2 Samuel 12 (Part 1) Bible Study | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Good evening, get to see you here again tonight.

And if you've been with us in the past few weeks, you know,

exactly where we are in the scriptures.

If you do not know where we are tonight, we are in a study in

the book of second, Samuel and the Lord has led us in his

timing with the pace that we trust.

His spirit is using for us to understand this book in chapter

12 and second Samuel chapter 12 is where we are today.

2 Samuel 12 · chapter mention

And as, you know, usually what we do is we'll read a portion of

this chapter or of a chapter, and then I will open it up for

us to give our insights our observations.

But for the sake of this study, we're going to read through

these verses. And I will ask questions along

as we go along with our time tonight, verse by verse, but we

will still read it together. And tonight, we will most likely

just cover the first five or six.

Has it is a lengthy chapter as you can see, but we will take

our time not knowing how much time, but we will take our time

to try to allow the word of God, to make an impact on our hearts,

as we digest, the meat of God's word.

Are you there with me and second Samuel, 12, There we are in

verse 1. Here's what God's word says to

us tonight. And the Lord sent Nathan to

David. He came to him and said to him,

there were two men in a certain city, the one rich, and the

other poor the rich. Man had very many flocks and

herds, but the poor man had nothing, but one little ewe

lamb, which he had bought and he brought it up, and it grew up

with him. And with his children, a used to

eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his Arms

where the Hebrew was saying his bosom.

And it was like a daughter to him.

Now, there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was

unwilling to take one of his own flock, or herd to prepare for

the guests who had come to him, but he took the poor man's land

and prepared it for the man who had come to him. then David's

anger was greatly kindled against the man and he said to

Nathan as the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves

to die and he shall restore the lam for fold because he did this

thing and because he had no pity, Would you pray with me?

Lord, we ask that you would give us the spirit of wisdom and

Revelation as it is Promised in a fusion one.

We ask Lord that we would experience the enlightenment of

our eyes. Lord, as you touch the minds and

the hearts of your disciples and the Gospel of Luke, we pray that

we would experience that same Grace and Lord may this word get

in us and have its way in US. It may you be glorified not

through just the understanding of it.

But through the obedience that it demands, this is our prayers.

We come as your disciples, your students in this place.

In Jesus name, amen. The last thing that you and I

read in our last week's study, was that David had committed

atrocious crimes and the lord's name was silent in chapter 11

until the very last part of that sacred texts where we learned

that the Lord clearly knew what was going on.

He knew it all along and what David had done displeased the

Lord. Now between the last phrase of

chapter 11 and the beginning of chapter 12, a few months have

passed by and the Lord we can assume was silent in David's

life but now he's going to shake things up.

He's not going to allow David to get away with this.

He's not going to allow sin to just be brushed under the

carpet. The Lord now is going to bring

to the surface with David thought that he had successfully

concealed. And the way in which the Lord

will do this by sending a profit, one of his faithful

Messengers by the name of Nathan.

Now, this is not the first time that you, and I have been

introduced to this man of God. This is the second time.

Does anybody remember where we first were introduced to Nathan

the prophet? It was at another critical point

in David's life. When David wanted to build God,

a temple. Nathan came, gave him the green

light, the Lord spoke to me says wait, go back and tell him that.

He's not going to do it. His son will do it.

And while you're at it, give him these promises that are going to

come through an oath, a covenant.

So before we come to this, we have to realize that Nathan was

sent by God to give good news to David news that would that would

deal with his his seed and the Messiah ultimately in these

wonderful glorious things that David did not.

He was overwhelmed by the grace of God, but Nathan.

I was coming with a different message.

And before we move on with our text, it's important to meditate

on who this person is and the great loyalty that he had to his

God. If to understand for Nathan to

come with this difficult word is not an easy thing.

I'm sure I can speak on behalf of most people who would agree

to say that confrontation is not an enjoyable experience, some

enjoy it for some reason, they enjoy it.

I don't know, maybe gets their blood going.

I don't know what it is, but for the most part, it is

uncomfortable. It is even uncomfortable for the

one who is in the right? And is correcting, the person

who is in the wrong, it requires a great wisdom and courage in

order for it to be done successfully.

And with the least amount of awkwardness as possible.

How much more for Nathan, the prophet, who is not coming

before any ordinary, man, he is approaching more than just a

friend but a king. A king, as we learned last week

through his word can determine whether a man lived or died and

there was no one who can stand up to such a verdict.

This man had unprecedented Authority and ability and this

is the man. Nathan is being sent to to

confront him about his sin and Nathan already received the

Revelation from god of what David had done.

And you know what he did do, you didn't just committed.

Adultery. He killed the husband so that he

can have the woman as a wife. And so here's what would go

through. My mind as a prophet who

received the Revelation from God, I need you to speak today

because he committed adultery and he killed Uriah Lord Uriah.

Uriah Uriah was a godly man. He was a blameless, man.

He was a man of conviction and loyalty to the king and the

kingdom and to the god of the Kingdom, you're telling me David

eliminated Uriah without hesitation.

Here's what we're going through my mind as a prophet.

If David was willing to kill a man like Uriah, what's going to

stop him from putting a knife to my throat, putting my head on

the chopping block. So yes, he received the

revelation of the murder but he is now being commissioned to go

to the murderer. And to speak with such boldness

and courage and fearlessness. And if you and I can't perceive

the potential danger of this Mission, just think about the

roster of prophets. moving forward from this text who have

had to been petrified of coming before kings and we're not

treated as nicely as Nathan was in this text, even all the way

up to the last prophet of the old Covenant, by the name of who

Who's the last Old Testament Prophet?

