(5) The need for the accountability of a friend

Remember that in this day, kings such as David were responsible for hearing court cases and judging them. In chapter 12, Nathan brings David a case to hear – it is not a real one, as we soon find out, but David does not know this. After hearing the case, David responds with his guilty conscience by exclaiming that this man deserves to die. He calls for the man to make fourfold repayment, which is according to the law set down in Exodus, but there is nothing in the law about death. David’s guilt seems to be making him more judgmental. And then Nathan turns it around on David, saying you are the man.”

Notice how Nathan does it. He does not just start with “you are the man.” God is after conviction, not condemnation. Sometimes people just confront in condemnation instead of working for conviction. That just works to put people on the defensive. Nathan gets conviction and repentance, not condemnation.

Who do you have in your life that will tell you the truth? You need to give people you trust permission, because many people will not tell you the truth on their own. And who in your life do you need to tell the truth to, even when no one else will? Take the risk, and be sure to do it with the goal of conviction and repentance, not condemnation.

(6) The certainty of reaping what you have sown

¹⁰ Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' ¹¹ "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. ¹² You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'" ¹³ Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. ¹⁴ But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."

David experiences the tragic results of his actions. His son dies. His family falls apart – in the next chapter, his son Amnon will rape his daughter Tamar, and then his other son Absalom will kill Amnon. Absalom will rebel against his father, and Israel will turn to follow Absalom, causing David to once again have to flee for his life, until finally Absalom is killed.

Remember the law of reaping and sowing:

Galatians 6:7-9 - Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

You can trust that if you stray from God down the slippery slope of sin, you may be able to resist the consequences for awhile, but one day you will reap what you have sown.