3For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah Psalm 32:3-4 (ESV); Psalm 50:21
1.The Commissioned Prophet
1 And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said . . . 2 Samuel 12:1 (ESV)
God sent Nathan to David to restore him, reach him, and to wake him up.
1Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Galatians 6:1 (ESV)
Nathan is an example to us regarding the attitude we should have and the approach in confronting someone about their sin.
5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. Psalm 141:5 (ESV); Matthew 10:26
20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.James 5:19-20 (ESV)
2. The Clarifying Parable
1 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. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 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. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 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 guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 2 Samuel 12:1-4 (ESV)
Nathan has obviously thought through how he is going to confront David. We should do the same when preparing to confront someone about their soul and sin.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. 12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. Proverbs 25:11-12 (ESV)
3. The Conviction Pronounced
5 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, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”2 Samuel 12:5-6 (ESV)
David’s eagerness to condemn the rich man is evidence that what we condemn in others are sometimes our own character flaws. Romans 2:1
5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5 (ESV)
4. The Condemnation Reversed
Nathan said to David, “You are the man! . . . 2 Samuel 12:7 (ESV) . . . Nathan held up the proverbial mirror.
Gordon Keddie: There is an amazing symmetry to the way in which God deals with those whom he loves. He tracks our lives with his grace.