EGW Writings2 Samuel 12

Ellen G. White

2 Samuel 12:1-7

From Heaven With Love

Chapter 62—Mary Anoints Jesus

HLv 377.5

As did Nathan with David (2 Samuel 12:1-7), Christ threw upon His host the burden of pronouncing sentence on himself. Simon had led into sin the woman he now despised. She had been deeply wronged by him. By the two debtors of the parable, Simon and the woman were represented. Jesus did not design to teach that different degrees of obligation should be felt by the two persons, for each owed a debt of gratitude that never could be repaid. But Jesus desired to show Simon that his sin was as much greater than hers as a debt of five hundred pence exceeds a debt of fifty pence.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 2 (1869 - 1875)

Lt 19a, 1875

2LtMs, Lt 19a, 1875, par. 21

David sinned. He transgressed the law of God. A prophet was sent of God to reprove and convict David of his great sin. This prophet did not sing to David sensational songs; neither did he relate simple, humorous anecdotes. He brought before him an illustration of his own case in a figure and let David pass sentence upon himself, then he stated, “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:1-7.] David repented before God, whose law he had transgressed, and relied for pardon on the efficacy of the blood of Christ.

2 Samuel 12:1-14

Conflict and Courage

A King Rebuked, June 22

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And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. 2 Samuel 12:7.

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As time passed on, David’s sin toward Bathsheba became known, and suspicion was excited that he had planned the death of Uriah. The Lord was dishonored. He had favored and exalted David, and David’s sin misrepresented the character of God and cast reproach upon His name. It tended to lower the standard of godliness in Israel, to lessen in many minds the abhorrence of sin; while those who did not love and fear God were by it emboldened in transgression.

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Nathan the prophet was bidden to bear a message of reproof to David. It was a message terrible in its severity. To few sovereigns could such a reproof be given but at the price of certain death to the reprover. Nathan delivered the divine sentence unflinchingly, yet with such heaven-born wisdom as to engage the sympathies of the king, to arouse his conscience, and to call from his lips the sentence of death upon himself....

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The guilty may attempt, as David had done, to conceal their crime from men; they may seek to bury the evil deed forever from human sight or knowledge; but “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13).38Ibid., 720, 721.

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The prophet Nathan’s parable of the ewe lamb, given to King David, may be studied by all.... While he was following his course of self-indulgence and commandment breaking, the parable of a rich man who took from a poor man his one ewe lamb, was presented before him. But the king was so completely wrapped in his garments of sin, that he did not see that he was the sinner. He fell into the trap, and ... passed his sentence upon another man, as he supposed, condemning him to death....

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This experience was most painful to David, but it was most beneficial. But for the mirror which Nathan held up before him, in which he so clearly recognized his own likeness, he would have gone on unconvicted of his heinous sin, and would have been ruined. The conviction of his guilt was the saving of his soul. He saw himself in another light, as the Lord saw him, and as long as he lived he repented of his sin.39The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 2:1023.

Conflict and Courage

Sin’s Way Is Hard, June 23

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By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. 2 Samuel 12:14.

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Through successive generations infidels have pointed to the character of David, bearing this dark stain, and have exclaimed in triumph and derision, “This is the man after God’s own heart!” Thus a reproach has been brought upon religion, God and His word have been blasphemed, souls have been hardened in unbelief, and many, under a cloak of piety, have become bold in sin.

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Though David repented of his sin, and was forgiven and accepted by the Lord, he reaped the baleful harvest of the seed he himself had sown.... His authority in his own household, his claim to respect and obedience from his sons, was weakened. A sense of his guilt kept him silent when he should have condemned sin; it made his arm feeble to execute justice in his house....

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Those who, by pointing to the example of David, try to lessen the guilt of their own sins, should learn from the Bible record that the way of transgression is hard. Though like David they should turn from their evil course, the results of sin, even in this life, will be found bitter and hard to bear.40Patriarchs and Prophets, 722-724.

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A man incurs guilt by injuring a fellow-being, but his chief guilt is the sin that he has committed against the Lord, and the evil influence of his example upon others. The sincere child of God does not make light of any of His requirements.41The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 3:1147.

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2 Samuel 12:1-31

Patriarchs and Prophets

Chapter 71—David’s Sin and Repentance

PP 717.1

The Bible has little to say in praise of men. Little space is given to recounting the virtues of even the best men who have ever lived. This silence is not without purpose; it is not without a lesson. All the good qualities that men possess are the gift of God; their good deeds are performed by the grace of God through Christ. Since they owe all to God the glory of whatever they are or do belongs to Him alone; they are but instruments in His hands. More than this—as all the lessons of Bible history teach—it is a perilous thing to praise or exalt men; for if one comes to lose sight of his entire dependence on God, and to trust to his own strength, he is sure to fall. Man is contending with foes who are stronger than he. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places.” Ephesians 6:12, margin. It is impossible for us in our own strength to maintain the conflict; and whatever diverts the mind from God, whatever leads to self-exaltation or to self-dependence, is surely preparing the way for our overthrow. The tenor of the Bible is to inculcate distrust of human power and to encourage trust in divine power.