Good John the Baptist John. The Baptist had a very similar

operation King Herod. Had his brother's wife, John,

the Baptist, spoke up against Herod and guess what happened to

him? You know, he was thrown in jail

and eventually he lost his head. Jeremiah was thrown into

cisterns and here's Nathan. Now wanting to come obediently

to the Lord with the high probability that he probably

will pay for it. So, be careful if you want to be

a spokesperson for God. It's not just about getting

invited to conferences. In fact, the more you are

faithful to God's word the lesson B, you actually get, by

the way. Here's Nathan.

Despite the unfortunate possibilities at hand, we are

told that the Lord sent him and there's no indication of

hesitation, he will go before him and he will speak Faithfully

on behalf of God. Now it's understandable.

Listen, that when we think about radical obedience that our minds

race to the risks of living such a life, but don't limit it to

just the risks if there are Rewards.

And the ultimate reward as we know is bringing a smile to our

god, that is our chief Duty and our Delight.

But second to that is how there is the great chance that we can

be instruments of seeing people's lives changed.

You see, Nathan here by being obedient would be the very means

by which the course of David's. Life would turn for the better

Nathan by being obedient selflessly submitting to what

God had told him to do. Would be the very reason, why

David's conscience would awaken. And that his fellowship with the

Lord would be restored. What if, what, if Nathan

reserved himself what he had step back?

What if you just step back to? This is just too much.

I can't do this. Risking my friendship with this

man more more than that. I'm potentially risking my life.

We don't know what would have happened to David.

I'm sure God would have rate somebody else up, but the point

is see here is in this particular situation.

Nathan is going to see a double reward.

He's going to obey God and he's going to see David obey.

God we can't afford as a ministry as Christians to dilute

the truth for fake Rewards or for self-preservation sake.

There's too much at stake here. And we see that here with David,

where David will actually make a pivotal turn in his life and it

came through a faithful messenger.

But did you notice something else?

In verse 1, we read here that it was the Lord who sent Nathan.

Who initiated the process of reconciliation, David, or God

God. So after some time had passed

though, the Lord was displeased in his heart with what he saw,

David doing the Lord remain silent.

And that is a picture of his patients.

Well, David confess, will he come to his senses?

Will he? Humbled himself and bow before

me and ask for forgiveness and he doesn't, he doesn't So what

is the Lord do? He initiates the plan, he

reaches out to David. He seeks him and he finds him

and he pleads with him through rebuke.

Yes. To confess it to come humbly

before him. And that is an important fact,

to keep in mind for the next few weeks as we will be in this very

chapter because all that we are going to read moving forward.

As Cutthroat as Nathan's, words are going to be as severe as the

consequences will be for David's life, and for his family for the

nation as a whole. Everything was motivated by

divine, grace mercy. Right?

This is the Lord wanting to not destroy David, but restore David

and just like a doctor who sometimes has to bruise in order

to heal. This is the exact way in which

God approaches sinners. The gospel we preach is not

intended to shame. It's not intended to add guilt

and keep people living with that guilt.

It's meant to bring in, it's meant to reach out and to pull

people out of the mire. And the picture here on a very

individual level is magnetized. When we understand who God sent

for Humanity, For David, he sent Nathan for the whole human race.

He sent his son and his son came to a world hiding in darkness.

Not pursuing. God but hiding from God turning

their backs to God, not just week like what Roman says, but

in the same chapter of Romans 5 enemies of God, And this is,

this is when God came and when God sent his son and like a

physician with a cure for a lethal disease, he's better than

any physician you can imagine because we go to the doctor, say

I'm sick, I need help and the doctor may help us, but this

doctor goes out to those who aren't even asking for the help.

And saying I'm here to help you. And that is why you should never

believe the lives Satan, or of the flesh that God is hesitant

to forgive. no matter how repeated the offense may be no

matter how severe the offense, maybe you have to understand

that like a physician who takes great joy in his practice and

finds the greatest reward and seeing people healed this God,

our God finds great Delight in coming to you and binding, you

and providing bomb for you and restoring you And so as you even

in that state of fallenness, you come with the confidence knowing

that the Lord will embrace you and bring what you need to be

exactly who he's called you to be.

And the patience of God again I mentioned it but let me say it

again. The patience of God.

Do we not see this magnetizing in our universe in our world

today, the very reason why the Lord has not crashed through the

skies and 2023 though. We may later this year, I don't

know, I'm not setting any dates but it's because he wants people

to repent. He's waiting for more to come to

their senses and say, I need to be reconciled to my Creator, to

the judge of the universe. And he's prolonging because

here's the thing, when he comes, it's over, there's no Second

Chances, we're not, Universalist where everybody ends up going to

heaven. One day, I know it's becoming

more popular, but it's not biblical when he comes, it's

done. And when I mean, it's done, I

mean, it's done not like we're all.

If you're not in Christ, you're annihilated know, there is a

second death in which you keep dying.

Being in the same way that you and I who are in Christ, will

keep living so God in his great. Kindness is patient because he

has a revelation that evens. Unfortunately, most of his

children understand that eternity is really eternity and

its final So, he sends Nathan, he comes to David.

And he brings a parable, you heard it is, pretty clear,

pretty straightforward. But let me ask you this

question, I'm asking to hear some answers.

Why is it that when Nathan does come to David, that he does

present a story and it's a fictional story.

It's an allegory, it's metaphorical.

I don't believe it's a real incident, but why doesn't Nathan

just Storm Into The King's courts, guns a-blazing, You are

the man you thought you can hide from God.

