“Thou Art The Man”

Facing the Consequences of Sin

Psalm 32 and Psalm 51 reiterated David’s sin and contrition

2 Samuel 12

Summary: The story of David's sin and the consequences he faced after being confronted by Nathan the prophet for his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah.

Application: This passage reminds us that even great leaders are not above God's law and can face severe consequences for their sins. It encourages us to take responsibility for our actions and seek forgiveness and restoration. More responsibility means more accountability. Appearance of evil avoid (1 Thes 5:22)

Big Idea: Facing the consequences of sin requires acknowledging or confession, repentance, accountability, and seeking forgiveness. It ultimately points to the need for a Savior who offers true restoration through his sacrifice.

1. Nathan’s Parable

Nathan’s Parable defines David’s sin.

2 Samuel 12:1–6 “Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.””

Nathan's parable to David serves not just as a confrontation but as an act of grace, like the convincing ministry of the Holy Spirit it serves in leading David to acknowledge his sin.

This underscores the big idea that facing sin begins with recognizing it, often we do not define sin properly. Let us not become familiar with falling short of God’s glory. We justify the fact that we are sinners, so we sin. Or simply we don’t even recognize that what we often do is a transgression to the royal law of love (James 2:8) Some use “liberty as an occasion to sin (1Peter 2:16), or worse their liberty causes another weaker brother to stumble (1 Corinthians 8:9).

The Holy Spirit gently leads us to confess (acknowledge) our sin or “say the same thing” (1 John 1:9).

The parable Nathan uses to confront David illustrates how sin blinds us to our own faults while we easily recognize them in others.

2. “Thou art the man”

2 Samuel 12:7–12 “Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’”

Thou art the man. The harsh reality with sin is its consequences. Responsibility comes with accountability. When it comes to sin there are no innocent sins, that is the lie of Satan. Numbers 32:23 says, “But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.” Or Luke 12:2 “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.”

After declaring judgment on Nathan’s “rich man” David was going to find out his own judgement from the Lord. It was going to be trouble for David’s house. Treatment like he gave to Uriah. David destroyed one man’s house, now God was going to give David the same treatment.

Sword here speaks of fighting in David’s family. His sons were going to rebel and disrupt his kingdom. What was a sin done in secret was going to be known throughout the kingdom.

Nathan makes a direct confrontation of David with his sin. This moment of conviction is crucial for repentance. Confrontation with conviction brings the sinner to a place where God can work repentance. God speaks to the heart with a two-edged sword discerning motive and intent. This is grace in action.

3. Confession and Consequences

David confesses his sin with immediate forgiveness 1 John 1:9 and the restoration of fellowship, but there are consequences for disobedience.

2 Samuel 12:13–15 “So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” Then Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill.”

Confession - Agreeing with God. Agree quickly (Mt 5:25). 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” “Confess” in greek is ὁμολογέω homologeo - to agree, admit something is true, to say the same thing. It means in practice to hear God’s conviction and agree that it is true. We are to have the same opinion of sin as God does.

Received forgiveness. It reads, “the Lord has put away your sin”. The beautiful part of confession is forgiveness. This is necessary in order for us to stay in fellowship with God. He is the Faithful and Just One Who has made a way to exercise forgiveness. It is God’s’ method for us to maintain our integrity as His redeemed. He has dealt with our sin on the cross, we come to Him for forgiveness.

However, there are tangible consequences of sin. Fellowship restored David now must face the results on earth of hurting someone’s life. For us it may be restoration of something stolen or making some wrong done right. Here David is faced with the consequence of giving the enemies of God a reason to blaspheme. God took that young child home early as a testimony of the severity of sin.

4. Contrition and Abiding

David prayed and fasted while there was hope for the child. Once God took the child David returned to his life still with hope of the promise.

2 Samuel 12:16–23 “David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!” When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

Observe David's response to the consequences of his sin, God told him he would lose the child born of adultery. David heard the proclamation but spent days fasting, praying, and eventual accepting God's judgment. Believers can learn a valuable lesson here. Pray hard while it is still day. The answers to pray can be an immediate yes. It can be a yes in the future, but it also can be a no.

There is a handy acronym P.U.S.H. - pray until something happens. David prayed until something happened and then he got on with life. God’s answers may not be what we want, but they are always according to His perfect will.

When it comes time to move heaven don’t forget to push.

5. Return to the Covenant

2 Samuel 12:24-25

God made an unconditional promise to David in 2 Samuel 7

A House, a royal family

A Kingdom, one that would last forever

A “Son of David” that would sit on this throne forever

David needed a son and Solomon was born, in Hebrew שְׁלֹמֹה‎ (šĕlōmōh) “loved by God” or Solomon.

The general meaning behind the root š-l-m is of completion and fulfillment—of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship. (TWOT)

God was getting on with His plan and even Solomon’s name suggests the grace of restoration following repentance. A renewal of hope for the Davidic Covenant and the coming of the true Son of David, Jesus.

The root word in Hebrew is שָׁלוֹם shalom - peace, prosperity, success, welfare, state of health, friendliness, deliverance, salvation. Shalom has a lot of meanings, but they all center on the idea of peace. Solomon was a peace that would allow God to bring to us the Prince of Peace.

6. Conquest a Lesson from the Beginning at the End

2 Samuel 12:26–28 “Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply. Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name.””

In 2 Samuel 11:1 David had sent Joab to war with the people of Ammon and besiege Rabbah while he stayed behind (and got in a lot of trouble). After sin and repentance and heartache and restoration, God was calling David to fight once again. God is going to use David, despite his flaws

1 Chr 2:13-16 tells us that Joab was David’s nephew, son of David’s sister Zeruiah. He was David’s general, and he was winning the fight, but he wanted David to come and claim the victory. It was important for David to take to the field, to get back in the fight, to get back on the horse.

2 Samuel 12:29–31 “So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. Then he took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance. And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.”

Joab calls David to finish the battle. David wasn’t there at the start of the fighting but he’s there now and he will finish it. David is restored to the fight.

Don’t let sin take you out of the fight. Like David, it may cost you something, but get up by grace and get back in the fight. Someone needs you fighting on the frontline.