A Heart Like His

So, this man David, how we've come to love him! In these chapters, we see some of the very virtues God is referring to when He tells us that David is a man after His own heart. Let's consider a few of these virtues together...

Justice and Righteousness (2 Sam 8). God chose to leave a remnant of the Moabite army, two-thirds of the army was marked-off and killed after David had defeated them. I wonder if this is because God's ultimate goal is for them to come to Him? Killing them all would result in extinction (relatively speaking), but saving a portion would give opportunity for them to share with their children about the God of Israel being like no other and offering salvation to them. He is righteous in judgement. You see? God serves justice, but is also righteous in doing so. He tells us that a Branch of David is coming Who "shall execute judgement and righteousness in all the earth."

Kind, loving, accepting, restoring, welcoming (2 Sam 9). Jonathan had died, and certainly David's arrival at the throne was shadowed by the death of his faithful friend. David longed to show honor to the family of Saul, on his behalf and sought to find a relative. Mephibosheth was his name, son of Jonathan. David didn't just bring him in for a minute, but for a lifetime! Jonathan's son had a permanent seat at the royal table as part of the family, and inherited all that was Saul's. You see? God chose us, long before we chose Him. He sought us out to honor us, and break the chains of reproach over our lives.

Protective, sympathetic, defensive of His own (2 Sam 10). David's men had been humiliated! The mis-led king of Amnon had ordered that their beards be half-shaven, their robes be cut off at the buttocks, and for them to be sent back home in their shame. When David heard of this, he sent messengers to meet his servants and to minister to them. After giving battle orders to Joab, verse 17 says it was David himself who went into battle for his men! He fiercely defended their honor. You see? God does the same for us. Hebrews tells us that Christ is able to sympathize with us in every way. And, certainly you remember that we've read where God Himself fights the battle for His own? Do the words "giant hailstones" or "sun stood still" or "Red Sea" ring any bells? God fights on behalf of His people, fiercely protecting and defending them from the evil one.

Now the bad news......even a man like David can fall (2 Sam 11). And you've heard it said "the bigger they are, the harder they fall". God's word tells us to keep our heart with all diligence, because it is very wicked and will lead you astray. David's sin with Bathsheba may be one of the most controversial Bible stories, at the very least one of the most talked about. No matter what you believe about whether David should have been at war with his men, or Bathsheba shouldn't have been on the roof that time of day, or David shouldn't have sent for her, or Bathsheba even having a choice in responding to the King....the fact is that they committed adultery. And then in covering for it, David committed murder. He stole a man's wife, and lied about it to all. Can God still use him? Let's read on...

Talk about a well-timed fairy tale! (2 Sam 12:1-15) The prophet Nathan came to David and shared what the Lord had revealed to him. He used a story about a rich man with hundreds of sheep, who chose to prepare dinner for a guest using the only lamb, and family pet, of a poor man. David was so angry, and demanded justice be served! Nathan then pointed to David as that man.....the anger faded and the realization slipped in. David was convicted immediately, and confessed that he had sinned against the Lord. This is where the most heartbreaking words come for me, Nathan says "by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme". God forbid it that we should ever give great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to mock Him! God help us to keep our hearts with diligence, and guard our thoughts, words and deeds.

Heartbreak and Healing (2 Sam 12:16-31). Who can understand the consequence of sin? God alone is just. David's son, conceived in the adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, would die. David mourned, and grieved, and cried out to the Lord for his son's life for seven days. Rest assured, God heard his prayers and they were not in vain. When David realized that the child was gone, he says some of the most comforting words in scripture that anyone who has lost an unborn baby or young child can hear, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." One day, they would be reunited. In the meantime, God blessed David and Bathsheba with a son named Solomon.

To be continued...