Year of the Bible: Part Five of Twelve Minta

The Consequences of David’s Sin

The trajectory of David’s kingdom changed one afternoon when he chose to stay home from battle. He saw Bathsheba bathing, and his choices in the following moments set his family and kingdom in disarray. Like Saul, one terrible decision had dire consequences for David, but there was one key difference.

David Pawson speculates that David wrote about his feelings of guilt in the Psalms. He knew he had done wrong, and when Nathan the prophet confronted him, he admitted it and asked God to forgive him and restore him to a renewed relationship. David’s heart posture mattered.

The son born out of the affair between Bathsheba and David was stricken with illness due to sin. God told David that the child would die, but David fasted and pleaded with the Lord to show mercy. David did not lament when God’s word was fulfilled and the child died. He went to the presence of God, fell on his face, and worshipped. Instead of shaking his fist at God in anger, he worshipped. Instead of defending himself to God and the people, he worshipped.

As a man after God’s heart, David knew that God was on His side, always a champion of His calling, and should have struck him dead because of his sin. God knew that David’s repentance was pure. Can you imagine the sadness God felt as He dealt out this consequence? It wasn’t supposed to be this way. David’s household suffered: his children were a mess, and the people questioned the fate of the monarchy.

In the face of this destruction, God graciously responded to David’s worship with blessing: Bathsheba conceived again, and the son born was Solomon. The result of a humble, repentant heart was a son of peace and eventually the Messiah coming from David’s line. God did not remove consequences, but He fulfilled His promises despite David’s choices.

We all have sinned. Our response to the consequences of our sins often reveals our heart’s character. Saul chose to defend and justify his sin. David was a man after God’s heart. He confessed, repented, and believed God would forgive and restore him. His worship did not remove the consequence, but it kept him in a relationship with God.

Question: How do you respond to the consequences of your failures?

Prayer: Take some time to talk with God about how you respond to failures. If you have blamed Him, talk that through. If you have been unable to forgive yourself, ask Him for the power to forgive yourself. If you have been so bitter and focused on the consequences that you have not been able to move forward in God’s purposes for your life, ask Him to show you how to move forward in the life He has for you today. He is the restorer of hearts that are turned toward Him. Turn toward Him today.