Nathan Lessons

This past week in our ministry, we have been looking at the prophet, Nathan. Not much is said about Nathan in scripture, but most of us are familiar with the story of Nathan having an essential conversation with King David.

2nd Samuel 11-12 is the stage where everything happens. We read in chapter 11 that most kings were marching out to war; David stayed home and chose to send Joab and his officers to war. I believe it’s fair to say that most times in our lives, when we are not where we are supposed to be, things can deteriorate quickly.

Since Davis remained at the palace, he noticed a beautiful woman, Bathsheba, bathing on her rooftop. From here, David calls to her and sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant. After David sees the issues in his life, he tries unsuccessfully to cover it all up. After failing to hide his sins, he has the husband of Bathsheba killed in battle. The interesting part to me in all of this is Uriah's position in David’s army. Uriah is named in the 37-person list of David’s mighty men. Uriah was a trusted confidant of David. He was someone who gave great loyalty to the King, and David decided to have him killed to hide his sins!

After all of this occurs, Nathan, the prophet, shows up to have a conversation with the King. From that conversation, we find one of the most well-known phrases in Scripture; “You are the man.” Nathan uses a great story to illustrate David’s sin, and the King becomes enraged at the person in the story who he represents, and then Nathan helps David understand what he has done.

I think there are several things we can learn from this short passage in scripture:

1. Two or three wrongs do not make a right! David did his best to cover up what was going on, and because of his unwillingness to confront his sin at the beginning, he brought more harm to himself.

2. Be someone’s Nathan. To stand before a King could have brought feelings of uneasiness, but to stand before him and tell him he was wrong must have been terrifying because of the power he yielded! Nathan cared more about David’s righteousness before God than he did his comfortableness!

3. Confession is good for us! In 2 Samuel 12:13 (CSB), it says: David responded to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Then Nathan replied to David, “And the Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.

When David was willing to admit his sins, God was there just like He promised. He was then, and He still is now willing to forgive!

Hebrews 8:12 (CSB): For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.

Thanks be to God that even when we mess up this thing called life, God understands and forgives!

Now go! Admit your sins to God and allow Him to wipe that shame and guilt away from you, and be a Nathan for someone!

A famous preacher once said: Love people enough not to leave them where they are!

Will Myhan