I come over here. He's found you out.

Why didn't he do that? Yes.

Okay, so he's dealing with somebody who is in a particular

state of the heart in which he can't give proper judgment,

concerning himself. Is that what you're trying to

say? Okay.

Say that again. So the story is a tool to try to

stimulate David to come to his own senses in one way someone

had their hand up over here. Yes.

So, David was a Shepherd before and there is a strategy here to

appeal to the emotions. I believe that is part of it.

Yes. Okay, so there is an aspect of

this, that grabs the attention. A story has a way of grabbing

people's attention. I see the all the time from

standing on this side of the congregation.

The moment you start seeing story people, they lean in,

alright, they lean in that, I'm here.

What is he going to say? Yeah, there is there is a

gripping element to a story. Absolutely.

A lot of hands good. Yes.

Yes. Okay.

So David is not only a Shepherd but he stands in the place of a

judge and the story. Could it be that Nathan is

presenting a scene that would provoke judgment to be made by

David not realizing these actually condemning himself.

Yes. Yeah, you have your hand up.

Very good. Yes.

So just like you we're here on Sundays.

If you're here on Sundays, we know we were going through some

of the Parables of Jesus. And one of the purposes of The

Parables is to position the here, to be honest with

themselves will I inquire more about this truth or lie rejected

and not inquire more? About it.

So there's a pulling factor to this that will entice the honest

heart to come to a conclusion concerning the story in an

unbiased matter, but in reality is actually dealing with the

very audience that it's being presented to you all touched on

it. And you have to understand here

that Nathan is approaching a man who is taken great measures to

cover his sin. Right.

I mean, he went to the point of killing one of his great men.

Nathan is aware of this and so Nathan needs to come with great,

wisdom and discernment in order to find some kind of softness

in. David's heart to lead him to the

place of at least admitting his wrong.

And the way in which he does, this is by providing a technique

that would position David again, to be an observer To be an

observer in essence. What Nathan is doing is he's

confronting his audience in a non-confrontational way.

And so through this story, he causes David to be an observer

and with the specific ingredients within the story to

invoke and to arouse a sense of justice and then hopefully to

make a verdict about this story and essentially cornering

himself. And so this is a tactic this is

a tactic that is important to understand because it disarms

David and not only does it disarm David initially but it

goes further than that it leaves David with no Escape when it is

revealed that he is the very theme of the story because now

David what does he do? The condemnation that he makes

in the story, he makes against himself so it's much more

difficult to take back your word.

Then it is to reject somebody else's word, concerning you.

This is brilliant. This is Holy, Spirit lead.

And here's what we can take, just from asking the question.

Why is Nathan coming with this? Kind of delivery as Believers in

Jesus Christ, part of our responsibility?

Is that you? And I have to correct.

And we have to be open to be corrected, the Church of Jesus

Christ on the earth. One of its primary functions, is

accountability, row Christians are dangerous and they are, they

are not a reality in the New Testament.

To go back to the early church and to meet a Christian who did

not and was not a part of a local assembly was a foreign

concept. When you're a Christian, you're

part of the body of Jesus Christ in a very practical real and

consistent way. And part of that experience is I

need people in my life to correct me and to call me out

when I need to be called out. And because that is part of our

responsibility, as believers. We have a goal and I goal is to

restore that goal. That goal is to bring back.

Somebody who has gone off a stranger, Who had who is

entertaining something that they shouldn't and yet with that

ambition and mind in great humility.

We often also have to remember that there is a consideration of

how we do that carefully. Unless the ambition, which is

righteous and holy is spoiled by foolish and immature

methodologies. You see Nathan here, was

directed by God. He received a revelation from

God, about his friends sin, but I'm under the persuasion that it

was not just the revelation of his sin, but the very delivery

was designed by the same God. But the words that were put in

Nathan's mouth came from God and it proved to be most effective.

So I want to briefly mention this, if you are a serious

believe in and I'm assuming all of us here are it's important to

understand that in those moments where we are faced with somebody

that we know who he is, who is going astray, who is not

implementing true, Christian, practice in their life, be

careful. Be careful how you approach

them. Pray wait on God.

Seek the Lord at times seek the counsel of mature spirit filled

Believers, lest our righteous mission.

Is destroyed because of our flesh or because we thought

doing it one way would work. When in fact, it was not with

the wisdom that God's spirit would provide.

Otherwise Nathan comes with great discernment and now we've

read this, but we're going to dissect it to understand the

details of the characters and some of the descriptions and

they will be rich. It will be rich if we pay

attention. So we heard it right?

The parable here is about two men or is it Maybe more than two

men. There's a rich man.

A poor man. Both different socio-economic

classes. And there's somebody else that

will come on the scene that will touch on in a moment.

But here's here's just a rule when you and I ever come towards

a parable. When we read a parable, the

Temptation is to decode every detail and to try to find a

meaning behind every feature that is presented in the

allegory. That is dangerous because the

intention of Parables is not necessarily to bring an

allegorical interpretation behind every single thing in the

scene. That's how people get into wacky

interpretations of things. What we have to understand is

that the general goal of this is to again present a case of

Injustice right there is this particular Bullseye here and

that alone would suffice in order to bring David where he

needed to be nonetheless, what, Nathan presents to David

parallel. So closely to the real play book

that we read in 2nd Samuel 11. The characters are like the

theme is so near. In fact, we have confidence to

interpret this carefully because in verse 7, we're not going to

touch on that Nathan ends up saying to David.

