Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election

Repentance In The Life Of A Christian - Part 2 of 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2017-06-11

Synopsis: In this second part of the message on repentance, Pastor John Weaver continues his exposition of 2 Samuel 12, focusing on how God used means—specifically the prophet Nathan and a simple parable—to bring David to repentance. He emphasizes that repentance is a gift of God, that God sovereignly works through ordinary means, and that believers must not despise small things. The sermon highlights David's self-condemnation, the fourfold restitution principle, and the necessity of ongoing repentance in the Christian life. Applications include the danger of identifying with David's sin without his repentance, and the need for wisdom and love when confronting others about sin.

[John Weaver] All right, let's open our Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12, 2 Samuel chapter 12, and we're going to read the first seven verses. I'm going to take a few moments and review because we are going to do the second part of this message on repentance in the life of a Christian. Notice if you would please 2 Samuel chapter 12 beginning there in verse 1, And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and he said unto him, 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 brought and nourished up, and it grew up together with him. and with his children.

[John Weaver] He 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 traveller 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 land, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, And he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the Lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man."

[John Weaver] I hope you will remember that when I preached the first message here, I pointed out a very clear and decisive truth, and that is that repentance is absolutely necessary unto salvation. That there is no salvation apart from repentance. And that we could actually say that repentance is unto life. Because in Acts chapter 11 and verse 18 the Bible says that when these professors in Jerusalem had heard that the Gentiles had received the Word of God then they glorified God saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. So repentance is indeed unto life according to the Scripture. And of course our Lord began His ministry Mark 1 and verse 15 preaching repentance.

[John Weaver] He said, the time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the Gospel. So it is impossible to believe the Gospel without repenting. And I also pointed out in the last message how that repentance and faith are the two sides of one coin. If you savingly repent you also believe. if you savingly believe, then you also repent. Because our Lord said in Luke chapter 5 and verse 32, that I came not to call the righteous, but I came to call sinners to repentance. I also pointed out that there is a distinction between a godly sorrow and a worldly sorrow. A godly sorrow leads to repentance which leads to salvation, which is not to be repented of according to the Apostle Paul. But the sorrow of this world worketh death. And so the sorrow of this world is just when people are embarrassed because they've caught in their sin, or they're humiliated or something like that. It's not really that they're sorry for their sin, they're just simply sorry that they got caught.

[John Weaver] In 2 Samuel chapter, not 2 Samuel, but 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 10, Paul said, For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of. But he said, the sorrow of this world worketh death. So there is a clear distinction then between godly sorrow and the sorrow of this world. I also pointed out that the word repent literally means a change of mind which results in a change of conduct and a change of course. The word is metanoia and it literally means I change my mind which results in a change of course. So if I am headed in a northerly direction and I repent, I not only change my mind, I turn around 180 degrees and I come back southerly, in a southerly direction. So I've just not only repented, mentally that has affected my course and my conduct and so I'm headed in a different direction. And I pointed out also how that God must actually give us repentance. That repentance is His gift And when you and I repent and turn from our sins, we're just simply exercising the gift that God has given us.

[John Weaver] We cannot even turn from our sins in our own strength and in our own power. God must give us His strength and His grace. I also pointed out that you and I cannot work up repentance. Repentance is not in us by nature. And someone thinks that they can repent anytime they want to, absolutely foolish and certainly does not know the Scripture. It's kind of like I heard one man say, he said quitting smoking is easy.

[John Weaver] I've quit a thousand times already. Well, the truth of the matter is he never even quit to begin with, you understand that. So it's impossible to repent apart from the grace of God. we cannot work it up, we cannot do it on our own, God must give it.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to hold 2 Samuel chapter 12, but I want you to look in your Bibles if you would please to Jeremiah chapter 31, because here what I've just said is beautifully summed up in two verses. So if you look in Jeremiah chapter 31 beginning there with verse 18, and we'll read verse 19 as well. Note if you would what is said here, Jeremiah 31 verse 18, I've surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. Now look at this, turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God. So God must turn us and then we will be turned. Now look in verse 19, surely after that I was turned after God turned us and gave us His gift of repentance, I repented.

[John Weaver] And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yet even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth." So after there is a turning there is repentance. And after repentance of course we are then very ashamed of that which we did in sinning and violating the Law of God.

[John Weaver] Now, the one thing that I pointed out specifically in the last message was this, that David's repentance and restoration was an act of God. If you look in verse 1, here is the only phrase that are actually covered, and the Lord sent Nathan unto David. You must remember that Nathan was a prophet. He was David's counselor. And David undoubtedly called for Nathan many times. but he certainly did not call him in this particular time. So it was God who initiated this, and it was God who sent Nathan unto David. Now here is the second truth that I want to emphasize today and that is this, that God used means, or that God used an instrument in restoring David and granting him repentance. Now God could have used, well let me say it another way, God could have worked immediately but He did not.

[John Weaver] Now usually when we hear the word immediately we think of something that is done instantaneously. But when you hear the word immediately and mediately used theologically it means two totally different things. So when I say God could have worked immediately that means that God could have worked without the use of means. God could have done something, yes, instantaneously and miraculously. So, let me give you an illustration. Suppose Steve gets sick, and he asks the Lord to heal him, and God just sovereignly, powerfully, miraculously, instantly heals him. We would say that that is an immediate work of God. But let's also suppose that he gets sick, and he asks the Lord to heal him, and the Lord leads him to necessary herbs and alternative medication. He takes that, and God blesses that, and God heals him. In that instance, he used means, okay? So I usually tell people all healing is divine, whether God does it immediately or immediately, because if God doesn't bless the means, no one's going to be healed anyhow. It's just that simple, okay?

[John Weaver] When we talk about God acting immediately, we could say that God could have sovereignly and supernaturally just reached down and touched David and that would have been it. But He did not. He sent Nathan unto David. And Nathan came with a story, with a parable. And it was this story and this parable that God used.

[John Weaver] Now why am I emphasizing this? Well let me just tell you. what man usually does. We usually don't understand how God is sovereign and God uses means. So a lot of people will do something like this, they'll say, well I'm just trusting in God to heal me, that's all. I'm never going to see a doctor. I'm never going to take an herb. I'm never going to research anything. I'm just trusting God to heal me. Well that sounds wonderful. But the truth of the matter is God has also provided means And if we say on the one hand that we are trusting God and we were refusing to use the means that God has ordained, that's presumption, that is not faith. On the other hand, there are some people that say, well I'm going to use the means, and they fail to trust God to bless those means. Obviously the means are ineffective in and of themselves if God does not use them, and if God does not bless them.

[John Weaver] We have to put these two things together. We have to say, yes, that God has ordained means, but God must bless those means. And the reason I am pointing this out is this, there are some people, and I have talked to some, who think that if God speaks to them that somehow they are going to see lightning flash, the thunder will roll, and the hair on the back of their neck will stand up, they somehow will know that God has spoken to them." Well, if you really want that all you've got to do is grab a 220 or a 110 and hold on to it a long time and I guarantee you you'll hear and see sparks and the hair on your head and neck will stand up. Now, that's not necessarily God speaking to you.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I'm trying to make is this, we are admonished in the book of Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10 to not to despise the day of small things. If you would just stop and think about the small things that our Lord has used throughout the Scripture. For instance, He used the crowing of a rooster to convict Peter. Three times Peter denied Christ and our Lord told him, before the cock crows three times you are going to deny Me. And when he denied Him three times that cock crowed, what happened? Peter then remembered the words the Lord spoke and went out, the Bible says, and wept bitterly. So he used a cock crowing. And how about the fact he used a whale to swallow Jonah. I usually tell people When God got through with Jonah he might have smelled a lot like fish, but he sure felt a whole lot more like obeying God. And that's true, but God used means there. And what about Balaam? He used an ass to speak to Balaam. That's using means.

[John Weaver] When you get to John chapter 6, when he fed the multitude, what did he do? There's a lad here with a loaf and two small fishes. He used means. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that God does use means and we are not to despise the day of small things. Let me go further. I want you to hold a second Samuel. We are coming back there. But look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 13. God not only uses what you and I would call means, He uses also what you and I would call sometimes human tragedies, or catastrophes. Okay? Look in Luke chapter 13. Luke chapter 13 the Bible says this, there were present in that season some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

[John Weaver] Now you must remember that our Lord was from Galilee, that's where He was raised, that's where He lived His life in the Northern Kingdom. Now, so this was undoubtedly meant to excite Him when He heard that some of the people with whom He may have grown up had been murdered by Pilate. They were sacrificing and Pilate came in and had them murdered. But look what our Lord said in verse 2, And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?

[John Weaver] I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall likewise perish. Now our Lord refers to another incident He says,"...or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, thinking that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in the earth? I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." So what our Lord is telling us is this, when we think about great catastrophes or tragedies we are to also think about ourselves and the fact that we must die as well.

[John Weaver] It doesn't matter if it's a tornado, or a hurricane, or an earthquake, or a tsunami. And you know, you and I will sit back and say, wow, it's unbelievable. Thousands of people drowned in that tsunami. And we never think about the fact that we too must die, and that we have sins, and they need to be dealt with. And this is what our Lord is saying. And one has to wonder if any of these people whom our Lord was speaking really understood the implications of what He was saying.

[John Weaver] And the truth is that you and I see and hear these things all the time. And it never dawns upon us to apply them to ourselves. I want you to turn also to Matthew chapter 21. Here's another amazing truth in light of this. God also demands that you and I profit from what He does in the lives of others. For instance even He charged these Pharisees with not understanding the work of God in the lives of the publicans and the harlots. So in Matthew chapter 21 look in verse 31 He is ending the story of the parable of the two sons and He asks, whether of them Twain did the will of his father?

[John Weaver] they send him the first. Now look what he is saying to the Pharisees. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans, tax collectors, and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. Now he is talking to a bunch of religious Pharisees who were punctilious in everything. He tells them the most wicked and vile going in the kingdom of God before them. Why? Look in verse 32.

[John Weaver] For John, that is John the Baptist, came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him.

[John Weaver] Now look what he says. And you, when you had seen it, repented not afterwards that you might believe. In other words, he said you saw the mighty, powerful, gracious work of God in the lives of these publicans and these harlots. You saw how they were turned around. You saw how they repented and how they became followers of Jesus Christ. When you saw it, you did not repent afterwards that you might believe. In other words, here's means. God is saying that you and I are to consider the fact of what God does in the lives of other people.

[John Weaver] Now I want us in that light to go back to 2 Samuel chapter 12 because I want you to see the means that God uses here to restore David. He uses a simple story, a simple illustration that everyone knows. Look if you would please He says, And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in the 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 brought and nourished up.

[John Weaver] And he grew up together with him, and with his children, did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. Now in this simple illustration Nathan is conveying this story to David and it illustrates the disrespect, the inconsideration, and the injustice that the rich man had toward the poor man. The circumstances of this story are exquisitely contrived to heighten the pity of David for the oppressed and also his indignation against the oppressor. So Nathan now resorting to this parable or this story basically in order to get David to condemn himself. So it is a very simple story.

[John Weaver] So look at it if you would first of all. He says in verse 1 the latter part, there were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. So the very first distinction is between a rich man and a poor man. Obviously the rich man would be David. David was a king. The poor man would be Uriah the Hittite. Notice if you would, he talks about the rich man and the poor man. Do you realize, and I'm sure you do not, but can you even conceive of how wealthy David really and truly was? If you have no idea concerning the wealth of David, I would encourage you to read 1 Chronicles chapter 29.

[John Weaver] Because David had warred and he had captured a lot of gold and silver and other things, precious stones, and out of those things he just simply set them aside for the Temple, for the building of the Temple, the building of the house of God. But when you get to 1 Chronicles chapter 29, besides all of that David said, I have of my own personal wealth, given so much gold and so much silver. It is really mind boggling when you and I could consider the extreme wealth of David. So David had everything at his disposal.

[John Weaver] Uriah was a soldier and he had absolutely nothing. Now the second distinction that is given here is this, verse 2, the rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. Watch, verse 3, But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had brought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his children, and did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. Now I must hasten to point out that this one little ewe lamb had belonged to the poor man from its youth. He nourished it, He fed it. He allowed it to live with him, and to eat with him, and was with him as a daughter. This was definitely not an animal that was raised for meat. This animal was not to be raised to be sold. This animal was absolutely special because it was his life and his love. And of course, in the story here, this little ewe lamb represented by Sheba.