PP 717.2

It was the spirit of self-confidence and self-exaltation that prepared the way for David’s fall. Flattery and the subtle allurements of power and luxury were not without effect upon him. Intercourse with surrounding nations also exerted an influence for evil. According to the customs prevailing among Eastern rulers, crimes not to be tolerated in subjects were uncondemned in the king; the monarch was not under obligation to exercise the same self-restraint as the subject. All this tended to lessen David’s sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. And instead of relying in humility upon the power of Jehovah, he began to trust to his own wisdom and might. As soon as Satan can separate the soul from God, the only Source of strength, he will seek to arouse the unholy desires of man’s carnal nature. The work of the enemy is not abrupt; it is not, at the outset, sudden and startling; it is a secret undermining of the strongholds of principle. It begins in apparently small things—the neglect to be true to God and to rely upon Him wholly, the disposition to follow the customs and practices of the world.

PP 718.1

Before the conclusion of the war with the Ammonites, David, leaving the conduct of the army to Joab, returned to Jerusalem. The Syrians had already submitted to Israel, and the complete overthrow of the Ammonites appeared certain. David was surrounded by the fruits of victory and the honors of his wise and able rule. It was now, while he was at ease and unguarded, that the tempter seized the opportunity to occupy his mind. The fact that God had taken David into so close connection with Himself and had manifested so great favor toward him, should have been to him the strongest of incentives to preserve his character unblemished. But when in ease and self-security he let go his hold upon God, David yielded to Satan and brought upon his soul the stain of guilt. He, the Heaven-appointed leader of the nation, chosen by God to execute His law, himself trampled upon its precepts. He who should have been a terror to evildoers, by his own act strengthened their hands.

PP 718.2

Amid the perils of his earlier life David in conscious integrity could trust his case with God. The Lord’s hand had guided him safely past the unnumbered snares that had been laid for his feet. But now, guilty and unrepentant, he did not ask help and guidance from Heaven, but sought to extricate himself from the dangers in which sin had involved him. Bathsheba, whose fatal beauty had proved a snare to the king, was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s bravest and most faithful officers. None could foresee what would be the result should the crime become known. The law of God pronounced the adulterer guilty of death, and the proud-spirited soldier, so shamefully wronged, might avenge himself by taking the life of the king or by exciting the nation to revolt.

PP 718.3

Every effort which David made to conceal his guilt proved unavailing. He had betrayed himself into the power of Satan; danger surrounded him, dishonor more bitter than death was before him. There appeared but one way of escape, and in his desperation he was hurried on to add murder to adultery. He who had compassed the destruction of Saul was seeking to lead David also to ruin. Though the temptations were different, they were alike in leading to transgression of God’s law. David reasoned that if Uriah were slain by the hand of enemies in battle, the guilt of his death could not be traced home to the king, Bathsheba would be free to become David’s wife, suspicion could be averted, and the royal honor would be maintained.

PP 719.1

Uriah was made the bearer of his own death warrant. A letter sent by his hand to Joab from the king commanded, “Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.” Joab, already stained with the guilt of one wanton murder, did not hesitate to obey the king’s instructions, and Uriah fell by the sword of the children of Ammon.

PP 719.2

Heretofore David’s record as a ruler had been such as few monarchs have ever equaled. It is written of him that he “executed judgment and justice unto all his people.” 2 Samuel 8:15. His integrity had won the confidence and fealty of the nation. But as he departed from God and yielded himself to the wicked one, he became for the time the agent of Satan; yet he still held the position and authority that God had given him, and because of this, claimed obedience that would imperil the soul of him who should yield it. And Joab, whose allegiance had been given to the king rather than to God, transgressed God’s law because the king commanded it.

PP 719.3

David’s power had been given him by God, but to be exercised only in harmony with the divine law. When he commanded that which was contrary to God’s law, it became sin to obey. “The powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1), but we are not to obey them contrary to God’s law. The apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, sets forth the principle by which we should be governed. He says, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1.

PP 719.4

An account of the execution of his order was sent to David, but so carefully worded as not to implicate either Joab or the king. Joab “charged the messenger saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, and if so be that the king’s wrath arise, ... then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.”

PP 720.1

The king’s answer was, “Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.”

PP 720.2

Bathsheba observed the customary days of mourning for her husband; and at their close “David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife.” He whose tender conscience and high sense of honor would not permit him, even when in peril of his life, to put forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, had so fallen that he could wrong and murder one of his most faithful and most valiant soldiers, and hope to enjoy undisturbed the reward of his sin. Alas! how had the fine gold become dim! how had the most fine gold changed!

PP 720.3

From the beginning Satan has portrayed to men the gains to be won by transgression. Thus he seduced angels. Thus he tempted Adam and Eve to sin. And thus he is still leading multitudes away from obedience to God. The path of transgression is made to appear desirable; “but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12. Happy they who, having ventured in this way, learn how bitter are the fruits of sin, and turn from it betimes. God in His mercy did not leave David to be lured to utter ruin by the deceitful rewards of sin.

PP 720.4

For the sake of Israel also there was a necessity for God to interpose. As time passed on, David’s sin toward Bathsheba became known, and suspicion was excited that he had planned the death of Uriah. The Lord was dishonored. He had favored and exalted David, and David’s sin misrepresented the character of God and cast reproach upon His name. It tended to lower the standard of godliness in Israel, to lessen in many minds the abhorrence of sin; while those who did not love and fear God were by it emboldened in transgression.