You're the man, you are the man, the man that I was talking about

in that short little Parable, that's you.

That's you. So we know that Nathan is

intentionally choosing these characters and the descriptions

Wisely in order to listen to come as close as possible to

David's error without totally unveiling that it's him.

Because if David caught on, he could have given different

judgment and is hypocrisy, right?

He could have done that, but it was, it was to create a thin

enough veil in which you can see pass through it but not

completely So let's do that. If we have the license to look

at this in Greater detail than just to see a general idea.

Then let's do that the rich man. And the poor man who are they

Who's the rich man? Who's the poor man?

Well, the poor man had a little lamb.

You know lamb who's that? Very good that is, right.

And we read something about the relationship between the poor

man. And the ulam look here, briefly

here with me in verse 3, and notice that the little lamb grew

up with him. That's what it says here.

He brought it up, and it grew up with, and I believe that

suggests the history, the long history that Uriah had with his

wife, it could be that they've known each other since

childhood. It could be that they were even

high school sweethearts. So to speak.

They had a long history of intimacy of friendship.

And whether that is the case or not, what we have to understand

is that Nathan's intention here is to create a sense of the

special bond that the poor man had with the little ewe, Lamb

with a little pet animal, so that David would feel the

significance of the crime of this rich man taking away.

Not just some little animal but something that was cherished by

this man and his family, it was to make it make it seem so much

more severe than what we would. Imagine just hearing somebody

taking a lamb from somebody else's field and we read on a,

we see something else in verse 3.

Look how look how carefully Nathan is speaking here and I'm

going to ask you if it sounds familiar from our last study in

chapter 11, he says here in avert the second part of verse

38 used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in

his arms. That sounds familiar.

Does it. What does it sound like?

Scroll back to chapter 11. And you'll see it.

Second, Samuel 11 and look at verse 11.

This is when Uriah explain to David, why?

He didn't go into his home. Now it there's a light bulb,

right? Second Samuel, 11:11 Uriah said

to David, The Ark in Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my

Lord job, and the Servants of my Lord are camping in the open

field, shall I then? Go to my house to eat.

And to drink and to lie with my wife.

As you live and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.

I don't know how strong David's memory was.

But it makes me wonder if his heart start racing a little bit

or maybe not, he was completely oblivious to the nudge.

The Nathan is providing here so far.

Everything seems clear. We have our characters in place.

The description makes sense, but when people come to this text,

they often miss another important character.

And I believe it's a great disservice to what this Parable

can offer. Not just to David, but to us,

there's somebody else here. There's somebody else here that

we need to touch on who is he He very good.

The Traveler verse four other cane a traveler to the rich man.

Here's my question. Who is he?

Very good that you hear the answer.

Temptation. The Traveler speaks and

signifies passing lust. Temptation arriving to the front

step of your heart. And if it is true, that the

traveler symbolizes, what we can generally ascribe to us

temptation, then there are so much to learn about how

Temptation works even in this snapshot, Here's at least two

things that I gather from from this realization that the

traveler is Temptation and it's true for David and it's true for

you. And I today because Temptation

hasn't changed much since the beginning of time, if this is

true, then know this one thing, believer temptation is a

frequent visitor And the same way.

The rich man was suddenly visited by this traveler

Temptation. Often comes unannounced.

Now. You and I have his response

responsibility to limit the frequency and the intensity of

its presence. But even with all the

restrictions and all the disciplines that we apply

Temptation has away? To make its voice gnome.

And to provoke us without announcement.

And that is exactly what we see here.

Although, David did a terrible job of guarding his heart.

This point that I'm presenting to you, is meant to comfort us.

It's meant to comfort us because the visitation of Temptation is

not the same as indulging in sin.

You have many believers who live on unwarranted guilt, because

they have mistaken. Intrusive thoughts with Unholy

imaginations. And so they're robbed of Joy,

the robbed, the faith. They fail to believe the

goodness of God and the power of God because they don't interpret

Temptation carefully. Remember the words of the

Apostle, Paul, when he describes briefly the nature of our

spiritual warfare? Now, the words that I'm in a

quote to you primarily in context deal with the weapons

that we have in our hands, when it comes to rescuing other

people from bondage, but the same words, also help us know

how to defend ourselves when it comes to invasions, in our own

hearts and our own minds. You know, the verse and second

2 Corinthians 10:5

Corinthians 10:5. He describes the nature of

warfare which is very, very different than how people

emphasize Warfare today. When you tell speak, when you

ask questions about spiritual warfare today, automatically

demons demons manifesting weird things happening.

Things flying around the are dark objects in your room.

When you ask the Apostle. Paul, what is the nature?

What is the essence of spiritual warfare?

They'll demons are real. Demon possession is real

manifestations of evil, all real.

That's true. He describes it here in verse 5

of second Corinthians 10, we destroy arguments.

Remember that every lofty opinion raised against the

knowledge of God. So far, we have arguments

opinions, knowledge of God and take every thought captive to

Christ. what is the realm in which opinions and arguments and

knowledge and thoughts dwell in What realm?

The mind, the conscience, your thinking, your meditations, the

things that are unseen. This is the arena of spiritual

warfare, the mind. And the idea here is that with

the truth, this is what Paul is saying with the truth.

The truth has so much power that it is able to identify and

capture that which stands in contrary to the truth and then

make it subject to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

That is, then the weapons of our Warfare, right?

So listen, Believers, we don't take up arms to fight against

our enemies know, we take the sword of the spirit and those

that come with, philosophies and false doctrines are Warfare, is

not a shouting match. It's not our fists.