[John Weaver] So evidently they had been childhood sweethearts and had gotten married early and basically raised each other kind of like Alice and I did. But notice if you would he talked about this one little ewe lamb. I told Ed this yesterday I think it was, I was out watching the animals and feeding them. I said, The more I'm around some people, the more I love my animals. Just stop and think about that. And you know, anyone who's never had animals really and truly does not understand the bond that exists between a man and his animals, really. It's just like the calves that we have, especially the triplets, the two of them that Alice and I raised on a bottle, I don't know, they're 1,000, 1,500 pounds now, and they're still nothing but pets. And someone said, as they were watching me pet them and as they were loving up against me, they said, I don't imagine you'll ever sell these. I said, no, I don't think so, you know. But, you know, it was the same thing with this General Beauregard, the 3,000-pound bull, and then General Forrest.

[John Weaver] We raised him on a bottle. And I have pictures of Forrest, who now, Of course he weighs 3,000 pounds, but as a baby I have pictures of him laying in my granddaughter's lap as she strokes him and brushes him, and you know that kind of thing. Well, you know those are bonds that are not easily broken. So this is exactly what he is saying. He is using this as a good illustration.

[John Weaver] Now, he talks about the rich man who had exceeding many flocks and herds. He talks about the poor man who had nothing save this one little ewe lamb. So here's the story. David had many wives and concubines. Uriah only had one wife. One that had been his childhood sweetheart. One that he had lived with from their youth. How many wives David have? Well, let's hold a second Samuel.

[John Weaver] Turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 3. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, just over a few pages. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. 1 Chronicles chapter 3 verse 1, And now these were the sons of David which were born unto him in Hebron, the firstborn Ammon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelite, that's one wife. The second Daniel of Abigail the Carmelite, that's two wives. The third Absalom the son of Maachah, that's three wives, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth Adonijah the son of Haggath, that's four. The fifth Shephetiah of Abitol, that's five. The sixth Ithrium by Eglah his wife, that's six. These six were born unto him in Hebron, there he reigned 7 years and 6 months and in Jerusalem he reigned 30 and 3 years. And these were born unto him in Jerusalem, Shemiah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four of Bathsheba, the daughter of Amiel, uh-huh, Bathsheba, Bathsheba, that's seven.

[John Weaver] Ibhar also of Elishma, Lilithphilet, Noga, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishma, Eliadah, Lilithphilet, nine. Now watch verse 9, these were all the sons of David, besides the sons of his concubines, and Tamar their sister." Now don't forget that David also had married Michael, Saul's daughter. So that is eight wives that we know of that are specifically named in Scripture. Besides that, he probably had more. So if you'll go back in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 5, look at verse 13 2nd Samuel chapter 5 and verse 13 look what the Bible says 2nd Samuel 5 verse 13 and David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he was come from Hebron and there were yet sons and daughters born to David no David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem look if you would in 2nd Samuel chapter 15 verse 16, 2 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 16.

[John Weaver] Notice if you would please, verse 16, and the king went forth, this is when Absalom is running him off the throne, and the king went forth and all the people after him, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women which were concubines to keep the house. Nah, he had a multitude of those because he left ten there. Wow. Look in chapter 19 and verse 5 of 2 Samuel, because after Absalom is killed, David is mourning for him and Joab goes in and reproaches David. verse 5 of 2 Samuel chapter 19, And Joab came into the house of the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines." Now, David had plenty of wives and concubines.

[John Weaver] He did not need Bathsheba. Bathsheba was was the only wife that Uriah had. He did not have a multitude of wives as David did. Uriah the poor man has this one little ewe lamb, his only wife who was to him as his own soul. She lay in his bosom from a youth. He had no other and he desired no other. Now we already see the differences now between the rich man and the poor man as well as the herds.

[John Weaver] But what about this traveler? Because the Bible tells us very plainly in verse 4, 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 coming to him. But he took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to him. Well the traveler in this parable is undoubtedly David's lust and his concupiscence, his covetousness. would not allow him to visit his own wives or his own concubines. No. He needed this poor man's lamb in order to satisfy his lust.

[John Weaver] So here we have a plain picture of his idolatry, of his theft, of his adultery, and his wickedness. He not only defiled Bathsheba, but her home, her husband, and her family.

[John Weaver] Now, when David heard this story from Nathan, he supposed that it was real and actual since it came from Nathan. And so David then pronounced sentence against this man because this individual was so cruel, so selfish, and so despotic. So look in verse 5, And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the Lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." So here's what Nathan has done. By this story, by this parable, he has now drawn David to renounce a sentence against himself. David now actually condemns himself. condemns himself with an oath because he says in verse 5, as the Lord liveth. Notice if you would he said the man shall restore fourfold in verse 6 because he did this thing and because he had no pity.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to hold 2 Samuel 12 and go back in your Bibles if you would please to the book of Exodus chapter 22. Genesis, Exodus, Exodus 22. And notice if you would verse 1 here you are going to see there is a four-fold and a five-fold restitution. Also in the Bible there is a two-fold restitution and there is a seven-fold restitution. But in verse 1, Exodus 22, if a man shall steal an ox or a sheep and kill it, or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox, or four sheep for a sheep. Now the ratio of restitution depends upon what was stolen and who it was stolen from. you will skip down to verse 4, if the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox or ass or sheep he shall restore double. Why? Well he hadn't had time to dispose of it, he hadn't had time to use it and so therefore the ratio is just simply double instead of four fold or five fold.

[John Weaver] Now David goes further and 2 Samuel chapter 12 and pronounces the death penalty against this individual. Now when you study the Bible you are going to find that the simple remedy for theft is always restitution. You've heard the old adage that crime doesn't pay. Well under God's law crime doesn't pay, under man's law it does that's why we have so many criminals. But under God's law If Steve stole from me, he now owes me fourfold. Okay? So, if he stole $1,000, guess what? He owes me $4,000. And I'm not going to get into this, but if he doesn't have it to pay me, he is to be sold for his theft.

[John Weaver] In other words, he becomes my servant until he works it out. And if he refuses to work it out, according to the Bible, he is to be put to death. Well, I don't know about you, but I believe I would rather work it out than be executed. And the wise thing to do is never steal to begin with where you wouldn't get caught in a four-fold restitution. But now he has pronounced this death penalty.

[John Weaver] And I'm going to show you this in the Scripture just for a moment. But if a poor man stole from a rich man to satisfy his soul when he was hungry the Bible said he should make restitution even if it cost him the substance of his house. But Matthew Henry the commentator says this concerning David's pronouncement of the death penalty. He said this, listen carefully, If a rich man steals for stealing's sake, not for want, but for wantonness, merely that he may be imperious and vexatious, he deserves to die for it. For to him the making of restitution is no punishment, or next to none. sentence be thought to be severe, it must be imputed to the present roughness of David's temper, being under guilt, and not having himself as yet received mercy." Well, I understand that. But you stop and think if a rich man has to make restitution it's nothing to him or next to nothing because he's got plenty. But I want you to turn to Proverbs chapter 6 because here is a passage pretty well backs up not only what David said, but also what Matthew Henry said.

[John Weaver] Look in Proverbs chapter 6 and let's begin reading there with verse 26. Proverbs 6 and verse 26. Psalms, Proverbs, Proverbs 6 and verse 26. Scripture says, for by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Now watch these questions. Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? The answer is no. Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned? The answer is no.

[John Weaver] So he that goeth into his neighbor's wife, whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry. But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold. He shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso committed adultery with a woman lacketh understanding, he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

[John Weaver] For jealousy is the rage of a man, Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance, he will not regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though thou givest him many gifts." Now it is true that the Bible does demand the death penalty for adultery, but Proverbs chapter 6 indicates that the jealous rage of a husband might also result in the death of the adulterer, because he will not be content with many gifts, neither will he regard ransom." Now go back if you would please to 2 Samuel chapter 12, because David had not only committed adultery, he had also committed murder. He contrived and planned the death of Uriah the Hittite, consequently he deserved the death penalty.

[John Weaver] The planning and the preparation of the murder of an innocent man just as vile and just as reprehensible and makes one just as guilty as if he had executed the man himself. So the murderer and the man who plans the murderer are equally guilty. I want you to look in 2 Samuel 12 and verse 9 how twice in one verse God charges David with the murder of Uriah the Hittite. God asks, Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou, that is David, hast killed Uriah the Hittite with a sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." Isn't that amazing? It is true that Uriah died in battle at the hand of the children of Ammon, but it was David who put him in the place. And God said to David, you killed him. as if you had taken your sword and plunged it into his heart you have killed him. So twice in this one verse God now charges David with the murder of Uriah.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to note in verse 5 when he hears this story David's anger so greatly kindled he says as the Lord liveth the man has done this thing shall surely die and he shall restore the lamb fourfold because he did this thing and because he had no pity and Then Nathan said in verse 7 to David thou Art the man in the words you are this son of death Now when you stop and think about this These words pierced David's heart. They aroused his conscience.

[John Weaver] They brought him to his knees. Because he now understood very clearly not only his adultery, but his murder. And that he was responsible for the death of Uriah the Hittite. He initiated the plan that led to his death. And he understands now that he deserves to die. An interesting fact is this, you remember when Saul was chasing David. David and his men were hiding in a cave in 1 Samuel chapter 24 and Saul went into that cave and David slipped up behind Saul and cut off the hem of his garment, just cut off the skirt of his robe.

[John Weaver] And the Bible says immediately his heart smote him because he had touched the Lord's anointed. Isn't that amazing? And yet now It took David nearly a year! And his heart didn't smite him for adultery. His heart didn't smite him for murdering Uriah. It took God sending Nathan to tell this story. And when David pronounced the death penalty upon this man, and when Nathan said, Thou art the man, David knew the truth. He realized it. He realized he deserved it. And he deserved death on two counts, not only because of adultery, but also because of murder. So let's ask the question, why then was David not executed? And the answer comes back, only because God sovereignly pardoned him. If you look down in verse 13, and David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the And Nathan said unto David, The Lord hath also put away thy sin, thou shalt not die. So the only reason David was not executed was because God sovereignly pardoned him. Now, just because David was pardoned and he did not die, certainly does not mean that he got off lightly.

[John Weaver] If you look back in verses 10 through 12, you'll see what God's judgment upon David is. Verse 10, God says, Now therefore the sword shall never depart out of thine house. Wow, you use the sword? It's never going to depart out of your house. Because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house.

[John Weaver] Now I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of the sun. For thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." So David's punishment is the sword shall never depart out of his house. Evil is going to be raised up upon him out of his own family. And when God exposes him, He's going to do so in the sight of the Son before all Israel."

[John Weaver] Now, interestingly, David said, the man that has done this thing shall restore fourfold. I want you to listen to what Adam Clark said on this fourfold restitution. Wow! Think about this. Thou art the Son of Death, and thou shalt restore this lamb fourfold." Is it indulging fancy too much to say that David was called in the course of a just providence to pay this fourfold debt? To lose four sons by untimely deaths. First, the son of Bathsheba, upon whom David had set his heart, was slain by the Lord.

[John Weaver] Second, Ammon murdered by his own brother Absalom. Thirdly, Absalom slain in the oak by Joab. And fourthly, Adonijah slain by the order of his brother Solomon, even at the altar of the Lord. The sword in calamity did not depart from his house. From the murder of wretched Ammon by his brother, to the slaughter of the sons of Zedekiah, which is another sermon, before their father's eyes by the king of Babylon. His daughter Tamar was dishonored by her own brother, and his wives contaminated publicly by his own son, that is Absalom.

[John Weaver] How dreadfully then was David punished for this sin. Who would repeat his transgression to share in its penalty? Can his conduct ever be an inducement to or encouragement in sin? Surely no. It must ever fill the reader and the hearer with horror. Behold the goodness and the severity of God. Reader, lay all these solemn things to heart." So, David lost four to one. He did give a four-fold restitution.

[John Weaver] Now to me, here's the most amazing thing out of this passage. God used a simple illustration and a simple parable to bring David to his knees. That's all. Stop and think about it. David did not hear the thunder rolling. He did not see the lightning flashing. The hair on his neck did not stand up. God used a simple story to bring him to his knees. You know what? We need to pay attention to songs, biblical songs, and think about them. We need to pay attention to sermons. We need to pay attention to incidents. We need to pay attention to loving rebukes from our brethren who encourage us to turn from our sins. We have to remember folks, repentance is the gift of God and when we turn from our sins we are exercising that gift and God uses means. He can use the simplest thing to turn us from our sins. a rooster crowing. It is one of the greatest mercies that God shows to us when He exposes our sins and grants us repentance.

