace roof and defiles all of them sexually is a show his power now and and certainly his utter contempt and hatred for his father. If anybody thinks David it's a free pass to seven. Read the rest of the story. Even though David will be forgiven.

There is still the principle of reaping and sowing. There some consequences that will linger for the believers was asked forgiveness will continually take before the Lord for strength. I can remember my father often telling us for boys my father grew up on a farm in has that rural wisdom at times. It comes added. He would often say to us as we grew up.

That week could not. So life of wild oats and then pray for a crop failure. David's family is going to deliver to him a harvest with David did in one week and then covered over one year's children are going to many of them are going to devote their lives to the lighting, the responsible if David had slumped back into his throne in shame. By the time Nathan finishes and it probably took in less than three minutes to deliver this narrative. David is faint with grief and sorrow, and so the next few words that come out of David's mouth to make all the difference in the world is to his own personal walk with God. Remember when King Saul was confronted by the prophet of that day. Samuel for disobeying God. Saul immediately comes back with you. Well it's actually God's fault that he makes excuses.

Any any mixup lies will David do the same. Verse 13 David said to Nathan stymie us to speak, I have sinned against the Lord.

No demand for leniency. No argument with consequences. No excuses of Bathsheba's beauty or this is a midlife crisis. I have sinned against the Lord is only two words by the way of the Hebrew language is two words, what is the volume you need to read and repeat one Hebrew scholar wrote in his commentary the words are very few, just as in the case of the publican in the gospel of Luke is simply cried. Remember that story.

Perhaps God be merciful to me a lot sinner and he went home justified is no excuse hear from David no cloaking, no lessening one author says of the gravity of his sin is no searching for a loop. So no blame is no pretext is no human weakness pleaded. He simply acknowledged his guilt openly and candidly, and without any dishonesty. He ends by saying this Hebrew scholar. It is the simplicity of David's confession that makes it commendable rather than defective ability to stop a minute.

This is the honest guy I know I study this text I my first thoughts are are are are prep similar years.

We as Christians might assume because we are ignorant of the depth of grace that God isn't going to even listen to David until David is at least zero fasting for 10 days and put in Nino three months of community service you know or or or long nights of pleading and crying and begging in at least some trip up some stairway on his knees, then maybe God will listen. We beloved, do not fully grasp or understand the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Yet future for David, past tense for us because we we don't fully grasp the completed work of Christ on our behalf. We are were surprised someone at Nathan's comment back to David in verse 13 as he says the Lord has put away your sin, you shall not die meet. Isn't that a bit think the reason we think that way is because, as one theologian wrote on this text we wrongly assume that intensity. The intensity of our repentance somehow contributes to the sufficiency of Christ's atoning work I've got to earn that atonement.

I can't simply honestly confess I gotta show God something for I could never expect God to respond right.

Let's learn something over again deepen incredible wonderful David is struck with this prophetic encounter is effectively caught with his hand sustained.

He knows you're staying these try to sit on them for the year he's done everything to cover it up and guilt is eating away at him, but now he is confronted.

He's late there and after listening to both the exposure of his sin, and in the justice of God how to play out in his life. He humbly and tribally genuinely unbroken hardly says the only thing you can say I have sinned against God.

This is by the way, is odd as it may sound further prove he is a man after God's own heart. How so man or woman after God's heart is not sinless, but they are, among other things, utterly submissive to the accusing word of God, whether or not we are becoming men and women after God's own heart is revealed and how we respond to the accusing word of God in relation to our sin. In fact, the apostle John will pick up that same idea and definition of genuine confession when he writes when we confess our sin, confess, like I was saying the same thing as God says about it when we agree with God, who accuses us of sin and we say in response your right that sin needs faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. David is utterly subdued.

He is totally smitten by the word of God you know will will keep you hiding that sin you're not quite convinced that God is all that correct. Maybe it's not. That's we are watching here in the life of one of God's children, nothing less, than the vigilant grace of God, who is hunted David down is 1/3 consequence only briefly mention it certainly does harvest of David's adultery and murder is a play on the lives of those who will use him as their excuse to wallow in the mud of sin. But in addition to that, thirdly, Nathan informs David that the son born to David and Bathsheba will be taken by God and death. If you look then in verse 14 of the end of this visit from Nathan E. He informs David after David confesses that the child which had been born to you and Bathsheba will die. This is one of those passages that's left without explanation.

When you like a verse or two.

The reasoning behind the death of this little boy remains for the most part locked away in the mystery of God's secrets. Deuteronomy 2920 and yet we know that whatever God does is right. Daniel chapter 9 verse 14 effect for the believer. Those two verses will give us greater trust and assurance and security and hope. When we understand there are some things that belong to God's files of secret mystery in the what he does is right.

I think we can glean from this probably a couple of things as we think about it. I certainly have one of the things that came to my mind was that the taking of this little boy immediately to be with the Lord was a mercy to him. He would've grown up the scapegoats of every slur, every hateful thought in this regard, the false guilt heaped upon him every day of his life would have been unmerciful. He would've been accused as the reason for Uriah's murder for the intrigue of murder and incest standard rate in the morality that set the royal family to the very time of David's death. This baby boy will grow up to be the brunt of every cruel accusation. This is a mercy but also see in this the gospel Nathan in this text connects the message that David can live with the fact that this baby will die. There is very little wiggle room around the language try to find it and I'm just going to announcers and David is assured that he will live box and because I death will occur one Old Testament scholar right here. It's as if the child when I told the implication is if the child is David's substitute.

And here's the gospel. Think of it think it can you think of somebody who's innocent, who died so that you can live. Think of the fact that every one of us who are redeemed every one of us who have been forgiven, will one day live forever because I saw David dives the son of David, your substitute in mind and the mystery of God's grace and mercy, son of David will be born, and will die so that we can live forever.

The gospel is the gospel.

So don't hi stained hands, confess what stained them in the son of David, Jesus Christ, who Artie died to pay the penalty who literally became stained on our behalf, as he bore our guilt and shame that prayer of confession. Not only that initial prayer which brings you into the family of God. But those daily prayers as we daily sustain our hands in our hearts know from this testimony that God is not measuring the amount of our tears and if you get the 1 inch I'm gonna listen if it's 2 inches you got my full attention don't have a stopwatch out that testing the length of our lamentation.

He's waiting for a simple, honest, genuine admission of guilt and it is his delight, it is his pleasure.

It is his business to forgive, to take your crimson stain the hands and minds and our hearts and make them as white as snow. Jesus paid it all. All we know sin and laughter crimson live stay. He was wide as snow. This is the mystery of his mercy and pardon you and me. Why upon the foundation and basis of the death of the son, David, because of that he pursues us with his vigilant grace since all of us are sinners. It's encouraging to be reminded of the truth that God offers his forgiveness and restoration to all of us. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Davey, I hope you've been challenged and encouraged by today's lesson. Sometimes our sin can cause us to have questions about our salvation. We worry and wonder does God still love me. We have a resource that I think will help you during the month of February are free resource is a copy of Stephen's e-book blessed assurance salvation is eternal.

This e-book will explore this in more detail and it's free for you to download this month.

All you need to do is visit wisdom online.org right on our homepage you'll find a link to this resource.

It'll take you to our online store, but it's free this month and you can download a copy for yourself today. Again, it's wisdom online.org will. Thanks again for joining us were so glad you were with us and I hope to be with us next time on wisdom for the heart