II Samuel 12
From David's Journal
Why did God send a prophet to tell the king of his chosen nation a message in story form? God wanted to open my eyes to the great sin I had committed.
I became greedy and took another man's wife. To cover my sin I sent the husband to battle and ordered the captain to place the woman's husband where he would be killed. He, of course, died. Months later,the man's wife gave birth to my child.
And now the baby lay in a bed nearby. The little one had a terrible illness which could kill him. This was the punishment God gave me. The moment I heard of the baby's sickness I fell to the ground, crying, pleading with God for the child life. I lay there on the earth, refusing to get up for food or meeting or conversation.
Oh, Lord, hear my aching heart.
I fasted, devoting every moment to asking God's grace, to change His mind and save the life of the child.
The elders came to me. They tried words to console me, brought food, to get me to get up from the ground. They didn't understand my ache. My need to plead to devote every bit of strength to pleading with the Lord.
Seven days later, servants stood near the room. They whispered softly, but I could tell from the tone that the child had died.
"Is the child dead?" I asked.
"Yes, my lord, he is dead."
I pressed my body up from the earth and stood. God had answered and now I needed to go back to my duties. I washed, anointed myself, changed my clothes to present myself clean before the Lord and walked to the house of the Lord and worshiped Him for a long time.
Praise your Name, oh Lord my God.
I didn't dance, but I sang and praised Him with my whole heart. After a time I walked back to my house and asked for food. My servants hurried to the kitchen and brought me something to eat right away.
The servant's eyes had grown wide, as if surprised. He said, "I don't understand. You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died you got up from the ground and ate food."
"While the child was alive," I said, "I fasted and cried to God. I said to myself, 'Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live?' But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he will not come back to me.
I went to my wife, Bathesheba, and comforted her.
This is a Psalm I have sung. You call it Psalm 19
How clearly the sky reveals God's glory!
How plainly it shows what he has done!
Each day announces it to the following day;
each night repeats it to the next.
No speech or words are used,
no sound is heard;
yet their message[b] goes out to all the world
and is heard to the ends of the earth.
God made a home in the sky for the sun;
it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom,
like an athlete eager to run a race.
It starts at one end of the sky
and goes across to the other.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
How plainly it shows what he has done!
Each day announces it to the following day;
each night repeats it to the next.
No speech or words are used,
no sound is heard;
yet their message[b] goes out to all the world
and is heard to the ends of the earth.
God made a home in the sky for the sun;
it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom,
like an athlete eager to run a race.
It starts at one end of the sky
and goes across to the other.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect;
it gives new strength.
The commands of the Lord are trustworthy,
giving wisdom to those who lack it.
The laws of the Lord are right,
and those who obey them are happy.
The commands of the Lord are just
and give understanding to the mind.
Reverence for the Lord is good;
it will continue forever.
The judgments of the Lord are just;
they are always fair.
They are more desirable than the finest gold;
they are sweeter than the purest honey.
They give knowledge to me, your servant;
I am rewarded for obeying them.
it gives new strength.
The commands of the Lord are trustworthy,
giving wisdom to those who lack it.
The laws of the Lord are right,
and those who obey them are happy.
The commands of the Lord are just
and give understanding to the mind.
Reverence for the Lord is good;
it will continue forever.
The judgments of the Lord are just;
they are always fair.
They are more desirable than the finest gold;
they are sweeter than the purest honey.
They give knowledge to me, your servant;
I am rewarded for obeying them.
None of us can see our own errors;
deliver me, Lord, from hidden faults!
Keep me safe, also, from willful sins;
don't let them rule over me.
Then I shall be perfect
and free from the evil of sin.
deliver me, Lord, from hidden faults!
Keep me safe, also, from willful sins;
don't let them rule over me.
Then I shall be perfect
and free from the evil of sin.
May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer!
O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer!
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photo courtesy of visualbibleimages.com scripture from the Good News Translation
1. Who had God sent to speak with David.
2. What sin did David do?
3. When the baby became sick, what did David do?
4. Who tried to comfort him?
5. What happened to the baby?
6. When David heard the news what did he do?
7. David's servants were surprised when he asked for food. David gave this explanation:
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