Natural Consequences . . . Or

Or Supernatural punishment? I think there’s a bit of both in the aftermath of David’s sinning situation surrounding the Bathsheba incident. If we look back for a moment at 2 Samuel 12:9-13, we see God’s pronouncement of judgment and His pronouncement of forgiveness.

Starting in verse 10 (in the CJB) the punishment/consequences of the sins and the forgiveness are told to David by God, through Nathan the prophet:

“Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house – because you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own wife. Here is what ADONAI says, ‘I will generate evil against you out of your own household. I will take your wives before your very eyes and give them to your neighbor; he will go to bed with your wives, and everyone will know about it. For you did it secretly, but I will do this before all Israel in broad daylight.’ David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against ADONAI.’ Nathan said to David, ‘ADONAI also has taken away your sin. You will not die.’”

There’s the playing out of earthly judgment (you might say natural consequences) and the proclamation of a spiritual redemption – “You will not die.” Of course God did not mean David would never physically die – a spiritual death is being addressed here. But, ahh, the consequences would come.

In 2 Samuel 13, we see the beginnings of this judgment being played out in David’s household. First David’s first-in-line son for king, Amnon, connives so that he can rape his half sister, Tamar. Tamar happens to be Absalom’s full sister (additional children of David). There’s several background issues going on in these events, but one is that Absalom is angered and he plots to murder Amnon when Amnon would not expect it. The deed is carried out two years later, and David is down one more son – by the sword, as God indicated would happen.

As 2 Samuel continues there will be further accounts of God’s judgment being unleashed in the physical realm regarding David’s household. The killing by the sword is not over.

I know I like to pretend that once God forgives my sins, everything will work out hunky-dory. Yet, in this example, we see the consequences of sin, as designated by God, being carried out in the lives of people. This challenges me to not be cavalier about my salvation. That is a spiritual event. My actions (i.e. sins) in this life may have natural consequences in agreement with God’s ordained patterns set down throughout time and throughout the Scriptures.

I’m not sure in my thinking about whether all natural consequences for my sinful behavior are direct punishment from God or not. I just need to remember that in God’s economy, sin will have punishments or consequences, even as He forgives me and guarantees my salvation on an eternal spiritual basis.

Belief vs. Trust

In 2 Samuel 11 and 12 we again see the contrast between King Saul and King David. God left Saul in that when Saul decided not to turn to God, “God left him” (1 Samuel 16:14). However, with David, even when he committed grave sins, God did not leave him. What was different about these two men?

It wasn’t that David believed in God and Saul didn’t. They both acknowledged God’s existence. They both seemed to have a healthy understanding of God’s nature, character, and sovereignty. They both believed in God. Yet we have Scripture telling us that God left Saul. We need to remember that the Holy Spirit wasn’t available to Old Testament people. So in 1 Samuel 16 where it says that God’s spirit left him, it wasn’t talking about the Holy Spirit leaving Saul’s internal being. It means that God pulled back his blessings and support for Saul’s endeavors.

The next question is why did God not pull back from David after he sinned? It’s simply a difference in trusting versus believing. David repented and placed his trust in God for his redemption. Saul tried to bargain with God and perform sacrifices without a contrite heart. So, even though David committed adultery and murder, right standing with God was returned to him. (You can read David’s confession to God for these sins in Psalm 51).

So is “belief” enough to gain salvation? We need to be careful what we mean by “belief.” “Belief is the level of relationship between God and His created beings that even the demons possess. Belief is merely acknowledgment of God’s existence . . . but belief does not include appropriate worship of Him or response to Him” (Bradford). So what are the missing ingredients? Trust and a complete reliance on God in every aspect of our lives. “Trust is when we allow belief to turn to God-centered inner transformation of our hearts . . . that then produces obedience” (Bradford).

I think I know some people who believe in God, but have not fully allowed God to transform their lives. Are they “believers” then? I’m not pretending to know what is in the heart of every man. I don’t know the extent of their relationship with God. I think this is a question each individual has to ask of themselves. I think it’s an urgent question. Believing is not enough. Fully worship and trust in the Almighty God is the way to salvation.

God's Gifts

Appointments, Mother’s Day, Birthdays. These things kept me from spending a lot of time in Bible study prep this week. As a result, there is a lot left to study in 2 Samuel 12 for this coming week. I did, however, undergo a bit of conviction this week from verse 8.

In chapter 11, David committed adultery and murder. God saw it as evil (as we should). In Chapter 12, God dishes out His reproof and sentence for David’s evil. In verses 7- 8 in the CJB it says,

Here is what Adonai, the God of Isra’el says; ‘I anointed you king over Isra’el. I rescued you from the power of [Saul]. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives to embrace. I gave you the house of Isra’el and the house of [Judah]. And if that had been too little, I would have added to you a lot more.

Basically, according to the various commentators, God is saying, I gave you wonderful gifts, all you could ever want, but it wasn’t enough for you. David still wanted something that wasn’t his to have. He wanted Bathsheba despite all that God had given him and would give him if David had asked.