It's not who can be this, and who can be that it's with this

sort. And then this working in the

minds of others and then rescuing people pulling down

strongholds and intake. Him thoughts captive to the

lordship of Christ and yet at the same time that applies to

us, even as Believers, this description of warfare is real

even more real. After you become a Christian,

here's the way I like to look at it.

I like to think of unrighteous thoughts as day-to-day

intruders, And they're clever and they're consistent and

persistent and here's their goal, every single day.

The moment I opened my eyes to the moment.

I lay my head on my pillow every night.

Here's what they do, and they do the same for you.

Just giving you a heads up. They want to come in and they

want to apprehend your affections and your attention

and your reasoning and submit it to sin every single day, every

waking moment. And the principle of this verse

indicates that you and I have a responsibility by the power of

the spirit to arrest those false ideas to stop them and keep them

at Bay the moment, you're able to recognize that they do, stand

in contrast to the will and wisdom of God.

And if we fail to see the threat, that these thoughts are,

then they will come in, and they will set up a stronghold and

down the road. They will become much more

difficult to pull down when you really want to, This traveler

wants to come inside, he's not interested in waving through the

window and passing by. He wants to be a guest and more

than a guest. He wants to be the master of the

home. Which the Richmond ends up,

doing he ends up serving this man.

A feasts as though. He becomes the king.

Yes, there's a general sense in which the he's hospitable, but

there is this almost this just change of roles here.

This man seems to now occupy the authority of the place

temptation is the same. It comes in seemingly innocent

distant. And through our tolerance, it

can change very quickly, which brings me to the second Point

tentation must never ever be entertained.

Temptation must never be entertained.

Unfortunately David's case he does the traveler comes by and

instead of showing this unwanted guests away he opens the door

and says have a seat have a seat when a David do that in real

time. I argue when he was standing on

his rooftop and he looked and he gazed at bathsheba's body while

she was bathing. That was when the traveler came

to his heart. He says, hey You never seen me

before. But yeah, you have an extra seat

at your table and when he did, he open the door when he

inquired for her and sought for more information.

Flirting with the line of sin and it end up conceiving into

sin. Here's the thing, never forget

that the way Temptation evolves into sin is when we entertain

it, instead of pushing it away, that's when it morphs into

something that is dangerous. And the state of our sin is

always strengthened always, strengthened by our persistent

attention and affection, that we give to it, the more attention.

And the more affection that you give to it, the stronger, it

becomes. And I argue that the rich man

would have never ever ever been willing to steal that lamb if

you had first made the decision to keep that door closed.

And to tell that traveler to go somewhere else.

So here's the point, based on this alone, we see a very, very

important principle that applies to us today.

That it is manifestations of evil, actions begin with

meditations of evil things manifestations of evil actions.

Always always always begin with meditations, on evil things.

And that's why you and I have to train ourselves if you want to

graduate in spiritual warfare and the effectiveness of victory

over sin that you and I have to be convinced of this one

foundational truth and it's this thoughts.

Are dangerous. Thoughts are dangerous.

And we have to train ourselves to be aggressive with those

thoughts and not be passive, allowing them to just walk by in

the front. Lawn of our hearts to say no, I

have to deal with you because you have a plan and if you stay

here long enough, things are going to change quickly and that

is exactly what spiritual warfare is all about.

Let me prove it to you in the words of Jesus.

And again it's one of those things where we we passed

quickly and we don't understand the implications of but I would

encourage you to turn there and Mark 7:21 look at this series of

Mark 7:21

Bullet points that Jesus makes that illustrates what I'm trying

to communicate. Effectively.

Hopefully. look at the New Testament, Mark, 7:21 Down to

verse 23. Here's what the Lord says, when

he's trying to explain the source of the evil in this

world, For from within out of the heart of man, come evil

thoughts, sexual immorality theft murder, adultery coveting,

wickedness deceit, sensuality Envy, slander Pride, foolishness

all these evil things come from within.

And they defile a person because I'll tell you the source, it's

the human heart. You know, when people come and

they say well there is a good God in heaven.

Why doesn't deal with all the evil in this world?

I'll tell you why, because you'd have to get rid of you.

That's why and me because that's where it comes.

The sewage of the filth that is polluting our world.

Is that thing? That is in us?

What did Jesus mention first? Evil thoughts.

That is by Design. The reason why Jesus starts with

evil thoughts in this list of filthy things is because that's

where it starts. The following things that he

lists your all these iniquities begin with the thought life.

That's why he starts with evil thoughts.

So comes from the heart, it goes to the mind and what you do with

the mind will determine what happens with your hands.

What happens with your mouth? What happens with your eyes?

What happens with your feet? And if that is true, if it comes

from Evil thoughts, that I know one thing wrong thinking, is

what leads to wrong living. And if that is true, then true

victory in our sanctification, will only come.

When you. And I understand that,

understand that, what occurs in the mind will eventually

manifest in the direction of our steps.

So, we have to take our thinking, seriously, we have to

understand that they're not just harmless things that float

around, if they stay. And they pull up a chair and

they sit for a while. Next thing, you know, it becomes

a pattern, next thing, you know, becomes a stronghold next thing.

You know, it begins to pull at you and direct you and cause you

to make decisions that you never thought you would.

And it all started with a traveler who knocked on the door

of your heart. So here's what I think, taking

captive thoughts. Looks like in a very practical

way that when those things come like a flash, you address it

with the truth of God's word and you call it to submit the

authority of Jesus Christ. As a blood-bought.