[John Weaver] It does not matter how embarrassing those sins are, how humiliating those sins are, it's still one of the greatest mercies when God exposes our sins and gives us repentance. It's far better than Him allowing us to continue to hide our sins and never turn from them. The point I'm trying to make is this. Christian growth and Christian maturity teaches us to deal with our sins early. Each of us are sinners.

[John Weaver] And each of us sin, many times unknowingly, sometimes unwittingly, but yet we sin. And when we do, and we understand, and we realize that sin, we need to immediately deal with it, ask God for repentance, turn from it, and bring our lives into greater conformity to the Word of God. That is repentance in the life of a Christian. Bible says it like this in the book of Proverbs chapter 28 and verse 13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy.

[John Weaver] Now, I've got two applications. The first one is this, there are many who wish to identify with David's sin, who do not wish to identify with with his repentance and restitution and suffering. We have to remember, sin always promises us pleasure and excitement, but it always produces death and destruction. So when someone thinks, well, wow, David did it, so can I. Yeah. You better look at David's fourfold restitution.

[John Weaver] and everything that he suffered for the rest of his life. That's a high price to pay for just a little moment of sin. The second one is this. We have to use wisdom in confronting each other, and especially confronting individuals who are in positions of authority.

[John Weaver] Now, Nathan was a prophet of God. But I want you to notice what he did not do. Nathan did not storm into the king's palace and come up to the king and shake his finger in his face and say, let me tell you something, you wicked, reprobate, you dirty, low-down scum, you worthless. No, he didn't do that. What would have happened? Well, he may have been killed. David was king.

[John Weaver] He could have done what he wanted to do. But even if he was not killed, probably that kind of attitude would have driven David further in rebellion and caused him to hide his sin even more and fail to confess that sin.

[John Weaver] Now, the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 15 that we're to speak the truth in love. Now, we have to speak the truth. We have to use wisdom when we speak the truth. And really and truly when people get upset and people get offended because of the truth that is their problem not ours. But we must still speak the truth and especially even if it is to a king, or a ruler, or a politician, or mayor, or president, it doesn't matter. We still have to speak the truth in love.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you something. I want you to turn to two last passages. The first one is found in Romans chapter 15. And the second one is found in Galatians chapter 6. What is necessary for you and I to be able to confront each other and to talk to each other about our sins and our lives when our lives are in rebellion or in disobedience to God? Well look in Romans 15 and verse 14. Look what Paul says about these Roman Christians. Romans chapter 15 and notice verse 14, He said, and I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another, or to euthetically confront one another. So if I'm going to admonish Steve or admonish Francis, how do I do it? Well, he said, first of all, I must be filled with goodness. Secondly, I must be filled with knowledge. I must know what God says. and I must come to him out of the goodness of my heart, and not out of anger or righteous indignation, so to speak.

[John Weaver] But if you will turn over to Galatians chapter 6, let me show you something else. Galatians chapter 6, notice if you would please verse 1. He says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." So he says, we have to be full of goodness, we have to be full of knowledge, but now we must also be full of meekness and humility.

[John Weaver] We cannot take the attitude, aha, Francis, I told you not to do this. He said, you must consider yourself. Because if I'm trying to get on Francis, I must consider, if it was not for God's grace, I could be where Francis was, and Francis could be rebuking me. So we have to be full of goodness, and knowledge, and wisdom, and meekness, and humility. And we must be spiritual. You which are spiritual, you who are right with God in meekness, you seek to restore your brother who has fallen. So I told you last time, and I've told you this time, the proof that you've ever savingly believed is that you continue to believe. And the proof that you've ever savingly repented is that you continue in repentance.

[John Weaver] And the truth of the matter is this. You and I, as sinners, usually need to repent on a daily basis, sometimes an hourly basis. sometimes even more quickly than that. But whatever it is, when we discover anything that's contrary to the Scripture in our lives, we need to turn from it and become obedient and bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love. We thank you for your grace, your truth, your mercy. We do thank you, Father, for your gift of repentance. And thank you, Father, for enabling us to exercise it. Help us to learn. Help us, Lord, to understand the means that you use. And help us to observe things in a new light and apply them to our heart and use them to further our obedience unto thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. you

Repentance In The Life Of A Christian - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	4Czz8ZCvQfM
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election
Genre	Sermon
Date	2017-06-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 115: Repentance in the Life of a Christian — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	66

Formatted Transcript

Opening

All right, let's open our Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12, 2 Samuel chapter 12, and we're going to read the first seven verses. I'm going to take a few moments and review because we are going to do the second part of this message on repentance in the life of a Christian. Notice if you would please 2 Samuel chapter 12 beginning there in verse 1,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:1-7

"And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and he said unto him, 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 brought and nourished up, and it grew up together with him, and with his children." "He 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 traveller 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. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man."

Review of Part 1: Repentance as a Gift of God

Weaver reviews key points from the previous message: repentance is necessary for salvation, is a gift from God, and involves a change of mind resulting in a change of conduct.

I hope you will remember that when I preached the first message here, I pointed out a very clear and decisive truth, and that is that repentance is absolutely necessary unto salvation. That there is no salvation apart from repentance. And that we could actually say that repentance is unto life. Because in Acts chapter 11 and verse 18 the Bible says that when these professors in Jerusalem had heard that the Gentiles had received the Word of God then they glorified God saying, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." So repentance is indeed unto life according to the Scripture. And of course our Lord began His ministry Mark 1 and verse 15 preaching repentance. He said,

Scripture Reading — Mark 1:15

"The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the Gospel."

So it is impossible to believe the Gospel without repenting. And I also pointed out in the last message how that repentance and faith are the two sides of one coin. If you savingly repent you also believe. If you savingly believe, then you also repent. Because our Lord said in Luke chapter 5 and verse 32, that "I came not to call the righteous, but I came to call sinners to repentance." I also pointed out that there is a distinction between a godly sorrow and a worldly sorrow. A godly sorrow leads to repentance which leads to salvation, which is not to be repented of according to the Apostle Paul. But the sorrow of this world worketh death. And so the sorrow of this world is just when people are embarrassed because they've been caught in their sin, or they're humiliated or something like that. It's not really that they're sorry for their sin, they're just simply sorry that they got caught.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 10, Paul said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 7:10

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of."

But he said, "the sorrow of this world worketh death." So there is a clear distinction then between godly sorrow and the sorrow of this world. I also pointed out that the word repent literally means a change of mind which results in a change of conduct and a change of course. The word is metanoia and it literally means I change my mind which results in a change of course. So if I am headed in a northerly direction and I repent, I not only change my mind, I turn around 180 degrees and I come back in a southerly direction. So I've just not only repented, mentally that has affected my course and my conduct and so I'm headed in a different direction. And I pointed out also how that God must actually give us repentance. That repentance is His gift. And when you and I repent and turn from our sins, we're just simply exercising the gift that God has given us.

We cannot even turn from our sins in our own strength and in our own power. God must give us His strength and His grace. I also pointed out that you and I cannot work up repentance. Repentance is not in us by nature. And someone thinks that they can repent anytime they want to, absolutely foolish and certainly does not know the Scripture. It's kind of like I heard one man say, he said quitting smoking is easy.

God Must Turn Us Before We Repent

Using Jeremiah 31:18-19, Weaver shows that God must first turn us; only then can we repent and be ashamed of our sin.

Now I want you to hold 2 Samuel chapter 12, but I want you to look in your Bibles if you would please to Jeremiah chapter 31, because here what I've just said is beautifully summed up in two verses. So if you look in Jeremiah chapter 31 beginning there with verse 18, and we'll read verse 19 as well. Note if you would what is said here, Jeremiah 31 verse 18,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

"I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke."

Now look at this,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

"Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God."

So God must turn us and then we will be turned. Now look in verse 19,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

"Surely after that I was turned,"

after God turned us and gave us His gift of repentance, "I repented."

"And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yet even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth." So after there is a turning there is repentance. And after repentance of course we are then very ashamed of that which we did in sinning and violating the Law of God.

God Uses Means to Grant Repentance

God could have worked immediately but chose to use Nathan and a parable. Weaver explains the theological distinction between immediate and mediate works of God.

Now, the one thing that I pointed out specifically in the last message was this, that David's repentance and restoration was an act of God. If you look in verse 1, here is the only phrase that I actually covered, "and the Lord sent Nathan unto David." You must remember that Nathan was a prophet. He was David's counselor. And David undoubtedly called for Nathan many times. But he certainly did not call him in this particular time. So it was God who initiated this, and it was God who sent Nathan unto David. Now here is the second truth that I want to emphasize today and that is this, that God used means, or that God used an instrument in restoring David and granting him repentance. Now God could have used, well let me say it another way, God could have worked immediately but He did not.

Now usually when we hear the word immediately we think of something that is done instantaneously. But when you hear the word immediately and mediately used theologically it means two totally different things. So when I say God could have worked immediately that means that God could have worked without the use of means. God could have done something, yes, instantaneously and miraculously. So, let me give you an illustration. Suppose Steve gets sick, and he asks the Lord to heal him, and God just sovereignly, powerfully, miraculously, instantly heals him. We would say that that is an immediate work of God. But let's also suppose that he gets sick, and he asks the Lord to heal him, and the Lord leads him to necessary herbs and alternative medication. He takes that, and God blesses that, and God heals him. In that instance, he used means, okay? So I usually tell people all healing is divine, whether God does it immediately or mediately, because if God doesn't bless the means, no one's going to be healed anyhow. It's just that simple, okay?

When we talk about God acting immediately, we could say that God could have sovereignly and supernaturally just reached down and touched David and that would have been it. But He did not. He sent Nathan unto David. And Nathan came with a story, with a parable. And it was this story and this parable that God used.

Now why am I emphasizing this? Well let me just tell you. What man usually does. We usually don't understand how God is sovereign and God uses means. So a lot of people will do something like this, they'll say, "Well I'm just trusting in God to heal me, that's all. I'm never going to see a doctor. I'm never going to take an herb. I'm never going to research anything. I'm just trusting God to heal me." Well that sounds wonderful. But the truth of the matter is God has also provided means. And if we say on the one hand that we are trusting God and we are refusing to use the means that God has ordained, that's presumption, that is not faith. On the other hand, there are some people that say, "Well I'm going to use the means," and they fail to trust God to bless those means. Obviously the means are ineffective in and of themselves if God does not use them, and if God does not bless them.

Biblical Examples of God Using Small Means

Scripture shows God using a rooster, a whale, a donkey, and a boy's lunch. Believers are not to despise the day of small things.

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 4:10

Now, the point I'm trying to make is this, we are admonished in the book of Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10 to not to despise the day of small things. If you would just stop and think about the small things that our Lord has used throughout the Scripture. For instance, He used the crowing of a rooster to convict Peter. Three times Peter denied Christ and our Lord told him, "Before the cock crows three times you are going to deny Me." And when he denied Him three times that cock crowed, what happened? Peter then remembered the words the Lord spoke and went out, the Bible says, and wept bitterly. So he used a cock crowing. And how about the fact he used a whale to swallow Jonah. I usually tell people when God got through with Jonah he might have smelled a lot like fish, but he sure felt a whole lot more like obeying God. And that's true, but God used means there. And what about Balaam? He used an ass to speak to Balaam. That's using means.

When you get to John chapter 6, when he fed the multitude, what did he do? "There's a lad here with a loaf and two small fishes." He used means. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that God does use means and we are not to despise the day of small things. Let me go further. I want you to hold 2 Samuel. We are coming back there. But look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 13. God not only uses what you and I would call means, He uses also what you and I would call sometimes human tragedies, or catastrophes. Okay? Look in Luke chapter 13. Luke chapter 13 the Bible says this, "There were present in that season some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices."

God Uses Tragedies and the Examples of Others

Jesus taught that catastrophes should lead us to repentance (Luke 13). The Pharisees failed to repent after seeing publicans and harlots transformed (Matthew 21).

Now you must remember that our Lord was from Galilee, that's where He was raised, that's where He lived His life in the Northern Kingdom. Now, so this was undoubtedly meant to excite Him when He heard that some of the people with whom He may have grown up had been murdered by Pilate. They were sacrificing and Pilate came in and had them murdered. But look what our Lord said in verse 2, "And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?" "I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall likewise perish." Now our Lord refers to another incident He says, "...or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, thinking that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in the earth? I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." So what our Lord is telling us is this, when we think about great catastrophes or tragedies we are to also think about ourselves and the fact that we must die as well.