PP 720.5

PP 721.1

“There were two men in one city,” he said, “the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.”

PP 721.2

The anger of the king was roused, and he exclaimed, “As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing is worthy to die. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” 2 Samuel 12:5, 6, margin.

PP 721.3

Nathan fixed his eyes upon the king; then, lifting his right hand to heaven, he solemnly declared, “Thou art the man.” “Wherefore,” he continued, “hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight?” The guilty may attempt, as David had done, to conceal their crime from men; they may seek to bury the evil deed forever from human sight or knowledge; but “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13. “There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.” Matthew 10:26.

PP 721.4

Nathan declared: “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul.... Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house.... Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor.... For thou didst it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”

PP 722.1

The prophet’s rebuke touched the heart of David; conscience was aroused; his guilt appeared in all its enormity. His soul was bowed in penitence before God. With trembling lips he said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” All wrong done to others reaches back from the injured one to God. David had committed a grievous sin, toward both Uriah and Bathsheba, and he keenly felt this. But infinitely greater was his sin against God.

PP 722.2

Though there would be found none in Israel to execute the sentence of death upon the anointed of the Lord, David trembled, lest, guilty and unforgiven, he should be cut down by the swift judgment of God. But the message was sent him by the prophet, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” Yet justice must be maintained. The sentence of death was transferred from David to the child of his sin. Thus the king was given opportunity for repentance; while to him the suffering and death of the child, as a part of his punishment, was far more bitter than his own death could have been. The prophet said, “Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.”

PP 722.3

When his child was stricken, David, with fasting and deep humiliation, pleaded for its life. He put off his royal robes, he laid aside his crown, and night after night he lay upon the earth, in heartbroken grief interceding for the innocent one suffering for his guilt. “The elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not.” Often when judgments had been pronounced upon persons or cities, humiliation and repentance had turned aside the blow, and the Ever-Merciful, swift to pardon, had sent messengers of peace. Encouraged by this thought, David persevered in his supplication so long as the child was spared. Upon learning that it was dead, he quietly submitted to the decree of God. The first stroke had fallen of that retribution which he himself had declared just; but David, trusting in God’s mercy, was not without comfort.

PP 722.4

Very many, reading the history of David’s fall, have inquired, “Why has this record been made public? Why did God see fit to throw open to the world this dark passage in the life of one so highly honored of Heaven?” The prophet, in his reproof to David, had declared concerning his sin, “By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.” Through successive generations infidels have pointed to the character of David, bearing this dark stain, and have exclaimed in triumph and derision, “This is the man after God’s own heart!” Thus a reproach has been brought upon religion, God and His word have been blasphemed, souls have been hardened in unbelief, and many, under a cloak of piety, have become bold in sin.

PP 723.1

But the history of David furnishes no countenance to sin. It was when he was walking in the counsel of God that he was called a man after God’s own heart. When he sinned, this ceased to be true of him until by repentance he had returned to the Lord. The word of God plainly declares, “The thing that David had done was evil in the eyes of the Lord.” 2 Samuel 11:27, margin. And the Lord said to David by the prophet, “Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? ... Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me.” Though David repented of his sin and was forgiven and accepted by the Lord, he reaped the baleful harvest of the seed he himself had sown. The judgments upon him and upon his house testify to God’s abhorrence of the sin.

PP 723.2

Heretofore God’s providence had preserved David against all the plottings of his enemies, and had been directly exercised to restrain Saul. But David’s transgression had changed his relation to God. The Lord could not in any wise sanction iniquity. He could not exercise His power to protect David from the results of his sin as He had protected him from the enmity of Saul.

PP 723.3

There was a great change in David himself. He was broken in spirit by the consciousness of his sin and its far-reaching results. He felt humbled in the eyes of his subjects. His influence was weakened. Hitherto his prosperity had been attributed to his conscientious obedience to the commandments of the Lord. But now his subjects, having a knowledge of his sin, would be led to sin more freely. His authority in his own household, his claim to respect and obedience from his sons, was weakened. A sense of his guilt kept him silent when he should have condemned sin; it made his arm feeble to execute justice in his house. His evil example exerted its influence upon his sons, and God would not interpose to prevent the result. He would permit things to take their natural course, and thus David was severely chastised.

PP 723.4

For a whole year after his fall David lived in apparent security; there was no outward evidence of God’s displeasure. But the divine sentence was hanging over him. Swiftly and surely a day of judgment and retribution was approaching, which no repentance could avert, agony and shame that would darken his whole earthly life. Those who, by pointing to the example of David, try to lessen the guilt of their own sins, should learn from the Bible record that the way of transgression is hard. Though like David they should turn from their evil course, the results of sin, even in this life, will be found bitter and hard to bear.

PP 724.1

God intended the history of David’s fall to serve as a warning that even those whom He has greatly blessed and favored are not to feel secure and neglect watchfulness and prayer. And thus it has proved to those who in humility have sought to learn the lesson that God designed to teach. From generation to generation thousands have thus been led to realize their own danger from the tempter’s power. The fall of David, one so greatly honored by the Lord, has awakened in them distrust of self. They have felt that God alone could keep them by His power through faith. Knowing that in Him was their strength and safety, they have feared to take the first step on Satan’s ground.

