If the boy’s death isn’t atonement for David’s sin – is it punishment for his sin? No. Certainly, the boy’s death is a result of David’s sin. But it’s not a punishment for it. Charles Spurgeon once began a sermon with these words: ‘God’s people can never by any possibility be punished for their sins’. Spurgeon goes on: ‘God has […]

When David’s day of reckoning comes, he doesn’t run from the light. He doesn’t make excuses. He doesn’t just accept part of the blame. But he says, v13: ‘I have sinned against the LORD’. Such a simple confession. And Nathan responds: ‘The LORD also has put away your sin’. And that’s it. It’s almost an anti-climax! It seems too easy! […]

David responds to the story as he should. But he doesn’t yet see that it’s about him. He’s indignant that someone else would do this – but he can’t see that he’s done things far worse. In fact his religious indignation in vs 5 and 6 is almost sickening. David can talk about God, he can quote God’s law, and […]