It doesn't matter if it's a tornado, or a hurricane, or an earthquake, or a tsunami. And you know, you and I will sit back and say, "Wow, it's unbelievable. Thousands of people drowned in that tsunami." And we never think about the fact that we too must die, and that we have sins, and they need to be dealt with. And this is what our Lord is saying. And one has to wonder if any of these people whom our Lord was speaking really understood the implications of what He was saying. And the truth is that you and I see and hear these things all the time. And it never dawns upon us to apply them to ourselves. I want you to turn also to Matthew chapter 21. Here's another amazing truth in light of this. God also demands that you and I profit from what He does in the lives of others. For instance even He charged these Pharisees with not understanding the work of God in the lives of the publicans and the harlots. So in Matthew chapter 21 look in verse 31 He is ending the story of the parable of the two sons and He asks, "Whether of them twain did the will of his father?"

They said unto him, The first. Now look what he is saying to the Pharisees. "Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans," tax collectors, "and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." Now he is talking to a bunch of religious Pharisees who were punctilious in everything. He tells them the most wicked and vile going in the kingdom of God before them. Why? Look in verse 32. "For John," that is John the Baptist, "came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him."

Now look what he says. "And you, when you had seen it, repented not afterwards that you might believe." In other words, he said you saw the mighty, powerful, gracious work of God in the lives of these publicans and these harlots. You saw how they were turned around. You saw how they repented and how they became followers of Jesus Christ. When you saw it, you did not repent afterwards that you might believe. In other words, here's means. God is saying that you and I are to consider the fact of what God does in the lives of other people.

Nathan's Parable and David's Self-Condemnation

Nathan tells a story of a rich man taking a poor man's ewe lamb. David, not realizing it is a parable, pronounces a death sentence and fourfold restitution, condemning himself.

Now I want us in that light to go back to 2 Samuel chapter 12 because I want you to see the means that God uses here to restore David. He uses a simple story, a simple illustration that everyone knows. Look if you would please He says, "And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in the 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 brought and nourished up." "And he grew up together with him, and with his children, did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter." Now in this simple illustration Nathan is conveying this story to David and it illustrates the disrespect, the inconsideration, and the injustice that the rich man had toward the poor man. The circumstances of this story are exquisitely contrived to heighten the pity of David for the oppressed and also his indignation against the oppressor. So Nathan now resorting to this parable or this story basically in order to get David to condemn himself. So it is a very simple story.

So look at it if you would first of all. He says in verse 1 the latter part, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor." So the very first distinction is between a rich man and a poor man. Obviously the rich man would be David. David was a king. The poor man would be Uriah the Hittite. Notice if you would, he talks about the rich man and the poor man. Do you realize, and I'm sure you do not, but can you even conceive of how wealthy David really and truly was? If you have no idea concerning the wealth of David, I would encourage you to read 1 Chronicles chapter 29.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 29

Because David had warred and he had captured a lot of gold and silver and other things, precious stones, and out of those things he just simply set them aside for the Temple, for the building of the Temple, the building of the house of God. But when you get to 1 Chronicles chapter 29, besides all of that David said, "I have of my own personal wealth, given so much gold and so much silver." It is really mind boggling when you and I could consider the extreme wealth of David. So David had everything at his disposal. Uriah was a soldier and he had absolutely nothing. Now the second distinction that is given here is this, verse 2, "The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds." Watch, verse 3, "But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had brought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his children, and did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter." Now I must hasten to point out that this one little ewe lamb had belonged to the poor man from its youth. He nourished it, He fed it. He allowed it to live with him, and to eat with him, and was with him as a daughter. This was definitely not an animal that was raised for meat. This animal was not to be raised to be sold. This animal was absolutely special because it was his life and his love. And of course, in the story here, this little ewe lamb represented Bathsheba.

So evidently they had been childhood sweethearts and had gotten married early and basically raised each other kind of like Alice and I did. But notice if you would he talked about this one little ewe lamb. I told Ed this yesterday I think it was, I was out watching the animals and feeding them. I said, "The more I'm around some people, the more I love my animals." Just stop and think about that. And you know, anyone who's never had animals really and truly does not understand the bond that exists between a man and his animals, really. It's just like the calves that we have, especially the triplets, the two of them that Alice and I raised on a bottle, I don't know, they're 1,000, 1,500 pounds now, and they're still nothing but pets. And someone said, as they were watching me pet them and as they were loving up against me, they said, "I don't imagine you'll ever sell these." I said, "No, I don't think so," you know. But, you know, it was the same thing with this General Beauregard, the 3,000-pound bull, and then General Forrest.

We raised him on a bottle. And I have pictures of Forrest, who now, of course he weighs 3,000 pounds, but as a baby I have pictures of him laying in my granddaughter's lap as she strokes him and brushes him, and you know that kind of thing. Well, you know those are bonds that are not easily broken. So this is exactly what he is saying. He is using this as a good illustration.

Now, he talks about the rich man who had exceeding many flocks and herds. He talks about the poor man who had nothing save this one little ewe lamb. So here's the story. David had many wives and concubines. Uriah only had one wife. One that had been his childhood sweetheart. One that he had lived with from their youth. How many wives did David have? Well, let's hold 2 Samuel.

Turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 3. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, just over a few pages. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. 1 Chronicles chapter 3 verse 1,

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"And now these were the sons of David which were born unto him in Hebron, the firstborn Ammon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelite,"

that's one wife.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The second Daniel of Abigail the Carmelite,"

that's two wives.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The third Absalom the son of Maachah,"

that's three wives,

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth Adonijah the son of Haggith,"

that's four.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The fifth Shephatiah of Abital,"

that's five.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The sixth Ithream by Eglah his wife,"

that's six.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"These six were born unto him in Hebron, there he reigned 7 years and 6 months and in Jerusalem he reigned 30 and 3 years. And these were born unto him in Jerusalem, Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four of Bathsheba, the daughter of Ammiel,"

uh-huh, Bathsheba, Bathsheba, that's seven.

"Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine." Now watch verse 9, "These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of his concubines, and Tamar their sister." Now don't forget that David also had married Michal, Saul's daughter. So that is eight wives that we know of that are specifically named in Scripture. Besides that, he probably had more. So if you'll go back in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 5, look at verse 13. 2 Samuel chapter 5 and verse 13 look what the Bible says, "And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he was come from Hebron and there were yet sons and daughters born to David." No, David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem. Look if you would in 2 Samuel chapter 15 verse 16.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 5:13

Notice if you would please, verse 16, "And the king went forth," this is when Absalom is running him off the throne, "and the king went forth and all the people after him, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women which were concubines to keep the house." Nah, he had a multitude of those because he left ten there. Wow. Look in chapter 19 and verse 5 of 2 Samuel, because after Absalom is killed, David is mourning for him and Joab goes in and reproaches David. Verse 5 of 2 Samuel chapter 19, "And Joab came into the house of the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines." Now, David had plenty of wives and concubines.

He did not need Bathsheba. Bathsheba was the only wife that Uriah had. He did not have a multitude of wives as David did. Uriah the poor man has this one little ewe lamb, his only wife who was to him as his own soul. She lay in his bosom from a youth. He had no other and he desired no other. Now we already see the differences now between the rich man and the poor man as well as the herds.

But what about this traveler? Because the Bible tells us very plainly in verse 4, "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 coming to him. But he took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to him." Well the traveler in this parable is undoubtedly David's lust and his concupiscence, his covetousness. He would not allow him to visit his own wives or his own concubines. No. He needed this poor man's lamb in order to satisfy his lust.

So here we have a plain picture of his idolatry, of his theft, of his adultery, and his wickedness. He not only defiled Bathsheba, but her home, her husband, and her family. Now, when David heard this story from Nathan, he supposed that it was real and actual since it came from Nathan. And so David then pronounced sentence against this man because this individual was so cruel, so selfish, and so despotic. So look in verse 5, "And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." So here's what Nathan has done. By this story, by this parable, he has now drawn David to renounce a sentence against himself. David now actually condemns himself. He condemns himself with an oath because he says in verse 5, "As the Lord liveth." Notice if you would he said the man shall restore fourfold in verse 6 "because he did this thing and because he had no pity."

David's Guilt and the Fourfold Restitution

David is charged with murder and adultery. Though pardoned, he suffers a fourfold loss of sons, fulfilling his own pronouncement. The sword never departs from his house.

The planning and the preparation of the murder of an innocent man is just as vile and just as reprehensible and makes one just as guilty as if he had executed the man himself. So the murderer and the man who plans the murder are equally guilty. I want you to look in 2 Samuel 12 and verse 9 how twice in one verse God charges David with the murder of Uriah the Hittite. God asks,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:9

"Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou,"

that is David,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:9

"hast killed Uriah the Hittite with a sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon."

Isn't that amazing? It is true that Uriah died in battle at the hand of the children of Ammon, but it was David who put him in the place. And God said to David, "You killed him." As if you had taken your sword and plunged it into his heart you have killed him. So twice in this one verse God now charges David with the murder of Uriah.

Now I want you to note in verse 5 when he hears this story David's anger is so greatly kindled he says, "As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." And then Nathan said in verse 7 to David, "Thou art the man." In other words, "You are this son of death." Now when you stop and think about this, these words pierced David's heart. They aroused his conscience. They brought him to his knees. Because he now understood very clearly not only his adultery, but his murder. And that he was responsible for the death of Uriah the Hittite. He initiated the plan that led to his death. And he understands now that he deserves to die. An interesting fact is this, you remember when Saul was chasing David. David and his men were hiding in a cave in 1 Samuel chapter 24 and Saul went into that cave and David slipped up behind Saul and cut off the hem of his garment, just cut off the skirt of his robe.

And the Bible says immediately his heart smote him because he had touched the Lord's anointed. Isn't that amazing? And yet now it took David nearly a year! And his heart didn't smite him for adultery. His heart didn't smite him for murdering Uriah. It took God sending Nathan to tell this story. And when David pronounced the death penalty upon this man, and when Nathan said, "Thou art the man," David knew the truth. He realized it. He realized he deserved it. And he deserved death on two counts, not only because of adultery, but also because of murder. So let's ask the question, why then was David not executed? And the answer comes back, only because God sovereignly pardoned him. If you look down in verse 13, "And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord hath also put away thy sin, thou shalt not die." So the only reason David was not executed was because God sovereignly pardoned him. Now, just because David was pardoned and he did not die, certainly does not mean that he got off lightly.

If you look back in verses 10 through 12, you'll see what God's judgment upon David is. Verse 10, God says, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart out of thine house." Wow, you use the sword? It's never going to depart out of your house. "Because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house." "Now I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of the sun. For thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." So David's punishment is the sword shall never depart out of his house. Evil is going to be raised up upon him out of his own family. And when God exposes him, He's going to do so in the sight of the sun before all Israel.

Now, interestingly, David said, "The man that has done this thing shall restore fourfold." I want you to listen to what Adam Clarke said on this fourfold restitution. Wow! Think about this. "Thou art the son of death, and thou shalt restore this lamb fourfold." Is it indulging fancy too much to say that David was called in the course of a just providence to pay this fourfold debt? To lose four sons by untimely deaths. First, the son of Bathsheba, upon whom David had set his heart, was slain by the Lord. Second, Amnon murdered by his own brother Absalom. Thirdly, Absalom slain in the oak by Joab. And fourthly, Adonijah slain by the order of his brother Solomon, even at the altar of the Lord. The sword in calamity did not depart from his house. From the murder of wretched Amnon by his brother, to the slaughter of the sons of Zedekiah, which is another sermon, before their father's eyes by the king of Babylon. His daughter Tamar was dishonored by her own brother, and his wives contaminated publicly by his own son, that is Absalom.

How dreadfully then was David punished for this sin. Who would repeat his transgression to share in its penalty? Can his conduct ever be an inducement to or encouragement in sin? Surely no. It must ever fill the reader and the hearer with horror. Behold the goodness and the severity of God. Reader, lay all these solemn things to heart. So, David lost four to one. He did give a four-fold restitution.

Applications: Ongoing Repentance and Wise Confrontation

Believers must deal with sin early and continually repent. When confronting others, we must be filled with goodness, knowledge, meekness, and speak the truth in love.

It does not matter how embarrassing those sins are, how humiliating those sins are, it's still one of the greatest mercies when God exposes our sins and gives us repentance. It's far better than Him allowing us to continue to hide our sins and never turn from them. The point I'm trying to make is this. Christian growth and Christian maturity teaches us to deal with our sins early. Each of us are sinners. And each of us sin, many times unknowingly, sometimes unwittingly, but yet we sin. And when we do, and we understand, and we realize that sin, we need to immediately deal with it, ask God for repentance, turn from it, and bring our lives into greater conformity to the Word of God. That is repentance in the life of a Christian. Bible says it like this in the book of Proverbs chapter 28 and verse 13, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy."

