BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Today’s text recounts David’s sin with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his loyal soldiers. Despite being a “man after God’s own heart,” David succumbed to temptation, leading to a painful biblical narrative that highlights the Bible’s authenticity. It details David’s progression from idleness to sin: imagining, committing, and covering it up. His attempts to hide his actions brought no prosperity and left deep scars on his reign.
In spring, when battles were common, David stayed home instead of leading his troops. At around fifty, he could have avoided temptation but chose to engage in adultery and orchestrate murder, resulting in the death of innocent people. Uriah, whose name means “Yahweh is my Light,” was a loyal warrior.
Chapter 12 records the prophet Nathan’s confrontation of David. Despite David’s steps at covering up his sin with Bathsheba, Nathan had a message from God to deliver to him. Nathan devised an allegory to show the king the error of his ways, and David passed judgment without realizing he was condemning himself. Nathan saw that the king, although angry, was also vulnerable at this point. With one direct statement, “You are the man!” David’s heart was pierced with the words of the Lord. David knew that he was guilty, so without argument, he acknowledged his sin and repented sincerely. Though both he and Bathsheba deserved stoning, David’s genuine repentance (Psalm 51) spared his life, but their child would die as a consequence. David fervently prayed for the child but accepted God’s decision upon the child’s death, expressing his belief in immortality with, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
The consequences of sin often have their fulfillment after an individual is reconciled to God, as was the case with David. The pronouncement found in chapter 12 verse 10, “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me,” followed David for the rest of his life. David and Bathsheba had four sons, including Solomon, who was chosen to be king. After facing God’s chastisement, David resumed his duties. Joab had besieged the Ammonite city Rabbah, where Uriah had been slain, but invited David to witness the final conquest of Rabbah (modern Amman, Jordan), where they captured many slaves and treasure, including a heavy crown.

A TESTIMONY FROM OUR DAY

As a young girl, my friend became a Christian, but in her teenage years, she drifted away from God’s love. One night, just before her senior year of college, she felt called by God to decide whether she would serve Him. That night, she prayed and was saved. She chose to move home and commute an hour to school, knowing that living on campus could lead to spiritual stumbling. She believed it was wiser to remove herself from temptation entirely.
Temptation comes to all of us, and we have a choice in how to respond. My friend wisely chose to distance herself from potential problems. In contrast, David did not make that choice; when he saw Bathsheba on a neighbouring rooftop, he could have turned away but chose instead to entertain and act on his temptation.
Every day presents choices: Do we turn off an ungodly song on the radio? Do we stop watching an inappropriate movie? What do we do when someone shares gossip? While our choices may not seem as significant as David’s, they affect our Christian walk. We don’t have to face temptation alone; God promises to be with us, but we may need to take action to avoid it. The Bible states that the Lord was displeased with David, and we should strive for God’s approval in our daily decisions.
Today’s text describes the prophet Nathan receiving instructions from God to confront David about his sins. Nathan’s story incited David’s anger, leading him to condemn the very actions he had committed. When David realized this, he faced his sin, admitted his guilt, and repented. From David’s example, we learn to take responsibility for our actions, seek forgiveness from God and others, and accept His discipline. This process allows us to be reconciled with God and maintain a close relationship with Him.

A CLOSER LOOK

Question 1
In the episode with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11:1-5, what are three observations we can make about King David’s behaviour? How might we learn from David’s poor choices when it comes to temptation?
Question 2
David took a number of decisive steps when he heard the news that Bathsheba was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:6-27). How did his first sin lead to the next sin and the next? What can we learn from this sequence that we can apply to our lives today?
Question 3
The name Nathan means “God has given,” and indeed God gave Nathan to David to be his prophet, counsellor, and friend. Nathan was courageous and told David the truth, even when he did not know what the outcome would be. How do you think Nathan must have felt when God commanded him to confront David with his sin?. What creative means did God help Nathan utilize to make his point? 2 Samuel 12:1-4
Question 4
Sin has consequences, and Nathan listed several for David (2 Samuel 12:10-12). What did God determine would happen to David and Bathsheba’s child, and what was David’s reaction to God’s judgment? 2 Samuel 12:14-23
Question 5
David repented once Nathan pointed out the error of his ways. As a result of his repentance, God spared David’s life, but He did not mitigate all the judgment on David. What parallels can we draw for our own lives based on this account?
Question 6
What does David’s decision to fast and pray for the child’s life, even after hearing of God’s judgment from Nathan, indicate about David’s relationship with God? How should we react when God chastens us?

TAKE HOME

Living a godly life involves more than living clean while in public. God sees us wherever we are, and we place our integrity on the line when we choose to do in secret what we would not do in public. If at any point we realize we have made such an error, we can do as David did and sincerely repent. God will never turn any honest seeker away.