Have you done something bad and had someone come with a message from higher up? Was it a message of chastisement? Was the message wrapped in a parable? Did you recognize the meaning of the message or did the messenger have to point it out?
There are times when we will speak in parables or in generalities when attempting to correct someone’s behavior. We may provide an example of something that had happened some time in the past that refers to the present. We do it so as to tactfully rebuke bad behavior.
God sent Nathan to David to let him know that he had done wrong. Not only that he had done wrong, but that his wrong was egregious and displeasing to God. Nathan told a parable to David, which upset David. He saw the injustice immediately and wanted to know who it was who had committed it. David was ready to punish the offender harshly.
Nathan tells David that he is the offender. He then chastises David with God’s reminder that he had rescued David, rewarded David with possessions, and elevated him to king over Israel. God even states that if what he had given David was not enough, he would have given David more. But because David had sent Uriah to his death because of Bathsheba, David would not have the sword removed from his house.
We may think David’s story has no effect on us. Yet, we can learn from it. Just as God punished David for his actions, we can expect God to punish us for bad behavior. It may not be as severe as David’s punishment. Since God is just, his punishment will be proportional to our wrongdoing. To avoid God’s punishment, we should seek God’s guidance in all we do.
I pray we all seek to avoid God’s punishment. I pray we seek God’s guidance for our lives. I pray each one of us learn a lesson from David and follow Jesus’ example for living our lives. God punishes wrongdoing. Seek God’s guidance. Follow Jesus’ example.
2 Samuel 11:27b – 12:1a But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord, and the Lord sent Nathan to David.
Marty Pressey 