Now, I've got two applications. The first one is this, there are many who wish to identify with David's sin, who do not wish to identify with his repentance and restitution and suffering. We have to remember, sin always promises us pleasure and excitement, but it always produces death and destruction. So when someone thinks, "Well, wow, David did it, so can I." Yeah. You better look at David's fourfold restitution. And everything that he suffered for the rest of his life. That's a high price to pay for just a little moment of sin. The second one is this. We have to use wisdom in confronting each other, and especially confronting individuals who are in positions of authority.

Now, Nathan was a prophet of God. But I want you to notice what he did not do. Nathan did not storm into the king's palace and come up to the king and shake his finger in his face and say, "Let me tell you something, you wicked, reprobate, you dirty, low-down scum, you worthless." No, he didn't do that. What would have happened? Well, he may have been killed. David was king. He could have done what he wanted to do. But even if he was not killed, probably that kind of attitude would have driven David further in rebellion and caused him to hide his sin even more and fail to confess that sin.

Now, the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 15 that we're to speak the truth in love. Now, we have to speak the truth. We have to use wisdom when we speak the truth. And really and truly when people get upset and people get offended because of the truth that is their problem not ours. But we must still speak the truth and especially even if it is to a king, or a ruler, or a politician, or mayor, or president, it doesn't matter. We still have to speak the truth in love.

Now let me show you something. I want you to turn to two last passages. The first one is found in Romans chapter 15. And the second one is found in Galatians chapter 6. What is necessary for you and I to be able to confront each other and to talk to each other about our sins and our lives when our lives are in rebellion or in disobedience to God? Well look in Romans 15 and verse 14. Look what Paul says about these Roman Christians. Romans chapter 15 and notice verse 14, He said,

Scripture Reading — Romans 15:14

"And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another,"

or to nouthetically confront one another. So if I'm going to admonish Steve or admonish Francis, how do I do it? Well, he said, first of all, I must be filled with goodness. Secondly, I must be filled with knowledge. I must know what God says. And I must come to him out of the goodness of my heart, and not out of anger or righteous indignation, so to speak.

But if you will turn over to Galatians chapter 6, let me show you something else. Galatians chapter 6, notice if you would please verse 1. He says, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." So he says, we have to be full of goodness, we have to be full of knowledge, but now we must also be full of meekness and humility. We cannot take the attitude, "Aha, Francis, I told you not to do this." He said, you must consider yourself. Because if I'm trying to get on Francis, I must consider, if it was not for God's grace, I could be where Francis was, and Francis could be rebuking me. So we have to be full of goodness, and knowledge, and wisdom, and meekness, and humility. And we must be spiritual. You which are spiritual, you who are right with God in meekness, you seek to restore your brother who has fallen. So I told you last time, and I've told you this time, the proof that you've ever savingly believed is that you continue to believe. And the proof that you've ever savingly repented is that you continue in repentance.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Repentance as a Sovereign Gift of God

Summary: Repentance is not a human work but a gift God grants, enabling sinners to turn from sin.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'repentance is the gift of God and when we turn from our sins we are exercising that gift' and cites Jeremiah 31:18-19.

God's Use of Means in Bringing Repentance

Summary: God ordinarily works through means—people, stories, events—rather than immediate supernatural intervention.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'God could have worked immediately but He did not. He sent Nathan unto David. And Nathan came with a story, with a parable.'

The Danger of Despising Small Things

Summary: Believers should not overlook the simple means God uses to convict and restore, such as a rooster crowing or a parable.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'we are admonished in the book of Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10 to not to despise the day of small things' and gives multiple biblical examples.

Self-Condemnation Through God's Word

Summary: Nathan's parable led David to pronounce judgment on himself, illustrating how God's truth exposes sin.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'Nathan now resorting to this parable or this story basically in order to get David to condemn himself.'

The Severity and Consequences of Sin

Summary: Though forgiven, David suffered severe temporal consequences, including the sword never departing from his house and the loss of four sons.

Evidence: Weaver details the fourfold restitution: 'David lost four to one. He did give a four-fold restitution.'

Ongoing Repentance in the Christian Life

Summary: Repentance is not a one-time event but a continual practice for believers who discover sin in their lives.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'the proof that you've ever savingly repented is that you continue in repentance' and 'we need to repent on a daily basis.'

Key Arguments

Repentance is impossible without God's enabling grace.

Summary: Sinners cannot repent in their own strength; God must grant the gift of repentance.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We cannot even turn from our sins in our own strength and in our own power. God must give us His strength and His grace.'

God's ordinary method is to use means, not immediate supernatural acts.

Summary: Theological distinction between immediate (without means) and mediate (through means) works of God.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'when I say God could have worked immediately that means that God could have worked without the use of means.'

Refusing God-ordained means while claiming to trust God is presumption, not faith.

Summary: Believers must both use means and trust God to bless them.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'if we say on the one hand that we are trusting God and we are refusing to use the means that God has ordained, that's presumption, that is not faith.'

David's self-condemnation demonstrates the power of indirect confrontation.

Summary: Nathan's parable caused David to pronounce his own death sentence, revealing his guilt.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'David now actually condemns himself. He condemns himself with an oath.'

David's pardon did not remove temporal consequences.

Summary: Though forgiven, David suffered the sword in his house and the loss of four sons as a fourfold restitution.

Evidence: Weaver cites Adam Clarke: 'David was called in the course of a just providence to pay this fourfold debt? To lose four sons by untimely deaths.'

Confronting sin requires goodness, knowledge, meekness, and spirituality.

Summary: Based on Romans 15:14 and Galatians 6:1, believers must be spiritually qualified to restore others.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'we have to be full of goodness, we have to be full of knowledge, but now we must also be full of meekness and humility.'

Scripture References

2 Samuel 12:1-7

Context: The primary text: Nathan's parable and confrontation of David.

Acts 11:18

Context: Repentance is granted by God unto life.

Mark 1:15

Context: Jesus began His ministry preaching repentance.

Luke 5:32

Context: Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:10

Context: Godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation; worldly sorrow works death.

Jeremiah 31:18-19

Context: God must turn us; after being turned, we repent and are ashamed.

Zechariah 4:10

Context: Do not despise the day of small things.

Luke 13:1-5

Context: Jesus uses tragedies to call for repentance.

Matthew 21:31-32

Context: Pharisees failed to repent after seeing publicans and harlots believe.

1 Chronicles 29

Context: David's immense wealth.

1 Chronicles 3:1-9

Context: David's many wives and sons.

2 Samuel 5:13

Context: David took more concubines and wives.

2 Samuel 15:16

Context: David left ten concubines to keep the house.

2 Samuel 19:5

Context: Joab refers to David's wives and concubines.

Exodus 22:1,4

Context: Laws of restitution: fourfold or fivefold for stolen animals.

Proverbs 6:26-35

Context: Adultery brings destruction; a thief may restore sevenfold, but adultery's reproach remains.

2 Samuel 12:9

Context: God charges David with killing Uriah.

Proverbs 28:13

Context: He who covers his sins will not prosper; confessing and forsaking brings mercy.

Ephesians 4:15

Context: Speak the truth in love.

Romans 15:14

Context: Believers are to be full of goodness and knowledge to admonish one another.

Historical References

Adam Clarke's commentary on David's fourfold restitution

Context: Clarke notes that David lost four sons as a fourfold payment for his sin.

Matthew Henry's commentary on David's death penalty pronouncement

Context: Henry suggests David's severe sentence reflects his own guilt and unmerciful state.

Important Quotes

Repentance is absolutely necessary unto salvation. That there is no salvation apart from repentance.

Significance: Establishes the foundational necessity of repentance for salvation.

God must actually give us repentance. That repentance is His gift.

Significance: Emphasizes the sovereignty of God in granting repentance.

Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God.

Significance: Scriptural proof that God must initiate the turning before repentance occurs.

We are admonished in the book of Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10 to not to despise the day of small things.

Significance: Encourages believers to value the simple means God uses.

Thou art the man.

Significance: The climactic moment of confrontation that pierced David's heart.

The proof that you've ever savingly believed is that you continue to believe. And the proof that you've ever savingly repented is that you continue in repentance.

Significance: Defines the ongoing nature of true faith and repentance.

Discussion Questions

Why is it important to understand that repentance is a gift from God rather than a human work?

Context: Weaver stresses that we cannot repent in our own strength; God must grant it.

How does the distinction between immediate and mediate works of God affect our expectations of how God speaks or works today?

Context: Weaver explains that God often uses ordinary means rather than dramatic signs.

What are some 'small things' God has used in your life to bring conviction or repentance?

Context: Weaver gives examples like a rooster crowing or a simple story.

In what ways do we, like the Pharisees, fail to repent after seeing God's work in others?

Context: Matthew 21:31-32 shows the Pharisees' failure to learn from the repentance of publicans and harlots.

How does David's self-condemnation through Nathan's parable illustrate the power of indirect confrontation?

Context: Nathan's story led David to pronounce his own death sentence.

What does David's fourfold restitution teach us about the temporal consequences of forgiven sin?

Context: David lost four sons, fulfilling his own words, though he was pardoned.

According to Romans 15:14 and Galatians 6:1, what qualifications are necessary for confronting a brother in sin?

Context: Weaver lists goodness, knowledge, meekness, humility, and spirituality.

What does it mean to 'continue in repentance' as a daily practice in the Christian life?

Context: Weaver says believers need to repent daily, even hourly, when sin is discovered.

Applications

Do not identify with David's sin without identifying with his repentance and suffering.

Summary: Sin promises pleasure but produces death and destruction; David's fourfold loss warns against trivializing sin.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'there are many who wish to identify with David's sin, who do not wish to identify with his repentance and restitution and suffering.'

Use wisdom and love when confronting others about sin.

Summary: Nathan did not storm in with accusations but used a parable. Believers must speak truth in love, with goodness, knowledge, and meekness.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Nathan did not storm into the king's palace... We have to use wisdom when we speak the truth.'

Deal with sin early and continually repent.

Summary: When we become aware of sin, we should immediately seek God for repentance and turn from it.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'when we do, and we understand, and we realize that sin, we need to immediately deal with it, ask God for repentance, turn from it.'

Pay attention to the means God uses to convict and restore.

Summary: Songs, sermons, incidents, and loving rebukes can be God's instruments to grant repentance.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We need to pay attention to songs, biblical songs, and think about them. We need to pay attention to sermons. We need to pay attention to incidents.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:46:01Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T05:39:18Z

