The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to David.
It was out of mercy that the Lord sent Nathan to David, much as when he sent an angel to Balaam (Numbers 22:31-35). It’s worth noting that there are not different prophets depending on the message to be delivered as with messengers (2 Samuel 18:19-20). While in 2 Samuel 7:4-5 it was good news, here it could have been at the cost of his life. May I faithfully deliver your message regardless of the outcome, Lord (2 Timothy 4:1-2).
Nathan went to him and said, “There were two men who lived in the same town; one was rich and the other poor. The rich man had many cattle and sheep, while the poor man had only one lamb, which he had bought. He took care of it, and it grew up in his home with his children. He would feed it some of his own food, let it drink from his cup, and hold it in his lap. The lamb was like a daughter to him. One day a visitor arrived at the rich man’s home. The rich man didn’t want to kill one of his own animals to fix a meal for him; instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared a meal for his guest.”
I believe Nathan had to determine for himself the best way to confront David – the best way to break through the emotional and spiritual barriers that had formed within him (Psalm 51:1-5; Isaiah 59:2) and to expose the tender heart of a shepherd that was always there (1 Samuel 16:10-13). Please help me, Lord, to be more creative / effective in communicating with others.
David became very angry at the rich man and said, “I swear by the living Lord that the man who did this ought to die! For having done such a cruel thing, he must pay back four times as much as he took.”
“You are that man,” Nathan said to David.
Wow. David did not see that coming! The impact could not have been greater. An arrow straight to his heart.
“And this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I made you.. and rescued you… I made you… If this had not been enough, I would have given you twice as much. Why, then, have you disobeyed my commands? Why did you do this evil thing?
How this strikes fear in me! You have done so much for me, Father – I have lacked for nothing all these years in the desert. Examine and test me, that I may follow you ever closer (Psalm 139:23-24).
“You had Uriah killed in battle; you let the Ammonites kill him, and then you took his wife! Now, in every generation some of your descendants will die a violent death because you have disobeyed me and have taken Uriah’s wife.”
The terrible and enduring consequences of sexual sin. Rueben certainly comes to mind here (Genesis 35:22; Deuteronomy 33:6). So much pain for satisfying a passion so brief! Please continue to guard my heart and protect me, Lord.