The Life of David: 2 Samuel 12

Hypocrite is defined, a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not : behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel.

What do you think of when you hear the word hypocrite?

What do you think of when you hear the word hypocrite?

The word hypocrite originated in the Greek, meaning a stage actor or pretender. In Greek plays, the actor would wear a large mask and interpret the story from behind the mask. When they changed the mask, they played a new part.

Why is hypocrisy damaging to the Christian’s witness?

Today, we will see how David’s hypocrisy came to light and the consequences that followed.

Background

After years of success as king over Israel, David made a huge mistake, he willingly sinned and threatened his leadership in the Kingdom of Israel.

What sin/s did David commit?

What caused him to give into temptation?

When the other kings went out to war, David decided to stay home. Scripture does not tell us why, but the consequences were obvious. Because of his laziness, he committed adultery, murdered his friend, and experienced great shame.

After sleeping with Bathsheba, David foolishly involved Joab in the process of killing Uriah, Bathsheba’s wife. This dubious indiscretion marked the rest of his life.

David’s sin did not immediately come to light. Scholars agree there was about a year between and 12. However, in God’s deep love for David, He sent someone to confront David in love.

How did David act like a hypocrite?

Story

By this point in David’s life, Bathsheba gave birth to their lovechild. They tried to adjust to a new normal. She learned to love her new husband. He adapted to life with her and the new baby.

Then one day the prophet Nathan comes to meet with David. The last time he came, he told David he would not build God a temple.

How David feel during this time?

How David feel during this time?

What do you think David thought when he saw the prophet?

ne day the prophet Nathan comes to meet with David.

Surely feelings of guilt overwhelmed him. He had to wonder, what does the prophet want? Pleasantly surprised, Nathan did not utter the names of Bathsheba or Uriah. The words adultery and murder are noticeably absent.

Instead, Nathan told a story of a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had wealth, cows, sheep, and property. The poor man had nothing but a small ewe lamb, an unweaned female sheep.

Every where the poor man went, poor man went, poor man went, every where the poor man went, the lamb was sure to go. That is until the rich man decided he wanted the poor man’s lamb.

He took the lamb, slaughtered it, and ate it, leaving the poor man with nothing.

What did Nathan’s story symbolize?

How did David react to the parable?

David was livid. How could a wealthy man take from someone who obviously had nothing. David’s words drip with hypocrisy. However, his righteous indignation blinded him from the truth of the story.

Before allowing Nathan to speak, he sentenced the rich man to death. Someone so selfish did not deserve to live. Then, the Prophet Nathan had a decision to make, risk the king’s wrath or speak the truth in love.

He chose honesty and called David out for his hypocritical attitude. Speaking for God, he confronted David with a series of statements and questions.

God saved him from the wrath of Saul and gave him all of Israel. If that was not enough, God would have given him much more. The Lord wondered why David despised His word and committed adultery and murder.

After delivering God’s word, Nathan had to explain the consequences to David.

2 Samuel 12:10–12 NKJV

10 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.’ 11 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. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ”

After delivering God’s word, Nathan had to explain the consequences to David. Because David killed Uriah, the sword, rebellion, and strife will never leave his family. All of Israel will witness fall of the House of David.

What did Nathan risk by speaking to David?

What can we learn from Nathan about confronting someone in sin?

When done with the right attitude, timing, and in love, speaking the truth in love to someone in sin can produce the right result.

How did David respond?

Though David could have had Nathan killed, he repented. He admitted his sins and trusted God for His mercy. Thankfully, God who is rich in mercy, did not disappoint.

Where David deserved death, God intervened. He forgave his sin, but the consequences still existed. The consequences of David’s sin was death. However, his death might have destroyed the nation.

Furthermore, according to verse fourteen in the New King James Version, David gave the enemies a reason to blaspheme or scorn the Lord. Noticing David’s genuine repentance, the prophet Nathan went home.

Soon after the baby became ill. David fasted and prayed for God to heal the baby. For seven days, those in his house tried to get him to eat with them and he refused.

Finally, after a week, someone came to David and told him the baby died. When we think of the loss of the child, we must remember two things.

First, David lived before Jesus died on the cross. Grace was not easily accessible like it is today. Second, David’s family experienced tragedies and sadness for the remainder of David’s life. Therefore, God kept the baby safe with Him.

Second,

After hearing of the fate of his child, David got changed and went to the House of the Lord/the Tabernacle to worship.

What was in the Tabernacle?

What does David’s decision to worship God tell us about his spiritual condition?

During his time before the Ark of the Covenant, David worshipped the Lord, writing a Psalm.

:10-12

Notice David’s request in verses ten through twelve. He asked the Lord to create in him a clean heart. David’s prayer centered on what God can do, not in David’s strength or power.

David experienced the presence of God before when they moved the Ark, now he begs God to allow him to stay in His presence. The thought of losing the Holy Spirit was too much for him.

Therefore, He sought God to restore to Him the joy of God’s salvation. God answered His prayer. Even though David endured difficult consequences for his sin, the Lord forgave him.

Application

Temptation, sin, and hypocrisy remain constant throughout the ages. David’s time and circumstances differ from ours. One major difference is the work of the cross.

When David sinned, Nathan confronted him. He confessed to the prophet. To return to God’s presence, he had to physically go before the Ark.

God still uses people to help us realize our need of repentance. However, today the Holy Spirit works in everyone, not just a few selected people like a prophet or priest.

Therefore, we do not have to go to someone to confess or go to a place to be in God’s presence.

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 NKJV

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

In David’s day, God dwelt in physical tabernacles/temples. In our time, we are temples of the Holy Spirit. The significance of this truth should affect the way we live.

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 NKJV

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Why is it important to understand we are temples of Holy Spirit?

When it comes to temptation and sin, we often worry what people might think if they find out the evil choice we made. However, we should have a deeper concern.

We have to ask ourselves, do we want to expose God to our sin?

He lives in us through the Holy Spirit. We are His temple. He is always with us. He is always watching. He knows everything about us. We can learn from David’s mistake and depend on the Holy Spirit for help.

What should we do when the enemy tempts us?

If we give into temptation, who is the first to know?

How should we respond when we sin?

What

What do we do if someone we love is in sin?

We need to keep in mind, how often do I expose God to sin through my actions and lifestyle?

Challenge

Spend time in the presence of God.

Ask the Holy Spirit for help in temptation.

Determine not to live a double life of hypocrisy.

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