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.