2 Sam. 12 Confrontation, Confession, Contrition and CONSOLATION

David illustrates for us how he responded to the sin with Bathsheba; His Confrontation, His Confession, His Contrition and His Consolation.

Sin must be confronted, most often for people to repent or confess behavior or their lives as being sinful.  Nathan the prophet was the instrument God chose to use in confronting the king with the sins of adultery, murder and conspiracy.  David’s response to the prophet’s parable is in reality a pronouncement against himself.  He is the man, the adultery, the murderer and conspirator.

After being confronted, note David’s initial response “I have sinned against the Lord.”  Others are too often affected by someone else’s transgressions; but when you come to the bottom line, it’s against God we have sinned against.  It’s to Him we make our confession.  James exhorts us to confess to one another our sins that we may be healed as well.  Holding transgression in our hearts opens the doors for many maladies of life that are evident physically, emotionally and spiritually.  We need to close any and every door that would give the enemy any place against us or our lives.

Contrition was clearly evident by David’s behavior.  He wept, fasted, prayed and prostrated himself before the Lord night after night for seven days.  Then the child died.  David responded with cleansing himself, changing clothes and eating some food.  His intercession, pleading with the Lord, over the baby boy’s life was observed closely by his servants and undoubtedly Bathsheba as well, who was experiencing her own sorrow and grief.

There always seems to be at least one person who comes into our life that is willing to ask tough questions.  It’s in the response to this servant’s question “why” that we see David’s consolation.  All the actions prior to the child’s death were attempts to change the course of life for the innocent child; yet when the child passed there was no longer any hope that he would be cuddled, nurtured and grow up as any other child.

Here’s the origin of his consolation; “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”  David understood there would come a day when they would be able to be reunited in eternity.  That was his HOPE.  It’s ours as well.  For those who have passed beyond the sacred veil of death into the Presence of the Lord, we can have assurance that we can “go to” them.  Faith in Christ as Lord and Savior is the only way by which we can have that assurance and experience that reality.

In the midst of his consolation, David was able to be a source of comfort to Bathsheba as well.  After having heard Nathan’s prophetic declaration, we see a prophetic name attributed to David & Bathsheba’s son; Solomon, which means “peaceable”.   Nathan, for some unknown reason is give opportunity to name the child and opts of Jedidiah, which means “beloved of the Lord”.  The name given by David is the one that we hear from this point in history as being David’s heir to the throne.  In fact there were no uninterrupted times of peace during Solomon’s reign in Israel.

For those who need to initiate the process of confrontation, confession, contrition and consolation; remember when you follow through, the Lord will give you a “word” as He did David.  Be faith and know that He is faithful!