2 Samuel 12:24-31
Jim Corley met his friend, Alex, at the dealership where
Alex worked.
“Jim, I feel like a hypocrite every time I go to church
because I fail to live for Christ so often.”
“Alex, what do you call this part of the dealership?” Jim
asked, nodding to the area outside his cubicle.
“You mean the showroom?”
“Yes. And what’s behind the showroom, past the parts
counter?
“The service department, ” Alex said confidently.
“What if I told you I didn’t want to bring my car to the
service department because it was running rough,” Jim
asked.
“That would be crazy! That’s the whole point of service
departments—to fix cars that aren’t running right.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Jim replied. “Now, let’s get back
to our initial conversation. Instead of thinking of church
as a showroom where image is everything, start thinking
of it as God’s service department. Helping people get
back in running order with God is what the church is all
about.”
Source: Choice Contemporary Stories and Illustrations For Preachers, Teachers, and Writers, Craig
Brian Larson
Last time we talked about David’s response to God’s
discipline.
Even though God forgave David there was still a
consequence for his actions. The death of his baby.
Today we are going to talk about the restoration that
results from God’s forgiveness.
2 Samuel 12:24-31
After David repented of his sin against God and God
forgave him, God restored David personally and
professionally.
First, let’s take a look at how God restored David
personally.
2 Samuel 12:24-25
God Renews a Marriage
David and Bathsheba’s relationship did not start off in a
manner that pleased the Lord. They were both married to
other people.
They both committed adultery and David also committed
murder. Chapter 11 ends with these words – The thing
that David had done displeased the Lord.
But here is the amazing thing about God.
When we truly repent of our sin God puts it away.
Let’s take a look at a few verses that remind us of this
truth.
Let’s start with David’s confession in
Psalm 32:5
“I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Selah
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.”
Psalm 103:12
“as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”
Back to 2 Samuel 12:24
David comforts his wife Bathsheba.
This is the first time since she appeared in the story that
she is not called the wife of Uriah.
David comforted her.
Remember after David had Uriah killed he did not
comfort her. He left her to grieve by herself.
This time was different.
I think the difference is in the repentance.
David received the Lord’s discipline and now His
forgiveness.
I believe God comforted David and then David was able
to comfort his wife with the same comfort he received
from the Lord. This comes from 2 Corinthians 1:3-6
David and Bathsheba knew each other and she bore a
son.
The Son God Promised
This is the son that God had promised David when David
was trying to build a temple for the Lord.
God told David that he would not allow him to build the
temple because he had spilt too much blood on the earth,
but he would have a son who would be a man of rest.
Solomon would build the temple for God.
The name Solomon means peaceable and is very similar
to the Hebrew word Shalom which means peace.
Next, notice that the Scripture says that God loved
Solomon.
The Son God Loved
David was known as a man after God’s own heart but
God loved Solomon.
Verse 25 tells us that the Lord sent the prophet Nathan
to tell David to call his on Jedidiah because of the Lord.
Jedidiah means loved by the Lord.
Because of David’s genuine repentance God restored a
marriage and provided a child.
Isn’t it incredible what God can do when a family puts
Him first!
God renewed David and Bathsheba’s marriage, but that
wasn’t the only result of God’s forgiveness.
2 Samuel 12:26-31
God Restores a King
If you read this account in I Chronicles 20 it starts off like
this
“In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to
battle…
This is the same way chapter 11 begins in 2 Samuel.
The point being. David should have been at war.
Nevertheless, Joab was fighting the battle for David.
Joab’s Loyalty
Joab has taken over the most important part of the city
of Rabbah, the part that protected their water supply.
Without water a city cannot survive.
Rather than taking credit for himself, Joab sends word to
David to gather the rest of the troops and finish off the
Ammonites at Rabbah.
David’s Victory
David came from Jerusalem to Rabbah and finished the
fight.
God restored David to his professional position as king
because He accepted his repentance.
David took the crown of the king of Rabbah.
The Scripture says it weighed a talent which is about 75
lbs.
Can you imagine wearing a 75 lb crown on your head?
Commentators are unsure whether David took the whole
crown or just the jewel that was in the crown.
David Deals with the Ammonites
Commentators are also split on how they think David
handled the Ammonites.
Some think David put them to hard labor like he did to
many others he defeated. Others think that he killed the
people in a cruel way because of the verse about passing
through the brick kiln.
Based on what I know of David’s character, I find it
difficult to believe that he would treat his enemy that
way.
Think of how David wouldn’t lay a hand on Saul when he
was in the cave.
APPLICATION
What is God teaching us from today’s text?
Today is all about the restoration that happens when God
forgives our sin.
He blots out our sin and remembers it no more.
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Receive and Believe God’s Forgiveness
Once we confess our sins God forgives them.
Sometimes the enemy continues to bring them up over
and over again – don’t believe him.
Satan is a liar.
God is the truth!
Who will you believe?