PP 724.2

Even before the divine sentence was pronounced against David he had begun to reap the fruit of transgression. His conscience was not at rest. The agony of spirit which he then endured is brought to view in the thirty-second psalm. He says:

PP 724.3

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is
covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no guile.
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old
Through my roaring all the day long.
For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me:
My moisture was changed as with the drought of summer.” Psalm 32:1-4, R.V.

PP 724.4

And the fifty-first psalm is an expression of David’s repentance, when the message of reproof came to him from God:

PP 724.5

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness:
According unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out
my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from
my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before
me....
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness;
That the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide Thy face from my sins,
And blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence;
And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;
And uphold me with Thy free Spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways;
And sinners shall be converted unto Thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my
salvation:
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness.” Psalm 51:1-14.

PP 725.1

Thus in a sacred song to be sung in the public assemblies of his people, in the presence of the court—priests and judges, princes and men of war—and which would preserve to the latest generation the knowledge of his fall, the king of Israel recounted his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through the mercy of God. Instead of endeavoring to conceal his guilt he desired that others might be instructed by the sad history of his fall.

PP 725.2

David’s repentance was sincere and deep. There was no effort to palliate his crime. No desire to escape the judgments threatened, inspired his prayer. But he saw the enormity of his transgression against God; he saw the defilement of his soul; he loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed, but for purity of heart. David did not in despair give over the struggle. In the promises of God to repentant sinners he saw the evidence of his pardon and acceptance.

PP 725.3

“For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it:
Thou delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:16, 17.

PP 726.1

Though David had fallen, the Lord lifted him up. He was now more fully in harmony with God and in sympathy with his fellow men than before he fell. In the joy of his release he sang:

PP 726.2

“I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I
not hid.
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord;
And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin....
Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from
trouble;
Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:5-7.

PP 726.3

Many have murmured at what they called God’s injustice in sparing David, whose guilt was so great, after having rejected Saul for what appear to them to be far less flagrant sins. But David humbled himself and confessed his sin, while Saul despised reproof and hardened his heart in impenitence.

PP 726.4

This passage in David’s history is full of significance to the repenting sinner. It is one of the most forcible illustrations given us of the struggles and temptations of humanity, and of genuine repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Through all the ages it has proved a source of encouragement to souls that, having fallen into sin, were struggling under the burden of their guilt. Thousands of the children of God, who have been betrayed into sin, when ready to give up to despair have remembered how David’s sincere repentance and confession were accepted by God, notwithstanding he suffered for his transgression; and they also have taken courage to repent and try again to walk in the way of God’s commandments.

PP 726.5

Whoever under the reproof of God will humble the soul with confession and repentance, as did David, may be sure that there is hope for him. Whoever will in faith accept God’s promises, will find pardon. The Lord will never cast away one truly repentant soul. He has given this promise: “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” Isaiah 27:5. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7.

From Eternity Past

Chapter 71—David’s Sin of Adultery and His Repentance

EP 520.1

The Bible has little to say in praise of men. All the good qualities men possess are the gift of God; their good deeds are performed by the grace of God through Christ. They are but instruments in His hands. All the lessons of Bible history teach that it is a perilous thing to praise men, for if one comes to lose sight of his entire dependence on God, he is sure to fall. The Bible inculcates distrust of human power and encourages trust in divine power.

EP 520.2

The spirit of self-exaltation prepared the way for David’s fall. Flattery, power, and luxury were not without effect upon him. According to the customs prevailing among Eastern rulers, crimes not to be tolerated in subjects were uncondemned in the king. All this tended to lessen David’s sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. He began to trust to his own wisdom and might.

EP 520.3

As soon as Satan can separate the soul from God, he will arouse the unholy desires of man’s carnal nature. The work of the enemy is not, at the outset, sudden and startling. It begins in apparently small things—neglect to rely upon God wholly, the disposition to follow the practices of the world.

EP 520.4

David returned to Jerusalem. The Syrians had already submitted, and the complete overthrow of the Ammonites appeared certain. David was surrounded by the fruits of victory and the honors of his able rule. Now the tempter seized the opportunity to occupy his mind. In ease and self-security, David yielded to Satan and brought upon his soul the stain of guilt. He, the Heaven-appointed leader of the nation, chosen by God to execute His law, himself trampled upon its precepts. He who should have been a terror to evildoers, by his own act strengthened their hands.

EP 521.1

Guilty and unrepentant, David did not ask guidance from Heaven, but sought to extricate himself from the dangers in which sin had involved him. Bathsheba, whose fatal beauty had proved a snare to the king, was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s bravest and most faithful officers. The law of God pronounced the adulterer guilty of death, and the proud-spirited soldier, so shamefully wronged, might avenge himself by taking the life of the king or by exciting the nation to revolt.