Christian, you're not welcome here, you know, you have a lot

of Christians who are tormented by Blasphemous thoughts,

especially newborn Christians. I've heard it throughout the

years brother, I can't believe these, thoughts are coming

through my mind and here's my simple thing.

I know it's not proof. Sound doesn't really Take 5

counseling sessions. Here's my thing.

Do you want those thoughts in your head or not?

I hate them. Okay, good.

That's it. You don't want them, right?

No, I don't want to know what. Then just continue to saturate

your mind with the word of God and like, a dirty bowl of water.

Continued to pour clear water and eventually that water is

going to become clean. Just keep at it, keep at it. so

Temptation will visit us that you cannot help but opening the

door and feeding it and strengthening it is something

that we are held accountable for That's what he does.

He goes to his neighbor. He takes what belonged to his

neighbor and he fed that traveler.

That lust was something that was illegitimate.

Now we come to verse 5 and we see the reaction of David.

Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man and he

said to Nathan as the Lord lives the man who has done this

deserves to die. Makes you wonder if David

believe that this was a true story.

Really, it makes you wonder like Nathan knew a guy and he's just

coming and he just sharing hey, look what happened and and and

David they're sitting perhaps on his throne and his his nose

begin to flare in his eyes become widen and his veins.

Start to stick out of his neck. I don't know how intense it was,

but it says he was greatly kindled, his anger was greatly

kindled and he erupts. And here's the thing that I find

quite Humorous. There is no call for Action

here. Nathan didn't demand a response.

but this so touched a nerve in David's heart that he could not

help but say something and everything went according to

plan, he makes a judgment and he calls out this rich man and he

condemns him When you and I look at that, there are things to

learn about his reaction, what stands out to you about his

response. Let me ask you this way.

Does that man deserve to die? Really.

Does he deserve to die for stealing somebody's lamb?

Exodus would disagree with you if you say yes.

So Exodus 22 verse 1, Exodus 22:1 gives the precise

Exodus 22:1 Exodus 22:1

punishment for this exact crime that has been depicted.

Exodus 22:1. Look how, look how clear it is.

Exodus 22:1

If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he

shall repay five. Oxen for an ox and for sheep

four sheep. That is it no Capital

Punishment. No public hanging No.

Slashing of the sword. You stole that man's sheep.

You got to pay for fold. So if that is true, then what do

we make of David's response? It was harsh and it was

exaggerated. And what's interesting is verse

6, he actually does quote Exodus 22:1.

Exodus 22:1

Does he not? He says it and he shall restore

the land fourfold. So he knew the scripture.

Hey guys, pay attention to this. You ready for this?

This one Might Sting brace yourself.

I love you brace yourself. It goes to show that a person

can be well acquainted with the scriptures and still have a

hardened heart. Told you my hurt, it goes to

show that it's not enough to be familiar with the Bible because

you have people like David who are living in, adultery know the

Bible inside and out. It's not enough, it's what you

and I do with that knowledge that determines the

effectiveness and the will of God being performed through his

written word. If the word of God does not draw

you closer to the god of the word, you're doing it wrong.

I'm doing it wrong. If it does not personally invite

me to no intimacy, if it does not create a greater reality and

recognition of God's person in my life with all that, he is his

presence and his power and his promises.

If that does not become real, if it doesn't create worship, if it

doesn't change my life, if it doesn't create a new framework

for my worldview, if it's not doing that.

Then the possibilities are endless and I can be a guy who

quotes scripture. Who tells people about scripture

like David? That's the Nathan.

And yeah, I'm meeting with somebody else's spouse behind

the scenes. So if you if you ever looked at

somebody and you heard something unfortunately the scandal of

some sort and you're saying, how is that possible?

It's possible, the Bible showing us, it's possible, it's

possible. The word of God is Not draw you

to the god of the word when I reading it according to the will

of God. And that's what he is showing

here, but he does more than just confirm his knowledge of the

scripture he goes above and beyond it.

He's calling for this man's death.

I mean, even God's law is not asking for that.

Think about that. And there's an important

principle here and it's a second thought. this teaches us, what a

heart distant from God is capable of And in this case,

it's cruelty among other things. When a heart is distant from

God, it is capable of many things.

And in this situation, it is cruelty because when you are

close to God, you become more like God.

And when you are far from God, you will become less like God in

many ways. And in David's case he is proven

to be less merciful than the God and the judge of the entire

world. Less merciful.

And that tells me something. That Sinners based on David's

reaction. Sinners are often unaware of the

sinfulness of their own sin. Sinners are often unaware of the

sinfulness. Of their own sin.

How quick for David to pronounce a judgment on this man to go

above What God Says. And to completely dismiss his

own sin in the process. Yeah, that guy deserves to die.

Kate, you didn't steal a lamb. You stole life.

Someone who is created in the image of God, you robbed

Covenant. You stole trust.

All these things. The list is quite vast of what

David stolen. It's interesting that Nathan

uses. The theme of thievery when he

wants to deal with and confront. David's murder and his adultery

because there is thievery in all of that there is a taking and

removing of somebody that doesn't belong to you.

And so what we see here with this man is that he is

expressing something that is not exclusive to him, it is true

with our nature that one of the signs of a hardened heart, is

being able to identify somebody else's shortcoming.

And feeling confident about your own standing and morality.

Okay, here's here's I'm going to prove it to you in Matthew 21.

Jesus gives a parable to the Pharisees and it's a parable of

the tenants, you know this. I'm sure there's an owner of a

Vineyard. He goes to a far country but he

leases it to tenants and when it comes to harvest time he sends a

servant or servants to acquire some of the Harvest.