Clean Transcript

Repentance In The Life Of A Christian - Part 2 of 2

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, let's open our Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12, 2 Samuel chapter 12, and we're going to read the first seven verses. I'm going to take a few moments and review because we are going to do the second part of this message on repentance in the life of a Christian. Notice if you would please 2 Samuel chapter 12 beginning there in verse 1, "And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and he said unto him, 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 brought and nourished up, and it grew up together with him, and with his children."
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"He 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 traveller 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. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man."
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I hope you will remember that when I preached the first message here, I pointed out a very clear and decisive truth, and that is that repentance is absolutely necessary unto salvation. That there is no salvation apart from repentance. And that we could actually say that repentance is unto life. Because in Acts chapter 11 and verse 18 the Bible says that when these professors in Jerusalem had heard that the Gentiles had received the Word of God then they glorified God saying, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." So repentance is indeed unto life according to the Scripture. And of course our Lord began His ministry Mark 1 and verse 15 preaching repentance.
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He said, "The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the Gospel." So it is impossible to believe the Gospel without repenting. And I also pointed out in the last message how that repentance and faith are the two sides of one coin. If you savingly repent you also believe. If you savingly believe, then you also repent. Because our Lord said in Luke chapter 5 and verse 32, that "I came not to call the righteous, but I came to call sinners to repentance." I also pointed out that there is a distinction between a godly sorrow and a worldly sorrow. A godly sorrow leads to repentance which leads to salvation, which is not to be repented of according to the Apostle Paul. But the sorrow of this world worketh death. And so the sorrow of this world is just when people are embarrassed because they've been caught in their sin, or they're humiliated or something like that. It's not really that they're sorry for their sin, they're just simply sorry that they got caught.
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In 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 10, Paul said, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of." But he said, "the sorrow of this world worketh death." So there is a clear distinction then between godly sorrow and the sorrow of this world. I also pointed out that the word repent literally means a change of mind which results in a change of conduct and a change of course. The word is metanoia and it literally means I change my mind which results in a change of course. So if I am headed in a northerly direction and I repent, I not only change my mind, I turn around 180 degrees and I come back in a southerly direction. So I've just not only repented, mentally that has affected my course and my conduct and so I'm headed in a different direction. And I pointed out also how that God must actually give us repentance. That repentance is His gift. And when you and I repent and turn from our sins, we're just simply exercising the gift that God has given us.
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We cannot even turn from our sins in our own strength and in our own power. God must give us His strength and His grace. I also pointed out that you and I cannot work up repentance. Repentance is not in us by nature. And someone thinks that they can repent anytime they want to, absolutely foolish and certainly does not know the Scripture. It's kind of like I heard one man say, he said quitting smoking is easy.
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I've quit a thousand times already. Well, the truth of the matter is he never even quit to begin with, you understand that. So it's impossible to repent apart from the grace of God. We cannot work it up, we cannot do it on our own, God must give it.
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Now I want you to hold 2 Samuel chapter 12, but I want you to look in your Bibles if you would please to Jeremiah chapter 31, because here what I've just said is beautifully summed up in two verses. So if you look in Jeremiah chapter 31 beginning there with verse 18, and we'll read verse 19 as well. Note if you would what is said here, Jeremiah 31 verse 18, "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke." Now look at this, "Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God." So God must turn us and then we will be turned. Now look in verse 19, "Surely after that I was turned," after God turned us and gave us His gift of repentance, "I repented."
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"And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yet even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth." So after there is a turning there is repentance. And after repentance of course we are then very ashamed of that which we did in sinning and violating the Law of God.
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Now, the one thing that I pointed out specifically in the last message was this, that David's repentance and restoration was an act of God. If you look in verse 1, here is the only phrase that I actually covered, "and the Lord sent Nathan unto David." You must remember that Nathan was a prophet. He was David's counselor. And David undoubtedly called for Nathan many times. But he certainly did not call him in this particular time. So it was God who initiated this, and it was God who sent Nathan unto David. Now here is the second truth that I want to emphasize today and that is this, that God used means, or that God used an instrument in restoring David and granting him repentance. Now God could have used, well let me say it another way, God could have worked immediately but He did not.
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Now usually when we hear the word immediately we think of something that is done instantaneously. But when you hear the word immediately and mediately used theologically it means two totally different things. So when I say God could have worked immediately that means that God could have worked without the use of means. God could have done something, yes, instantaneously and miraculously. So, let me give you an illustration. Suppose Steve gets sick, and he asks the Lord to heal him, and God just sovereignly, powerfully, miraculously, instantly heals him. We would say that that is an immediate work of God. But let's also suppose that he gets sick, and he asks the Lord to heal him, and the Lord leads him to necessary herbs and alternative medication. He takes that, and God blesses that, and God heals him. In that instance, he used means, okay? So I usually tell people all healing is divine, whether God does it immediately or mediately, because if God doesn't bless the means, no one's going to be healed anyhow. It's just that simple, okay?
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When we talk about God acting immediately, we could say that God could have sovereignly and supernaturally just reached down and touched David and that would have been it. But He did not. He sent Nathan unto David. And Nathan came with a story, with a parable. And it was this story and this parable that God used.
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Now why am I emphasizing this? Well let me just tell you. What man usually does. We usually don't understand how God is sovereign and God uses means. So a lot of people will do something like this, they'll say, "Well I'm just trusting in God to heal me, that's all. I'm never going to see a doctor. I'm never going to take an herb. I'm never going to research anything. I'm just trusting God to heal me." Well that sounds wonderful. But the truth of the matter is God has also provided means. And if we say on the one hand that we are trusting God and we are refusing to use the means that God has ordained, that's presumption, that is not faith. On the other hand, there are some people that say, "Well I'm going to use the means," and they fail to trust God to bless those means. Obviously the means are ineffective in and of themselves if God does not use them, and if God does not bless them.
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We have to put these two things together. We have to say, yes, that God has ordained means, but God must bless those means. And the reason I am pointing this out is this, there are some people, and I have talked to some, who think that if God speaks to them that somehow they are going to see lightning flash, the thunder will roll, and the hair on the back of their neck will stand up, they somehow will know that God has spoken to them. Well, if you really want that all you've got to do is grab a 220 or a 110 and hold on to it a long time and I guarantee you you'll hear and see sparks and the hair on your head and neck will stand up. Now, that's not necessarily God speaking to you.
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Now, the point I'm trying to make is this, we are admonished in the book of Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10 to not to despise the day of small things. If you would just stop and think about the small things that our Lord has used throughout the Scripture. For instance, He used the crowing of a rooster to convict Peter. Three times Peter denied Christ and our Lord told him, "Before the cock crows three times you are going to deny Me." And when he denied Him three times that cock crowed, what happened? Peter then remembered the words the Lord spoke and went out, the Bible says, and wept bitterly. So he used a cock crowing. And how about the fact he used a whale to swallow Jonah. I usually tell people when God got through with Jonah he might have smelled a lot like fish, but he sure felt a whole lot more like obeying God. And that's true, but God used means there. And what about Balaam? He used an ass to speak to Balaam. That's using means.
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When you get to John chapter 6, when he fed the multitude, what did he do? "There's a lad here with a loaf and two small fishes." He used means. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that God does use means and we are not to despise the day of small things. Let me go further. I want you to hold 2 Samuel. We are coming back there. But look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 13. God not only uses what you and I would call means, He uses also what you and I would call sometimes human tragedies, or catastrophes. Okay? Look in Luke chapter 13. Luke chapter 13 the Bible says this, "There were present in that season some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices."
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Now you must remember that our Lord was from Galilee, that's where He was raised, that's where He lived His life in the Northern Kingdom. Now, so this was undoubtedly meant to excite Him when He heard that some of the people with whom He may have grown up had been murdered by Pilate. They were sacrificing and Pilate came in and had them murdered. But look what our Lord said in verse 2, "And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?"
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"I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall likewise perish." Now our Lord refers to another incident He says, "...or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, thinking that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in the earth? I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." So what our Lord is telling us is this, when we think about great catastrophes or tragedies we are to also think about ourselves and the fact that we must die as well.
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It doesn't matter if it's a tornado, or a hurricane, or an earthquake, or a tsunami. And you know, you and I will sit back and say, "Wow, it's unbelievable. Thousands of people drowned in that tsunami." And we never think about the fact that we too must die, and that we have sins, and they need to be dealt with. And this is what our Lord is saying. And one has to wonder if any of these people whom our Lord was speaking really understood the implications of what He was saying.
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And the truth is that you and I see and hear these things all the time. And it never dawns upon us to apply them to ourselves. I want you to turn also to Matthew chapter 21. Here's another amazing truth in light of this. God also demands that you and I profit from what He does in the lives of others. For instance even He charged these Pharisees with not understanding the work of God in the lives of the publicans and the harlots. So in Matthew chapter 21 look in verse 31 He is ending the story of the parable of the two sons and He asks, "Whether of them twain did the will of his father?"
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They said unto him, The first. Now look what he is saying to the Pharisees. "Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans," tax collectors, "and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." Now he is talking to a bunch of religious Pharisees who were punctilious in everything. He tells them the most wicked and vile going in the kingdom of God before them. Why? Look in verse 32.
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"For John," that is John the Baptist, "came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him."
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Now look what he says. "And you, when you had seen it, repented not afterwards that you might believe." In other words, he said you saw the mighty, powerful, gracious work of God in the lives of these publicans and these harlots. You saw how they were turned around. You saw how they repented and how they became followers of Jesus Christ. When you saw it, you did not repent afterwards that you might believe. In other words, here's means. God is saying that you and I are to consider the fact of what God does in the lives of other people.
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Now I want us in that light to go back to 2 Samuel chapter 12 because I want you to see the means that God uses here to restore David. He uses a simple story, a simple illustration that everyone knows. Look if you would please He says, "And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in the 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 brought and nourished up."
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"And he grew up together with him, and with his children, did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter." Now in this simple illustration Nathan is conveying this story to David and it illustrates the disrespect, the inconsideration, and the injustice that the rich man had toward the poor man. The circumstances of this story are exquisitely contrived to heighten the pity of David for the oppressed and also his indignation against the oppressor. So Nathan now resorting to this parable or this story basically in order to get David to condemn himself. So it is a very simple story.
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So look at it if you would first of all. He says in verse 1 the latter part, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor." So the very first distinction is between a rich man and a poor man. Obviously the rich man would be David. David was a king. The poor man would be Uriah the Hittite. Notice if you would, he talks about the rich man and the poor man. Do you realize, and I'm sure you do not, but can you even conceive of how wealthy David really and truly was? If you have no idea concerning the wealth of David, I would encourage you to read 1 Chronicles chapter 29.
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Because David had warred and he had captured a lot of gold and silver and other things, precious stones, and out of those things he just simply set them aside for the Temple, for the building of the Temple, the building of the house of God. But when you get to 1 Chronicles chapter 29, besides all of that David said, "I have of my own personal wealth, given so much gold and so much silver." It is really mind boggling when you and I could consider the extreme wealth of David. So David had everything at his disposal.
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Uriah was a soldier and he had absolutely nothing. Now the second distinction that is given here is this, verse 2, "The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds." Watch, verse 3, "But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had brought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his children, and did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter." Now I must hasten to point out that this one little ewe lamb had belonged to the poor man from its youth. He nourished it, He fed it. He allowed it to live with him, and to eat with him, and was with him as a daughter. This was definitely not an animal that was raised for meat. This animal was not to be raised to be sold. This animal was absolutely special because it was his life and his love. And of course, in the story here, this little ewe lamb represented Bathsheba.
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So evidently they had been childhood sweethearts and had gotten married early and basically raised each other kind of like Alice and I did. But notice if you would he talked about this one little ewe lamb. I told Ed this yesterday I think it was, I was out watching the animals and feeding them. I said, "The more I'm around some people, the more I love my animals." Just stop and think about that. And you know, anyone who's never had animals really and truly does not understand the bond that exists between a man and his animals, really. It's just like the calves that we have, especially the triplets, the two of them that Alice and I raised on a bottle, I don't know, they're 1,000, 1,500 pounds now, and they're still nothing but pets. And someone said, as they were watching me pet them and as they were loving up against me, they said, "I don't imagine you'll ever sell these." I said, "No, I don't think so," you know. But, you know, it was the same thing with this General Beauregard, the 3,000-pound bull, and then General Forrest.
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We raised him on a bottle. And I have pictures of Forrest, who now, of course he weighs 3,000 pounds, but as a baby I have pictures of him laying in my granddaughter's lap as she strokes him and brushes him, and you know that kind of thing. Well, you know those are bonds that are not easily broken. So this is exactly what he is saying. He is using this as a good illustration.
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Now, he talks about the rich man who had exceeding many flocks and herds. He talks about the poor man who had nothing save this one little ewe lamb. So here's the story. David had many wives and concubines. Uriah only had one wife. One that had been his childhood sweetheart. One that he had lived with from their youth. How many wives did David have? Well, let's hold 2 Samuel.
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Turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 3. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, just over a few pages. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. 1 Chronicles chapter 3 verse 1, "And now these were the sons of David which were born unto him in Hebron, the firstborn Ammon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelite," that's one wife. "The second Daniel of Abigail the Carmelite," that's two wives. "The third Absalom the son of Maachah," that's three wives, "the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth Adonijah the son of Haggith," that's four. "The fifth Shephatiah of Abital," that's five. "The sixth Ithream by Eglah his wife," that's six. "These six were born unto him in Hebron, there he reigned 7 years and 6 months and in Jerusalem he reigned 30 and 3 years. And these were born unto him in Jerusalem, Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four of Bathsheba, the daughter of Ammiel," uh-huh, Bathsheba, Bathsheba, that's seven.