EP 521.2

Every effort which David made to conceal his guilt proved unavailing. He had betrayed himself into the power of Satan; danger surrounded him, dishonor more bitter than death was before him. There appeared but one way of escape—to add murder to adultery. David reasoned that if Uriah were slain by the hand of enemies in battle, the guilt of his death could not be traced to the king. Bathsheba would be free to become David’s wife, suspicion could be averted, and the royal honor maintained.

EP 521.3

Uriah was made the bearer of his own death warrant. The king commanded Joab, “Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.” Joab, already stained with the guilt of one murder, did not hesitate to obey the king’s instructions, and Uriah fell by the sword of the children of Ammon.

EP 521.4

Heretofore David’s record as a ruler had won the confidence of the nation. But as he departed from God, he became for the time the agent of Satan. Yet he still held the authority that God had given him, and because of this, claimed obedience that would imperil the soul of him who should yield it. Joab, whose allegiance had been given to the king rather than to God, transgressed God’s law because the king commanded it.

EP 522.2

An account of the execution of his order was sent to David, but so carefully worded as not to implicate either Joab or the king. “Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”

EP 522.3

The king’s answer was, “Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well another.”

EP 522.4

Bathsheba observed the customary days of mourning for her husband, and at their close, “David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife.” He who would not, even when in peril of his life, put forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, had so fallen that he could wrong and murder one of his most faithful, valiant soldiers, and hope to enjoy undisturbed the reward of his sin.

EP 522.5

Happy they who, having ventured in this way, learn how bitter are the fruits of sin, and turn from it. God in His mercy did not leave David to be lured to utter ruin by the deceitful rewards of sin.

EP 522.6

There was a necessity for God to interpose. David’s sin toward Bathsheba became known, and suspicion was excited that he had planned the death of Uriah. The Lord was dishonored. He had exalted David, and David’s sin cast reproach upon His name. It tended to lower the standard of godliness in Israel, to lessen in many minds the abhorrence of sin.

EP 522.7

Nathan the prophet was bidden to bear a message of reproof to David. Terrible in its severity, Nathan delivered the divine sentence with such heaven-born wisdom as to engage the sympathies of the king, to arouse his conscience, and to call from his lips the sentence of death upon himself. The prophet repeated a story of wrong and oppression that demanded redress.

EP 523.1

EP 523.2

The anger of the king was aroused. “As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing is worthy to die. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

EP 523.4

Nathan declared: “Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house... . Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor... . For thou didst it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”

EP 524.1

The prophet’s rebuke touched the heart of David; conscience was aroused; his guilt appeared in all its enormity. With trembling lips he said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” David had committed a grievous sin, toward both Uriah and Bathsheba, but infinitely greater was his sin against God.

EP 524.2

David trembled, lest, guilty and unforgiven, he should be cut down by the swift judgment of God. But the message was sent him by the prophet, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” Yet justice must be maintained. The sentence of death was transferred from David to the child of his sin. Thus the king was given opportunity for repentance, while the suffering and death of the child, as a part of his punishment, was far more bitter than his own death could have been.

EP 524.3

When his child was stricken, David, with fasting and deep humiliation, pleaded for its life. Night after night he lay in heartbroken grief interceding for the innocent one suffering for his guilt. Upon hearing that the child was dead, he quietly submitted to the decree of God. The first stroke had fallen of that retribution which he himself had declared just.

EP 524.4

Many, reading the history of David’s fall, have inquired, “Why did God see fit to throw open to the world this dark passage in the life of one so highly honored of Heaven?” Infidels have pointed to the character of David and have exclaimed in derision, “This is the man after God’s own heart!” Thus God and His word have been blasphemed, and many, under a cloak of piety, have become bold in sin.

EP 524.5

EP 525.1

David himself was broken in spirit by the consciousness of his sin and its far-reaching results. He felt humbled in the eyes of his subjects. His influence was weakened. Now his subjects, having a knowledge of his sin, would be led to sin more freely. His authority in his own household was weakened. His guilt kept him silent when he should have condemned sin. His evil example exerted its influence upon his sons, and God would not interpose to prevent the result. Thus David was severely chastised. Retribution which no repentance could avert, agony, and shame would darken his whole earthly life.

EP 525.2

Those who, by pointing to the example of David, try to lessen the guilt of their own sins should learn from the Bible record that the way of transgression is hard. The results of sin, even in this life, will be found bitter and hard to bear.

EP 525.3

God intended the history of David’s fall to serve as a warning that even those whom He has greatly blessed are not to feel secure. And thus it has proved to those who in humility have sought to learn the lesson He designed to teach. The fall of David, one so honored by the Lord, has awakened in them distrust of self. Knowing that in God alone was their strength and safety, they have feared to take the first step on Satan’s ground.

EP 525.4

Even before the divine sentence was pronounced against David, he had begun to reap the fruit of transgression. The agony of spirit he then endured is brought to view in the thirty-second psalm:

EP 526.1

And the fifty-first psalm is an expression of David’s repentance, when the message of reproof came to him from God:

EP 526.3

Thus the king of Israel recounted his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through the mercy of God. He desired that others might be instructed by the sad history of his fall.

EP 526.6

This passage in David’s history is one of the most forcible illustrations given us of the struggles and temptations of humanity, and of genuine repentance. Through all the ages, thousands of the children of God who have been betrayed into sin have remembered David’s sincere repentance and confession and have taken courage to repent and try again to walk in the way of God’s commandments.