Tom Bradford in his study of 2 Samuel gives us a warning. We are not much different than David. David desired good gifts that God did not intend for him to have. I’ve done the same thing. God distributed gifts of the Spirit to us. Each person handpicked by God for the gifts, talents, abilities He’s intended for them to have. Yet we, at least I know I have, desired other gifts – or to not have the ones I do have. Some people want the “showy” gifts: teaching, leadership, generous giving, and performing miracles. But the behind the scenes gifts are just as valuable in God’s economy: mercy, hospitality, service. Romans 12:6 in the NASB, says, “And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly.” Instead of pining after other gifts, let us exercise the gifts God has given each of us. 

Just Doing My Job

Have you ever been asked to do something that you knew was wrong? How did you respond? Sometimes it’s a close friend who asks you to lie, or a boss who says to fudge the numbers. Sometimes you may ask someone to cover up for you. I have, in the past, been put into a position to violate my integrity in one way or another. Have you?

We may feel like we are in a tight place, between a rock and a hard place. Either choice you make may bring trouble for you. You might be afraid your boss will fire you if you don’t do it. You might be afraid the boss will put any fallout from the situation on your shoulders. You might think, “I’ll do it just this one time.” The decision should not be as difficult as we try to make it.

It’s about integrity before God and acting as He would want. We need to be careful that we don’t think that the dishonest action is somehow what God wants. He’s given us a guidebook and a guide, but we have to know both in order to get clear direction from God. Whether you initiate the situation by putting someone else in the position of the fall guy, or giving into the pressure from a higher authority to do wrong, you are guilty.

In the 11^th chapter of 2 Samuel we come across a familiar story: David and Bathsheba. However, I never looked closely at the entire story. David chose to go against God’s laws, and then chose to try to hide it. David failed at hiding it by himself, so he brought his army commander into the situation. He directed Joab to set it up so Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, would be mortally injured in battle. Joab went ahead blindly and followed David’s orders. Joab was doing a very unusual thing by putting Uriah in front, closest to the wall of the city they had laid in siege. Uriah was a commander under Joab, and a close contact of David’s. The toughest defenders of the city “went out and fought Joab; a number of people fell, including some of David’s servants, with Uriah the Hittite among the dead” (verse 17). David’s goal of getting rid of Uriah succeeded and that left Bathsheba free to marry.

Not many of us are commanded or paid to kill someone, but we do other things that are unscrupulous so we don’t make waves, or will keep our jobs. We may say, “I’m just doing my job.” Unfortunately, in God’s eyes every party involved in the action is guilty and will receive punishment from God. Our guilt is not erased by not actually doing the questionable action, even as we get someone else to do it. There are two situations in this Scripture passage. 1. David is guilty for trying to cover up his unlawful action, and for arranging for Uriah’s murder. 2. Joab is guilty for carrying out the plan (which he probably knew was fishy since it was not sound military action).

We need to be careful to not use the excuse, “I’m just doing my job,” and have integrity and do what the Bible and the Holy Spirit direct. In order to hear God’s truth, we need to know His truth. That only comes by immersing ourselves daily in the Word of God.

Suspicions and Misunderstandings

Coming to chapter 10 of 2 Samuel, we see some more incidences of battles recorded. These battles happened because of suspicions and misunderstandings. When the king of the Ammonites dies, his son, Hanun, becomes ruler. David sincerely sent a diplomatic detachment to Amon to pay respect and give condolences to Hanun. But Hanun’s advisors said it was all a trick. Let’s read 2 Samuel 10:2b-3 in the CJB:

So David sent his servants to pass him a message of comfort concerning his father. David’s servants entered the territory of the people of ‘Amon; ³ but the leaders of the people of ‘Amon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you really think David is honoring your father by sending people to comfort you? Hasn’t David actually sent his servants to you in order to look the city over, reconnoiter it and overthrow it?”

I was impressed by the fact that governments around the world still get into wars and skirmishes because of perceived threats and suspicions. The hard part is telling when it’s a real threat to the safety of one nation’s people, and when it is not. As I look at the Middle East, I do not begin to understand which perceived threats are real and which are not. What I do understand is that Israel is God-ordained to rule over the Promised Land. How that comes about in its entirety we have yet to see, but in the meantime, we need to remember that God still loves Israel and desires for them to return to all the teachings in the Old Testament. A time will come where everything will happen in Israel. God is not finished with Israel yet.

This challenges my attitudes about Israel’s current political and military condition. They are still trying to deal with the threats from their neighbors. We have seen incidences where those threats were real and carried out (suicide bombers, missile launches into Israeli lands, other things we don’t see readily reported in the news). All we get is accounts of Israel’s responses to those attacks, and Israel is seen as an aggressor. My views have been warped by the current trends in some of the media. I’m adjusting to this new way of thinking. I wish there was a way for Israel to regain the entire Promised Land without wars, skirmishes, violence of any kind, and without being perceived as violating human rights. I can keep praying for that, but these conditions originated long ago when Israel failed to carry out God’s orders to rid the land of other nations. The battle continues today.