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"Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine." Now watch verse 9, "These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of his concubines, and Tamar their sister." Now don't forget that David also had married Michal, Saul's daughter. So that is eight wives that we know of that are specifically named in Scripture. Besides that, he probably had more. So if you'll go back in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 5, look at verse 13. 2 Samuel chapter 5 and verse 13 look what the Bible says, "And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he was come from Hebron and there were yet sons and daughters born to David." No, David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem. Look if you would in 2 Samuel chapter 15 verse 16.
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Notice if you would please, verse 16, "And the king went forth," this is when Absalom is running him off the throne, "and the king went forth and all the people after him, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women which were concubines to keep the house." Nah, he had a multitude of those because he left ten there. Wow. Look in chapter 19 and verse 5 of 2 Samuel, because after Absalom is killed, David is mourning for him and Joab goes in and reproaches David. Verse 5 of 2 Samuel chapter 19, "And Joab came into the house of the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines." Now, David had plenty of wives and concubines.
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He did not need Bathsheba. Bathsheba was the only wife that Uriah had. He did not have a multitude of wives as David did. Uriah the poor man has this one little ewe lamb, his only wife who was to him as his own soul. She lay in his bosom from a youth. He had no other and he desired no other. Now we already see the differences now between the rich man and the poor man as well as the herds.
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But what about this traveler? Because the Bible tells us very plainly in verse 4, "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 coming to him. But he took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to him." Well the traveler in this parable is undoubtedly David's lust and his concupiscence, his covetousness. He would not allow him to visit his own wives or his own concubines. No. He needed this poor man's lamb in order to satisfy his lust.
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So here we have a plain picture of his idolatry, of his theft, of his adultery, and his wickedness. He not only defiled Bathsheba, but her home, her husband, and her family.
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Now, when David heard this story from Nathan, he supposed that it was real and actual since it came from Nathan. And so David then pronounced sentence against this man because this individual was so cruel, so selfish, and so despotic. So look in verse 5, "And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." So here's what Nathan has done. By this story, by this parable, he has now drawn David to renounce a sentence against himself. David now actually condemns himself. He condemns himself with an oath because he says in verse 5, "As the Lord liveth." Notice if you would he said the man shall restore fourfold in verse 6 "because he did this thing and because he had no pity."
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Now I want you to hold 2 Samuel 12 and go back in your Bibles if you would please to the book of Exodus chapter 22. Genesis, Exodus, Exodus 22. And notice if you would verse 1 here you are going to see there is a four-fold and a five-fold restitution. Also in the Bible there is a two-fold restitution and there is a seven-fold restitution. But in verse 1, Exodus 22, "If a man shall steal an ox or a sheep and kill it, or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox, or four sheep for a sheep." Now the ratio of restitution depends upon what was stolen and who it was stolen from. You will skip down to verse 4, "If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox or ass or sheep he shall restore double." Why? Well he hadn't had time to dispose of it, he hadn't had time to use it and so therefore the ratio is just simply double instead of four fold or five fold.
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Now David goes further in 2 Samuel chapter 12 and pronounces the death penalty against this individual. Now when you study the Bible you are going to find that the simple remedy for theft is always restitution. You've heard the old adage that crime doesn't pay. Well under God's law crime doesn't pay, under man's law it does that's why we have so many criminals. But under God's law if Steve stole from me, he now owes me fourfold. Okay? So, if he stole $1,000, guess what? He owes me $4,000. And I'm not going to get into this, but if he doesn't have it to pay me, he is to be sold for his theft.
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In other words, he becomes my servant until he works it out. And if he refuses to work it out, according to the Bible, he is to be put to death. Well, I don't know about you, but I believe I would rather work it out than be executed. And the wise thing to do is never steal to begin with where you wouldn't get caught in a four-fold restitution. But now he has pronounced this death penalty.
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And I'm going to show you this in the Scripture just for a moment. But if a poor man stole from a rich man to satisfy his soul when he was hungry the Bible said he should make restitution even if it cost him the substance of his house. But Matthew Henry the commentator says this concerning David's pronouncement of the death penalty. He said this, listen carefully, "If a rich man steals for stealing's sake, not for want, but for wantonness, merely that he may be imperious and vexatious, he deserves to die for it. For to him the making of restitution is no punishment, or next to none. If the sentence be thought to be severe, it must be imputed to the present roughness of David's temper, being under guilt, and not having himself as yet received mercy." Well, I understand that. But you stop and think if a rich man has to make restitution it's nothing to him or next to nothing because he's got plenty. But I want you to turn to Proverbs chapter 6 because here is a passage that pretty well backs up not only what David said, but also what Matthew Henry said.
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Look in Proverbs chapter 6 and let's begin reading there with verse 26. Proverbs 6 and verse 26. Psalms, Proverbs, Proverbs 6 and verse 26. Scripture says, "For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life." Now watch these questions. "Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?" The answer is no. "Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?" The answer is no.
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"So he that goeth into his neighbor's wife, whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry. But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold. He shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso committed adultery with a woman lacketh understanding, he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away."
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"For jealousy is the rage of a man, therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance, he will not regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though thou givest him many gifts." Now it is true that the Bible does demand the death penalty for adultery, but Proverbs chapter 6 indicates that the jealous rage of a husband might also result in the death of the adulterer, because he will not be content with many gifts, neither will he regard ransom. Now go back if you would please to 2 Samuel chapter 12, because David had not only committed adultery, he had also committed murder. He contrived and planned the death of Uriah the Hittite, consequently he deserved the death penalty.
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The planning and the preparation of the murder of an innocent man is just as vile and just as reprehensible and makes one just as guilty as if he had executed the man himself. So the murderer and the man who plans the murder are equally guilty. I want you to look in 2 Samuel 12 and verse 9 how twice in one verse God charges David with the murder of Uriah the Hittite. God asks, "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou," that is David, "hast killed Uriah the Hittite with a sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." Isn't that amazing? It is true that Uriah died in battle at the hand of the children of Ammon, but it was David who put him in the place. And God said to David, "You killed him." As if you had taken your sword and plunged it into his heart you have killed him. So twice in this one verse God now charges David with the murder of Uriah.
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Now I want you to note in verse 5 when he hears this story David's anger is so greatly kindled he says, "As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." And then Nathan said in verse 7 to David, "Thou art the man." In other words, "You are this son of death." Now when you stop and think about this, these words pierced David's heart. They aroused his conscience.
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They brought him to his knees. Because he now understood very clearly not only his adultery, but his murder. And that he was responsible for the death of Uriah the Hittite. He initiated the plan that led to his death. And he understands now that he deserves to die. An interesting fact is this, you remember when Saul was chasing David. David and his men were hiding in a cave in 1 Samuel chapter 24 and Saul went into that cave and David slipped up behind Saul and cut off the hem of his garment, just cut off the skirt of his robe.
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And the Bible says immediately his heart smote him because he had touched the Lord's anointed. Isn't that amazing? And yet now it took David nearly a year! And his heart didn't smite him for adultery. His heart didn't smite him for murdering Uriah. It took God sending Nathan to tell this story. And when David pronounced the death penalty upon this man, and when Nathan said, "Thou art the man," David knew the truth. He realized it. He realized he deserved it. And he deserved death on two counts, not only because of adultery, but also because of murder. So let's ask the question, why then was David not executed? And the answer comes back, only because God sovereignly pardoned him. If you look down in verse 13, "And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord hath also put away thy sin, thou shalt not die." So the only reason David was not executed was because God sovereignly pardoned him. Now, just because David was pardoned and he did not die, certainly does not mean that he got off lightly.
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If you look back in verses 10 through 12, you'll see what God's judgment upon David is. Verse 10, God says, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart out of thine house." Wow, you use the sword? It's never going to depart out of your house. "Because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house."
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"Now I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of the sun. For thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." So David's punishment is the sword shall never depart out of his house. Evil is going to be raised up upon him out of his own family. And when God exposes him, He's going to do so in the sight of the sun before all Israel.
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Now, interestingly, David said, "The man that has done this thing shall restore fourfold." I want you to listen to what Adam Clarke said on this fourfold restitution. Wow! Think about this. "Thou art the son of death, and thou shalt restore this lamb fourfold." Is it indulging fancy too much to say that David was called in the course of a just providence to pay this fourfold debt? To lose four sons by untimely deaths. First, the son of Bathsheba, upon whom David had set his heart, was slain by the Lord.
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Second, Amnon murdered by his own brother Absalom. Thirdly, Absalom slain in the oak by Joab. And fourthly, Adonijah slain by the order of his brother Solomon, even at the altar of the Lord. The sword in calamity did not depart from his house. From the murder of wretched Amnon by his brother, to the slaughter of the sons of Zedekiah, which is another sermon, before their father's eyes by the king of Babylon. His daughter Tamar was dishonored by her own brother, and his wives contaminated publicly by his own son, that is Absalom.
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How dreadfully then was David punished for this sin. Who would repeat his transgression to share in its penalty? Can his conduct ever be an inducement to or encouragement in sin? Surely no. It must ever fill the reader and the hearer with horror. Behold the goodness and the severity of God. Reader, lay all these solemn things to heart. So, David lost four to one. He did give a four-fold restitution.
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Now to me, here's the most amazing thing out of this passage. God used a simple illustration and a simple parable to bring David to his knees. That's all. Stop and think about it. David did not hear the thunder rolling. He did not see the lightning flashing. The hair on his neck did not stand up. God used a simple story to bring him to his knees. You know what? We need to pay attention to songs, biblical songs, and think about them. We need to pay attention to sermons. We need to pay attention to incidents. We need to pay attention to loving rebukes from our brethren who encourage us to turn from our sins. We have to remember folks, repentance is the gift of God and when we turn from our sins we are exercising that gift and God uses means. He can use the simplest thing to turn us from our sins. A rooster crowing. It is one of the greatest mercies that God shows to us when He exposes our sins and grants us repentance.
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It does not matter how embarrassing those sins are, how humiliating those sins are, it's still one of the greatest mercies when God exposes our sins and gives us repentance. It's far better than Him allowing us to continue to hide our sins and never turn from them. The point I'm trying to make is this. Christian growth and Christian maturity teaches us to deal with our sins early. Each of us are sinners.
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And each of us sin, many times unknowingly, sometimes unwittingly, but yet we sin. And when we do, and we understand, and we realize that sin, we need to immediately deal with it, ask God for repentance, turn from it, and bring our lives into greater conformity to the Word of God. That is repentance in the life of a Christian. Bible says it like this in the book of Proverbs chapter 28 and verse 13, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy."
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Now, I've got two applications. The first one is this, there are many who wish to identify with David's sin, who do not wish to identify with his repentance and restitution and suffering. We have to remember, sin always promises us pleasure and excitement, but it always produces death and destruction. So when someone thinks, "Well, wow, David did it, so can I." Yeah. You better look at David's fourfold restitution.
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And everything that he suffered for the rest of his life. That's a high price to pay for just a little moment of sin. The second one is this. We have to use wisdom in confronting each other, and especially confronting individuals who are in positions of authority.
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Now, Nathan was a prophet of God. But I want you to notice what he did not do. Nathan did not storm into the king's palace and come up to the king and shake his finger in his face and say, "Let me tell you something, you wicked, reprobate, you dirty, low-down scum, you worthless." No, he didn't do that. What would have happened? Well, he may have been killed. David was king.
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He could have done what he wanted to do. But even if he was not killed, probably that kind of attitude would have driven David further in rebellion and caused him to hide his sin even more and fail to confess that sin.
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Now, the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 15 that we're to speak the truth in love. Now, we have to speak the truth. We have to use wisdom when we speak the truth. And really and truly when people get upset and people get offended because of the truth that is their problem not ours. But we must still speak the truth and especially even if it is to a king, or a ruler, or a politician, or mayor, or president, it doesn't matter. We still have to speak the truth in love.
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Now let me show you something. I want you to turn to two last passages. The first one is found in Romans chapter 15. And the second one is found in Galatians chapter 6. What is necessary for you and I to be able to confront each other and to talk to each other about our sins and our lives when our lives are in rebellion or in disobedience to God? Well look in Romans 15 and verse 14. Look what Paul says about these Roman Christians. Romans chapter 15 and notice verse 14, He said, "And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another," or to nouthetically confront one another. So if I'm going to admonish Steve or admonish Francis, how do I do it? Well, he said, first of all, I must be filled with goodness. Secondly, I must be filled with knowledge. I must know what God says. And I must come to him out of the goodness of my heart, and not out of anger or righteous indignation, so to speak.
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But if you will turn over to Galatians chapter 6, let me show you something else. Galatians chapter 6, notice if you would please verse 1. He says, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." So he says, we have to be full of goodness, we have to be full of knowledge, but now we must also be full of meekness and humility.
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We cannot take the attitude, "Aha, Francis, I told you not to do this." He said, you must consider yourself. Because if I'm trying to get on Francis, I must consider, if it was not for God's grace, I could be where Francis was, and Francis could be rebuking me. So we have to be full of goodness, and knowledge, and wisdom, and meekness, and humility. And we must be spiritual. You which are spiritual, you who are right with God in meekness, you seek to restore your brother who has fallen. So I told you last time, and I've told you this time, the proof that you've ever savingly believed is that you continue to believe. And the proof that you've ever savingly repented is that you continue in repentance.
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And the truth of the matter is this. You and I, as sinners, usually need to repent on a daily basis, sometimes an hourly basis. Sometimes even more quickly than that. But whatever it is, when we discover anything that's contrary to the Scripture in our lives, we need to turn from it and become obedient and bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love. We thank you for your grace, your truth, your mercy. We do thank you, Father, for your gift of repentance. And thank you, Father, for enabling us to exercise it. Help us to learn. Help us, Lord, to understand the means that you use. And help us to observe things in a new light and apply them to our heart and use them to further our obedience unto thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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Repentance In The Life Of A Christian - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this second part of the message on repentance, Pastor John Weaver continues his exposition of 2 Samuel 12, focusing on how God used means—specifically the prophet Nathan and a simple parable—to bring David to repentance. He emphasizes that repentance is a gift of God, that God sovereignly works through ordinary means, and that believers must not despise small things. The sermon highlights David's self-condemnation, the fourfold restitution principle, and the necessity of ongoing repentance in the Christian life. Applications include the danger of identifying with David's sin without his repentance, and the need for wisdom and love when confronting others about sin.