EP 527.1

Whoever will humble the soul with confession and repentance, as did David, may be sure there is hope for him. The Lord will never cast away one truly repentant soul.

From Eternity Past

David Temporarily Becomes Agent of Satan

EP 522.1

When David commanded that which was contrary to God’s law, it became sin to obey. “The powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1), but we are not to obey them contrary to God’s law. The apostle Paul sets forth the principle by which we should be governed: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1.

From Eternity Past

How God Intervened

EP 523.3

Nathan fixed his eyes upon the king, then solemnly declared, “Thou art the man... . Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight?” The guilty may attempt, as David had done, to conceal their crime from men, to bury the evil deed forever from human sight, but “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13.

From Eternity Past

David Punished for His Sin

EP 525.5

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old
Through my roaring all the day long.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me:
My moisture was changed as with the drought of
summer.
Psalm 32:3, 4

EP 526.2

Create in me a clean heart, O God;
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence;
And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me... .
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
Thou God of my salvation;
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy
righteousness.
Psalm 51:10, 11, 14

From Eternity Past

More Than Pardon

EP 526.4

David’s repentance was sincere. There was no effort to palliate his crime, no desire to escape the judgments threatened. He saw the defilement of his soul. He loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed, but for purity of heart. In the promise of God to repentant sinners, he saw the evidence of his pardon and acceptance: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17.

EP 526.5

Though David had fallen, the Lord lifted him up. In the joy of his release he sang, “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5. David humbled himself and confessed his sin, while Saul despised reproof and hardened his heart in impenitence.

2 Samuel 12:3

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)

Lt 98, 1899

14LtMs, Lt 98, 1899, par. 8

Our individual influence is proportionate to the position we occupy and the work we are doing. Those who acted a part in robbing the Southern Field had every facility, buildings, machinery, and workers yet they could take “the one ewe lamb,” and let consequences and results take care of themselves. [2 Samuel 12:3.] What does it mean? Were these men controlled by the Holy Spirit? God holds responsible those who by pen or voice acted a part in diverting his means from the field for which it was raised. In heart, mind, and soul they were controlled by covetousness. Covetousness is idolatry, and no idolater will enter the kingdom of heaven.

2 Samuel 12:5

Christ Triumphant

One Sin Often Forces Another, May 20

CTr 147.1

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. 2 Samuel 12:5.

2 Samuel 12:5-13

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Ms 76, 1900

15LtMs, Ms 76, 1900, par. 18

The blinding effects were such that David did not discern his transgression, even when placed before him by the prophet Nathan. He manifested great anger toward the rich man that he should be thus guilty of so great a wrong, and exclaimed, “The man that hath done this thing shall surely die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold because he did this thing and had no pity.” [2 Samuel 12:5, 6.] Thus it is with erring, deceived man, ready to see and condemn the faults of others, yet utterly blind to their own condition of character. Their hearts are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

15LtMs, Ms 76, 1900, par. 19

While David was burning to execute justice upon the man who had been so presumptuous, Nathan, the faithful prophet of God, brought home the case saying, “Thou art the man.” [Verse 7.] Like a flash of lightening in a dark night, conviction smote to the heart of the offender, revealing his fearful crime. It was a sentence coming from the throne of God, and David was humbled, overwhelmed with a sense of guilt.

15LtMs, Ms 76, 1900, par. 20

David, not being hardened in sin, did not begin to justify himself. He cries out, I have sinned against the Lord. [Verse 13.] He sees his sin in its loathsome character. Hour after hour and day after day he pondered upon his guilt. In the place of possessing self-confidence, he was a humbled, broken-hearted man. His pillow at night was wet with tears and his humble prayer went up to God. He was a true penitent. God had entrusted him with high responsibilities. Because of the exalted favor he had hitherto received of God, his crime was considered more grievous; for the enemies of God would use this case to uphold or sustain themselves in sin when an entirely opposite lesson should be learned from his sad history. It is unsafe to depart from God and put confidence in the wisdom and judgment of man. Man’s only safety is a living connection with God.

2 Samuel 12:7

Gospel Workers (1915 ed.)

Policy in Sacred Things

GW 150.1

So men have argued, till policy has taken the place of faithfulness. Sin is allowed to go unrebuked. When will be heard once more in the church the voice of faithful rebuke, “Thou art the man”? [See 2 Samuel 12:7.] If these words were not so rare, we should see more of the power of God. The Lord’s messengers should not complain of their efforts’ being fruitless until they repent of their love of approbation, their desire to please men, which leads them to suppress the truth, and to cry, Peace, when God has not spoken peace.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Ms 12, 1893

8LtMs, Ms 12, 1893, par. 7

When Nathan presented the terrible sin to David, David saw how terrible it was, and said that thus and so should be done. Then Nathan said, “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:7.] If David had been living close to God he would have seen the application. We want to ask ourselves, What is my position spiritually? Have I been working in God’s lines? Have I been moving in such a manner represented as a laborer together with God? We should be rooted and grounded in the truth.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 113, 1893

