(2 Sam. 12)
THE high priest was one that went to God on man’s behalf. A prophet is one that comes to man on God’s behalf. It is thus that Nathan is seen in 2 Samuel 12 as coming from God with a message for the King, with an arrow for his conscience wrapped up in a little story about a pet lamb.
David had been guilty of a great sin. Men make light of sin, but God cannot―He hates it, and exposes it; and yet He freely forgives, on the ground of Christ’s perfect sacrifice, when the cry of the contrite heart enters His ear. “I have sinned against the Lord” (vs. 13). “He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, he will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light” (Job 33:27, 2827He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. (Job 33:27‑28)).
“Who is a pardoning God like Thee,
Or who has grace so rich and free?”
The Lord Jesus was a prophet. He is called the “Great Prophet,” one that could reveal the secret things of God, and read the secret thoughts of men’s hearts. Like Nathan, He spake to the people in parables; that is to say, He presented the truth in simple language, and often in figurative form, so as to carry conviction to the consciences, and bind up the broken hearts of sinners. We have an instance of this in Luke 7, where the Lord is seen proclaiming the pardoning love of God to Simon the Pharisee in the following words: ― “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both” (vers. 41, 42).
A woman was there whose heart had already been wounded. She had wept at His feet in her sins, and now she welcomes His gracious words, “Thy sins are forgiven, go in peace.” Now compare what Jesus said to Simon with what Nathan says to David in the chapter before us. “There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him” (vers. 1-4).
The recital of this at once roused the indignation of the king. A man who could so bemean himself as to deprive another of the object of his affections, in order to gratify his own selfishness, deserved to die. And if so, what did that man deserve who had not only sinned thus against man, but against a holy and gracious God. David said, “As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die” (vs. 5). Nathan seizes the opportunity, and says to David, “Thou art the man” (vs. 7). The parable did its work, and with the arrow of conviction piercing his conscience, the king confesses, “I have sinned against the Lord” (vs. 13).
God’s object is ever to win the heart, but it must be wounded before it can be healed; for “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” God now uses Nathan in healing the broken heart by saying, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die” (vs. 13). David’s sin was forgiven, the woman in the seventh of Luke was forgiven, tens of thousands from that day till now have been forgiven, the writer is forgiven; let me ask you, dear reader, are you forgiven? If not, “Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached into you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)).
“Oh, would ye know my Saviour,
Ye travelers to the tomb?
He takes the sting of death away,
And chases all its gloom.
Then come, believe, while yet you may,
The message sent from heaven,
How God can say in righteousness,
‘Your sins are all forgiven.’”