Opening

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:1-7

"And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and he said unto him, 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 brought and nourished up, and it grew up together with him, and with his children." "He 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 traveller 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. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man."

Review of Part 1: Repentance as a Gift of God

Weaver reviews key points from the previous message: repentance is necessary for salvation, is a gift from God, and involves a change of mind resulting in a change of conduct.

Scripture Reading — Mark 1:15

"The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the Gospel."

In 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 10, Paul said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 7:10

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of."

God Must Turn Us Before We Repent

Using Jeremiah 31:18-19, Weaver shows that God must first turn us; only then can we repent and be ashamed of our sin.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

"I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke."

Now look at this,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

"Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God."

So God must turn us and then we will be turned. Now look in verse 19,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

"Surely after that I was turned,"

after God turned us and gave us His gift of repentance, "I repented."

God Uses Means to Grant Repentance

God could have worked immediately but chose to use Nathan and a parable. Weaver explains the theological distinction between immediate and mediate works of God.

Biblical Examples of God Using Small Means

Scripture shows God using a rooster, a whale, a donkey, and a boy's lunch. Believers are not to despise the day of small things.

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 4:10

Now, the point I'm trying to make is this, we are admonished in the book of Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10 to not to despise the day of small things. If you would just stop and think about the small things that our Lord has used throughout the Scripture. For instance, He used the crowing of a rooster to convict Peter. Three times Peter denied Christ and our Lord told him, "Before the cock crows three times you are going to deny Me." And when he denied Him three times that cock crowed, what happened? Peter then remembered the words the Lord spoke and went out, the Bible says, and wept bitterly. So he used a cock crowing. And how about the fact he used a whale to swallow Jonah. I usually tell people when God got through with Jonah he might have smelled a lot like fish, but he sure felt a whole lot more like obeying God. And that's true, but God used means there. And what about Balaam? He used an ass to speak to Balaam. That's using means.

God Uses Tragedies and the Examples of Others

Jesus taught that catastrophes should lead us to repentance (Luke 13). The Pharisees failed to repent after seeing publicans and harlots transformed (Matthew 21).

Nathan's Parable and David's Self-Condemnation

Nathan tells a story of a rich man taking a poor man's ewe lamb. David, not realizing it is a parable, pronounces a death sentence and fourfold restitution, condemning himself.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 29

Because David had warred and he had captured a lot of gold and silver and other things, precious stones, and out of those things he just simply set them aside for the Temple, for the building of the Temple, the building of the house of God. But when you get to 1 Chronicles chapter 29, besides all of that David said, "I have of my own personal wealth, given so much gold and so much silver." It is really mind boggling when you and I could consider the extreme wealth of David. So David had everything at his disposal. Uriah was a soldier and he had absolutely nothing. Now the second distinction that is given here is this, verse 2, "The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds." Watch, verse 3, "But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had brought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his children, and did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter." Now I must hasten to point out that this one little ewe lamb had belonged to the poor man from its youth. He nourished it, He fed it. He allowed it to live with him, and to eat with him, and was with him as a daughter. This was definitely not an animal that was raised for meat. This animal was not to be raised to be sold. This animal was absolutely special because it was his life and his love. And of course, in the story here, this little ewe lamb represented Bathsheba.

Turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 3. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, just over a few pages. 1 Chronicles chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. 1 Chronicles chapter 3 verse 1,

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"And now these were the sons of David which were born unto him in Hebron, the firstborn Ammon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelite,"

that's one wife.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The second Daniel of Abigail the Carmelite,"

that's two wives.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The third Absalom the son of Maachah,"

that's three wives,

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth Adonijah the son of Haggith,"

that's four.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The fifth Shephatiah of Abital,"

that's five.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"The sixth Ithream by Eglah his wife,"

that's six.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

"These six were born unto him in Hebron, there he reigned 7 years and 6 months and in Jerusalem he reigned 30 and 3 years. And these were born unto him in Jerusalem, Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four of Bathsheba, the daughter of Ammiel,"

uh-huh, Bathsheba, Bathsheba, that's seven.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 5:13

Notice if you would please, verse 16, "And the king went forth," this is when Absalom is running him off the throne, "and the king went forth and all the people after him, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women which were concubines to keep the house." Nah, he had a multitude of those because he left ten there. Wow. Look in chapter 19 and verse 5 of 2 Samuel, because after Absalom is killed, David is mourning for him and Joab goes in and reproaches David. Verse 5 of 2 Samuel chapter 19, "And Joab came into the house of the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines." Now, David had plenty of wives and concubines.

David's Guilt and the Fourfold Restitution

David is charged with murder and adultery. Though pardoned, he suffers a fourfold loss of sons, fulfilling his own pronouncement. The sword never departs from his house.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:9

"Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou,"

that is David,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:9

"hast killed Uriah the Hittite with a sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon."

Applications: Ongoing Repentance and Wise Confrontation

Believers must deal with sin early and continually repent. When confronting others, we must be filled with goodness, knowledge, meekness, and speak the truth in love.

Scripture Reading — Romans 15:14

"And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another,"

Repentance In The Life Of A Christian - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	4Czz8ZCvQfM
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election
Genre	Sermon
Date	2017-06-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 115: Repentance in the Life of a Christian — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	66

Lecture Guide

Outline

Review of Part 1: Repentance as a Gift of God: Weaver reviews key points from the previous message: repentance is necessary for salvation, is a gift from God, and involves a change of mind resulting in a change of conduct.
God Must Turn Us Before We Repent: Using Jeremiah 31:18-19, Weaver shows that God must first turn us; only then can we repent and be ashamed of our sin.
God Uses Means to Grant Repentance: God could have worked immediately but chose to use Nathan and a parable. Weaver explains the theological distinction between immediate and mediate works of God.
Biblical Examples of God Using Small Means: Scripture shows God using a rooster, a whale, a donkey, and a boy's lunch. Believers are not to despise the day of small things.
God Uses Tragedies and the Examples of Others: Jesus taught that catastrophes should lead us to repentance (Luke 13). The Pharisees failed to repent after seeing publicans and harlots transformed (Matthew 21).
Nathan's Parable and David's Self-Condemnation: Nathan tells a story of a rich man taking a poor man's ewe lamb. David, not realizing it is a parable, pronounces a death sentence and fourfold restitution, condemning himself.
David's Guilt and the Fourfold Restitution: David is charged with murder and adultery. Though pardoned, he suffers a fourfold loss of sons, fulfilling his own pronouncement. The sword never departs from his house.
Applications: Ongoing Repentance and Wise Confrontation: Believers must deal with sin early and continually repent. When confronting others, we must be filled with goodness, knowledge, meekness, and speak the truth in love.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Repentance is impossible without God's enabling grace.

Sinners cannot repent in their own strength; God must grant the gift of repentance.

Weaver says, 'We cannot even turn from our sins in our own strength and in our own power. God must give us His strength and His grace.'

God's ordinary method is to use means, not immediate supernatural acts.

Theological distinction between immediate (without means) and mediate (through means) works of God.

Weaver explains, 'when I say God could have worked immediately that means that God could have worked without the use of means.'

Refusing God-ordained means while claiming to trust God is presumption, not faith.

Believers must both use means and trust God to bless them.

Weaver states, 'if we say on the one hand that we are trusting God and we are refusing to use the means that God has ordained, that's presumption, that is not faith.'

David's self-condemnation demonstrates the power of indirect confrontation.

Nathan's parable caused David to pronounce his own death sentence, revealing his guilt.

Weaver says, 'David now actually condemns himself. He condemns himself with an oath.'

David's pardon did not remove temporal consequences.

Though forgiven, David suffered the sword in his house and the loss of four sons as a fourfold restitution.

Weaver cites Adam Clarke: 'David was called in the course of a just providence to pay this fourfold debt? To lose four sons by untimely deaths.'

Confronting sin requires goodness, knowledge, meekness, and spirituality.

Based on Romans 15:14 and Galatians 6:1, believers must be spiritually qualified to restore others.

Weaver says, 'we have to be full of goodness, we have to be full of knowledge, but now we must also be full of meekness and humility.'

Scripture References

2 Samuel 12:1-7: The primary text: Nathan's parable and confrontation of David.
Acts 11:18: Repentance is granted by God unto life.
Mark 1:15: Jesus began His ministry preaching repentance.
Luke 5:32: Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.
2 Corinthians 7:10: Godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation; worldly sorrow works death.
Jeremiah 31:18-19: God must turn us; after being turned, we repent and are ashamed.
Zechariah 4:10: Do not despise the day of small things.
Luke 13:1-5: Jesus uses tragedies to call for repentance.
Matthew 21:31-32: Pharisees failed to repent after seeing publicans and harlots believe.
1 Chronicles 29: David's immense wealth.
1 Chronicles 3:1-9: David's many wives and sons.
2 Samuel 5:13: David took more concubines and wives.
2 Samuel 15:16: David left ten concubines to keep the house.
2 Samuel 19:5: Joab refers to David's wives and concubines.
Exodus 22:1,4: Laws of restitution: fourfold or fivefold for stolen animals.
Proverbs 6:26-35: Adultery brings destruction; a thief may restore sevenfold, but adultery's reproach remains.
2 Samuel 12:9: God charges David with killing Uriah.
Proverbs 28:13: He who covers his sins will not prosper; confessing and forsaking brings mercy.
Ephesians 4:15: Speak the truth in love.
Romans 15:14: Believers are to be full of goodness and knowledge to admonish one another.

Historical References

Adam Clarke's commentary on David's fourfold restitution: Clarke notes that David lost four sons as a fourfold payment for his sin.
Matthew Henry's commentary on David's death penalty pronouncement: Henry suggests David's severe sentence reflects his own guilt and unmerciful state.

Important Quotes

Repentance is absolutely necessary unto salvation. That there is no salvation apart from repentance.

Establishes the foundational necessity of repentance for salvation.

God must actually give us repentance. That repentance is His gift.

Emphasizes the sovereignty of God in granting repentance.

Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God.

Scriptural proof that God must initiate the turning before repentance occurs.

We are admonished in the book of Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10 to not to despise the day of small things.

Encourages believers to value the simple means God uses.

Thou art the man.

The climactic moment of confrontation that pierced David's heart.

The proof that you've ever savingly believed is that you continue to believe. And the proof that you've ever savingly repented is that you continue in repentance.

Defines the ongoing nature of true faith and repentance.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why is it important to understand that repentance is a gift from God rather than a human work?

[Context]

Weaver stresses that we cannot repent in our own strength; God must grant it.

[Question]

How does the distinction between immediate and mediate works of God affect our expectations of how God speaks or works today?

[Context]

Weaver explains that God often uses ordinary means rather than dramatic signs.

[Question]

What are some 'small things' God has used in your life to bring conviction or repentance?

[Context]

Weaver gives examples like a rooster crowing or a simple story.

[Question]

In what ways do we, like the Pharisees, fail to repent after seeing God's work in others?

[Context]

Matthew 21:31-32 shows the Pharisees' failure to learn from the repentance of publicans and harlots.

[Question]

How does David's self-condemnation through Nathan's parable illustrate the power of indirect confrontation?

[Context]

Nathan's story led David to pronounce his own death sentence.

[Question]

What does David's fourfold restitution teach us about the temporal consequences of forgiven sin?

[Context]

David lost four sons, fulfilling his own words, though he was pardoned.

[Question]

According to Romans 15:14 and Galatians 6:1, what qualifications are necessary for confronting a brother in sin?

[Context]

Weaver lists goodness, knowledge, meekness, humility, and spirituality.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'continue in repentance' as a daily practice in the Christian life?

[Context]

Weaver says believers need to repent daily, even hourly, when sin is discovered.

Applications

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