The tenancy and they beat up one servant.

So the owner sends another servant the tenants come and

they killed this one. So no one comes back to the

owners of the owner sent another servant and they now they stoned

him. So now the strategy has to

change the owner of the vineyard says I will send my son.

Surely they will respect him. And when the sun is sent the

tenants realized who it is and they say he is the heir if we

get rid of him maybe this will be ours and so they kill the son

Jesus gives that Parable and that he asked the question to

these religious experts. Supposedly, what should be done?

To the tenants by the owner. And you know what?

The response to the Pharisees were, let me just read it to.

You don't have to turn there, but it's a Matthew 2141.

Easy reference to remember. Here's what the religious

leaders of the day said in Matthew 2141 they said to him,

he will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the

vineyard to other tenants who will give them fruits in their

seasons. And so, the Pharisees got all

excited because now Jesus is asking them a question about

morality and this is their chance to Puff out their chests

and prove just how dignified they really are and just how

much they can make a an accurate assessment concerning, what is

in just. And so they say he they should

kill him and not just kill MIT, take that Vineyard, and give it

to somebody else. Who will bear fruit from it?

Not realizing that they just predicted what would happen to

the gospel from Judah, Gentile. Not realizing that like David.

They condemn themselves. Because they would kill the

owner of the vineyard. And the point is this, that

between David and the Pharisees is a gap of hundreds and

hundreds of years. Hundreds and hundreds of years.

And yet the nature of man, and his self-righteousness is the

same. That again, we feel this strange

sense of boldness to be able to look at others call out their

sin, condemned them in their sin.

And yet at the same time, have this false comfort.

That we are righteous because what because we are able to

determine right and wrong outside of us and make these

kind of judgments. Or maybe this will hit home

more. We tend to justify ourselves,

not by not seeing sin analyzed, but comparing the weightiness of

arson in comparison to others. I know, I'm not, I'm not this,

but at least I'm not That kind of attitude that continued looks

outward and tries to measure up to other people's Holiness or

lack thereof will never win. God's favor will never win his

forgiveness. The way in which we win God's

favor and his grace in our lives.

Is when as we heard before he comes out with this art stretch

arm, the way our hand connects with his is when we just look at

ourselves and humbly confess and repent.

See, when I measure myself to your standard Lord, I fall

short, never mind to the person to the right or my left to you

and your law alone. I'm guilty.

This is who God shines his light upon.

And what it takes is a profit sometimes to awaken that

reality. And that's why we need men to

preach sin. To be direct with sin.

It's not just bring Theology and some theoretical matter and to

explain the mechanics of justification by faith.

Though that's important in sanctification by the spirit

There has to come a point in the delivery of God's word like

Nathan, where a finger can be pointed and saying you are the

man. You are the woman you, you not

just this abstract idea of God and what he did in the world.

But this relates to you, you will stand before God and you

will pay for your sins and less. You submit to the one who has

given his life for you. That's what we need to come to.

That's what shakes this kind of self-righteousness up.

And we see the wisdom of that. Here with Nathan, and would

Jesus, but you had your hand up. I want to address that before I

move on. Exactly.

Matthew chapter 7, right? Yes.

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

Yes. Matthew 7, you aren't unable to

perceive correctly when you are living and abiding in hypocrisy

you inherit a blindness. And you make Miss judgments all

the time and the worst kind of blindness that you can have is a

blindness toward yourself. That's the worst kind of

blindness, right? Yes.

Yes. Pay for fold.

There's no call for death. Yes.

Yes. Exactly.

Proverbs 36 in which the word? And the reason why sometimes I

repeat is because people don't hear where the word warns us

that if we add to his word then we will be reproved and

identifying as a liar. So David here gets too excited.

He makes this judgment And it's half true.

But what he doesn't realize is that he is indicting himself.

And there's so much more to say in this portion of scripture.

I won't. I'm going to end it soon.

We can go, we can go on but I won't.

I want to end on a specific observation.

It's not until you really read the following verses when you,

if you've read 2nd Samuel, maybe you have noticed, maybe, maybe

not. But what I find amazing is that

in the same way David unknowingly is making a verdict

of death upon himself. It kind of, It kind of reminds

us what happened to Uriah, right?

What do you write himself? Unknowingly held his own

verdict, his own oath, that would that would ultimately kill

him. And now that is is being served

back to David. He's being blinded by the fact

that he is actually lining himself up to be judged.

But it's even more precise in that.

It's actually scary, it cannot be coincidence.

That when even David calls out for this fourfold, restitution

to be made. That something happens to his

own life that deals with that, number four.

And we've had a couple of conversations about this, but I

want to show it to you. I want to show t.

As we just make these quick jumps to these references, I'm

going to join you in this. Things are going to look

absolutely and utterly different for David after chapter 12.

It's almost, as though, there are these clouds that just won't

go away. They just keep staying there and

it's in and pertaining to death. We see it here in chapter 12,

look with me quickly in your Bibles and you will appreciate

this. If you notice it with me here

and second Samuel, 12 verse 18, What do we see here in 2nd

2 Samuel 12:18

Samuel? 12 verse 18?

We read here that on the seventh day, the child, the child that

Bathsheba born died. This child died stick around for

the next couple of weeks and you and I will try to understand how

it is that the child died instead of David dying.

What was the law for somebody who committed adultery?

You know who should have died David and Bathsheba.

Instead, we read that the child dies.

But is it just a child who dies from David's Offspring?

No, come to 2nd Samuel. 13. Now, we have another son.