8LtMs, Lt 113, 1893, par. 16

During the conference in Melbourne I was compelled to bear a very plain testimony to the church. I have spoken to some personally, but my work was not to single out individuals in the congregation and say, “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:7.] I read some matters which I had written in my diary, expecting that the Lord would give me strength to labor through the winter and seek to correct existing wrongs.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 39, 1896

11LtMs, Lt 39, 1896, par. 8

When sin is denounced in all its forms, revealing the danger to which the impenitent are exposed, and the direct comment is made, “Thou art the man” [2 Samuel 12:7], the individual, sought after and drawn by the Holy Spirit, knows that all this means him, that he is in peril; but he has procrastinated so long that he knows not his danger and ventures on still further [in] resistance, still clinging to his unsanctified propensities. It looks like a hard matter to break up his old habits. He does not heed the admonitions, but goes on in his own strength. He will do everything he can in any other line, but he does not heed the admonitions of God on the very points that are essential, and therefore the impression wears away. The impulse is gone. For a time he felt his danger, but the oil of grace was not in his vessel with his lamp, and he continues in self-indulgence. The mind soon habituates itself to indifference in regard to his own personal danger, and his old habits, which are second nature, are not disturbed. He has sown to the flesh, he shall reap that which he has sown, which is corruption.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 106, 1896

11LtMs, Lt 106, 1896, par. 2

David, the king of Israel, committed a grievous wrong in the sight of God. God sent the prophet Nathan to reprove him for his sin; and Nathan stated the case in a parable, telling him of a poor man who was robbed of his one ewe lamb by a rich man. The king’s pity was excited by the recital of injustice, and he ordered that judgment be speedily executed against the wrongdoer. Then Nathan said to David, “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:7.] He faithfully portrayed to the king the sin which he had committed against God and against his fellow men.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)

Lt 57, 1897

12LtMs, Lt 57, 1897, par. 14

The prophet Nathan’s parable of the ewe lamb, given to King David, may be studied by all. The light was flashed sharply upon the king, while he was in utter darkness as to what was thought of his actions in regard to Uriah. While he was following his course of self-indulgence and commandment-breaking, the parable of a rich man who took from a poor man his own ewe lamb, was presented before him. But the king was so completely wrapped in his garments of sin, that he did not see that he was the sinner. He fell into the trap, and with great indignation, he passed his sentence upon another man, as he supposed, condemning him to death. When the application was made, and the facts brought home to him, when Nathan said, “Thou art the man; unknowingly thou hast condemned thyself,” David was overwhelmed. [2 Samuel 12:7.] He had not one word to say in defense of his course of action.

12LtMs, Lt 57, 1897, par. 16

I have been compelled to hold up the mirror of the Word of God, and speak to certain ones, saying, “Thou art the man.” [Verse 7.] It has cut deep, but we hope to see the work go much deeper, else these people for whom Christ has died will never see His face; His name will never be in their foreheads. The work has begun well, but we greatly fear that some have formed habits that are so strong that [they] will never see their character in its true bearing.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Ms 106, 1902

17LtMs, Ms 106, 1902, par. 22

To men in positions of trust, to ministers, to teachers, to those who are stewards in any line, there will come a personal message “Thou art the man” [2 Samuel 12:7], when their way is not according to a “Thus saith the Lord,” when there is a departure from pure principles. They themselves must make the application. Neither for fear nor favor are they to turn aside from the warning.

Prophets and Kings

Chapter 10—The Voice of Stern Rebuke

PK 141.2

“Thou art the man.” 2 Samuel 12:7. Words as unmistakably plain as these spoken by Nathan to David are seldom heard in the pulpits of today, seldom seen in the public press. If they were not so rare, we should see more of the power of God revealed among men. The Lord’s messengers should not complain that their efforts are without fruit until they repent of their own love of approbation and their desire to please men, which leads them to suppress truth.

From Splendor to Shadow

Chapter 10—The Voice of Stern Rebuke

SS 74.1

“Thou art the man.” 2 Samuel 12:7. Words as plain as these spoken by Nathan to David are seldom heard in pulpits today, seldom seen in the public press. The Lord’s messengers should not complain that their efforts are without fruit until they repent of their desire to please men, which leads them to suppress truth.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 1 (1844 - 1868)

Lt 17, 1861

1LtMs, Lt 17, 1861, par. 4

I was shown some things in regard to you. I saw that the living, pointed testimony had been crushed in the church. You have shunned to lay your hands decidedly upon wrong and have felt tried with those who have felt compelled to do so. Disaffected and crooked ones have had your sympathy, which has had a tendency to make you a weak man, and your feelings have not been in harmony and union with straight, pointed testimony which has been set home to individuals: “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:7.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Ms 3, 1885

4LtMs, Ms 3, 1885, par. 19

From the first, some in Christiania have bargained that they will come so far in their faith, and no further. They only decided to hold with the church and the world; and unless they are converted, when these separate, they will be swept in with the world. With some, business has come first; it has been a mental reservation with them; and when it comes in conflict with the truth, it is more afflicting with them to give up their idol than to retain a wicked heart. Conscience is on the side of the truth, but their hearts are with the world, and Satan makes speedy work with all such when the test comes. All who venture to choose their own way before God’s requirements are on dangerous ground. When the Lord comes closer to them with startling truths and warning, saying, “Thou art the man” [2 Samuel 12:7], and urging them to separate from the world, Satan takes the words right out of their hearts and minds. They see no real force in them; their feelings rise up against God, and in their hearts, if not with their lips, they say, like Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” [Exodus 5:2.] Many will be deceived to the last because they feel themselves all-sufficient. May God pity the ones whose influence has helped to cause this deathlike slumber.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Ms 13, 1886