And we read here about em, then write something happens to em

ninh. He commits his own atrocious

crime, and he's going to pay for it, through revenge and verse,

28, of second, Samuel 13, then Absalom commanded, his servants,

Mark, when a man's heart, is married with mine.

And when I say to you strike, and then kill him, do not fear

Heaven, that commanded, you be courageous and be Valiant so,

the Servants of Absalom did to admin as Absalom had commanded.

Then all the king's Sons arose in each mounted, his mule.

Owl and fled. A second, son dies.

Go to chapter 18. Read something else of another

son of David, his name is Absalom, Absalom commits treason

and he tries to usurp the authority of David.

His father and take over the kingdom and they go to war.

And you guessed the right absent ends up in verse 15, dying.

Look at verse 15. What do we read here?

It says, and 10. Young men joab's armor.

Bearers surrounded, Absalom and struck him and killed him.

How many sons have died so far? Go to 1st Kings with me. 1st

Kings in chapter 2. We have another son of David and

he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Absalom.

And he tries to become the successor and try to take the

place of Solomon, as king of Israel.

And it says here in 224 and Nathan said, my Lord, the king.

Have you said I shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my

throne for his gone down this day.

And I sacrifice oxen fatten cattle and sheep, and abundance

and as invite all the king's Sons, the commanders of the army

and I be author. The priests and behold, they're

eating. And drinking before him saying

Long Live King adonijah. Now you come to chapter 2 and

you read here, in verse 24. What happens to this man?

It says you're not there for as the Lord Lives who has

established me and placed me on the throne.

This is Solomon of David, my father who has made me a house

as he promised adonijah shall be put to death today.

How many sons of David have died?

Four. This man shall surely die and he

shall pay for fold. Because he had done this thing

and had no pity. David couldn't pay back.

You write your eye is gone. I don't think it's coincidence

that for of David's sons died. After he made this verdict.

And here's here's what's even more precise.

Out of all those four deaths, you can argue that the baby was

was something that really grieved David, but he was

comforted when he realized that the baby would be in the

presence of God and that he would see him one day.

But out of all the four which one hurt David, the most Yeah.

And it's strange, right? There's some favoritism there,

even after all Absalom had done oh Absalom.

Oh Absalom. I'll give you one Theory, why I

believe David was so grieved about Absalom.

When it came to the death of his baby, he was comforted, knowing

that he would see him again. I don't know if he felt the same

way about Absalom. Oh Absalom.

Oh Absalom. I don't know if David had a

feeling that he wasn't going to see Absalom again. but you know

what's fascinating about absalom's, death, when you

connect it, to this moment of David's life here in chapter 11

and chapter 12, How did Absalom die?

By the same hands that killed Uriah.

Job. Joy think about all of those

pieces? David not knowingly, calling his

own death, warrant, just like Uriah David calling for a

four-fold, restitution David seeing a four-fold punishment,

come to his descendants, and David out of all those for

seeing the most prized child that he had suffer at the hands

of the same one that he asked to killed an innocent man.

Is in the Bible, fascinating. Isn't God.

Holy Does not God mean, what he says when he says with the

measure of judgment that you use will be used against.

You only the Lord teach us to be just holy merciful.

Trusting that he considers what we say, and every matter.

And if we want this, he'll be faithful to keep us.

And guide us much more can be said, but we will wait until

next week shall we? Let's bow our hearts before the

Lord. Lord.

We are fully aware that we have been and we will continue to

Trek through the terrain of scripture that is sobering.

Heavy. Perhaps unpleasant.

But Lord, it is your word nonetheless.

And we trust that you have so much value reserved for us as we

explore these truths carefully. We asked, oh, Lord, based on the

first few verses of this chapter.

That we would be. Free from any level of

hypocrisy, that our eyes would not be clouded by

self-righteousness. That we would not be fooled. by

the concept that the pursuit of godliness is knowledge, merely

And Lord help us with the awareness of our own sin to be

faithful, friends. Faithful are the wounds of a

friend. To be like Nathan.

If we know about somebody sin or they're drifting away to to love

them enough to call their attention back to you.

And Lord, as we prepare to continue to dissect this word.

May our hearts never be divorced from how it applies to our

lives. Keep Us close to your word,

Lord. And regardless of what it is

that we are facing may cause us to worship you and to Adore You

Lord, we are amazed at the intricacies in the consistency

and the supernatural authorship of this word.

And so Lord we just trust that your Holy Spirit would take what

we studied together and minister to us exactly the way we need to

be ministered. But in this moment we just

silently absorb all that was said.

With gratitude that this tax has been made clear to us tonight.

Your name we pray. Amen.

I encourage you just just briefly, I'm not going to keep

you long but even before we jump straight into singing, one of

the joys of Bible study is that sometimes when you discover

something this is what happens to me.

I pull away from my chair because I get so thrilled of

what I just saw that I have to like do something else.

I got to like walk around, I got to grab a drink or something.

It just it's almost as though just NG happens to your soul and

which you have to take some time to register it.

I think we can sabotage that when we just, let's okay, let's

get going. Here's what I want to do and

it's not going to be long, just with what you heard, what we

studied, what we share with one another.

Let just silently Church, doesn't have to be noisy, just

silently, just pause before we even sing to just consider some

of these things. And maybe it could be as simple

as God. Your word is amazing.

Help me just see more in your word, it can be just that And

just talk to the Lord with what you heard.

And then we will sing, and then, and then you'll be able to

safely, go home. But just, if we can just take

one minute, just 60 seconds of meditation before we even sing

one song. And when you guys are ready,

we'll sing all together, please do so.