4LtMs, Ms 13, 1886, par. 5

The greatest trial I have had for years is, when the Lord has given me some testimony for my brethren, to have them say, Who has been telling Sister White about this? Well, the very thought shows that they are not right before God. When Nathan was sent to show David his sin, David never thinks that he is speaking of him and so passes judgment upon the man; and when Nathan had received the judgment, he said unto David, “Thou art the man!” [2 Samuel 12:7.] By this we can see how judgment is passed upon another. Had David realized that Nathan was speaking of him, how different would have been his judgment.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 5 (1887-1888)

Lt 9, 1887

5LtMs, Lt 9, 1887, par. 3

I had presented much more upon general principles, but that did not set things right. The idea was so riveted in their minds that their own way was perfect, that the very ones who need to reform did not take hold of the matter at all. I was obliged to say decidedly, as did Nathan to David, “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:7.] It made a decided stir in the camp, I assure you. I told them that the preparation of their food was wrong, and that living principally on soups and coffee and bread was not health reform; that so much liquid taken into the stomach was not healthful, and that all who subsisted on such a diet placed a great tax upon the kidneys, and so much watery substance debilitated the stomach. I was thoroughly convinced that many in the establishment were suffering with indigestion because of eating this kind of food. The digestive organs were enfeebled and the blood impoverished. Their breakfast consisted of coffee and bread with the addition of prune sauce. This was not healthful. The stomach, after rest and sleep, was better able to take care of a substantial meal than when wearied with work. Then the noon meal was generally soup, sometimes meat. The stomach is small, but the appetite, unsatisfied, partakes largely of this liquid food, so it is burdened.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 6 (1889-1890)

Lt 1e, 1890

6LtMs, Lt 1e, 1890, par. 15

There is no hope for you [except] in an entire transformation of character. Then you will try to honor Christ and to be like Christ. His law will be the rule of your life. Make haste to turn your feet in the path of holiness. Save your soul by casting yourself at the foot of the cross. Then come to Jesus and be happy and go to heaven. Preaching is not all you need, but you need sins rebuked as Nathan rebuked David. “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:7.] You must have godliness, a pure heart, a perfect life, or die in your sins and perish with the ungodly.

2 Samuel 12:7-13

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 5 (1887-1888)

Lt 48, 1887

5LtMs, Lt 48, 1887, par. 21

Your letter states that when reproved, “you answered not a word.” I put it in this way: you defiantly looked those in the eye who were laboring for you as a bold sinner would do. Now do you see anything in this attitude to be proud of, to boast of? Should you not, if you have a sensitive heart, a living principle to be a Christian, have manifested to your tempters the boldness and the courage to look them steadfastly in the eye, and say, No, I fear God, I will not betray my trust. I am entrusted with sacred responsibilities, I must answer to God for every word and action of mine in the judgment, should my words, my example lead souls away from obedience to God. “No, no; I will not walk in the way of sinners.” But after you have violated your sacred promises, when reproved, how much more appropriate it would have been for you to say, as did David, the king of Israel, under the reproof of Nathan, although thunder struck to have his sin laid open before him in so aggravating a character; he humiliates himself, and exclaims, conscience-stricken, “I have sinned against the Lord.” [2 Samuel 12:13.] He said these words in sincerity, for they came from a repentant heart.

5LtMs, Lt 48, 1887, par. 24

Do you envy the position of these men who are obliged to do this work in order not to incur the frown of God? Is it not an unenviable position to be placed in? The words they speak are not their own words, but they are contrary to their nature. But these men are God’s watchmen, heralds of the great King: “Thus saith the Lord God.” Nathan laid before David all the favors God had bestowed upon him. He is upbraided with the mercies of God that have been abused and misapplied. Would you have these miserable comforters who would tell you how they would do under similar circumstances? They are agents of the devil, no matter what they profess, or who they are. Your soul is in peril. It is defiled. Your course has been unchristianlike, a dishonor to the truth and to the cause of God you profess to love. And these ill-advisors would lead you to that very boldness you claim to have shown under reproof, which is but the justification of a course of wrongdoing, which, should you continue in, will be the ruin of your soul. Can you not discern that your true friends are those who will tell you your faults? Do you count those your best friends who will make light of sins which are grievous in the sight of the holy God? God’s children are betrayed into sin; but if they are really, sincerely children of God, they will not remain in sin, maintaining and vindicating their sin. David had not the heart and face to stand out against the message of God. With David there were flashes of guiltiness. A reproof from God was upon his conscience, but he had no compunctions that worked heart repentance until the reproof came from God directly to him, “Thou art the man.” [2 Samuel 12:7.]

2 Samuel 12:11-12

Patriarchs and Prophets

Chapter 72—The Rebellion of Absalom

PP 738.4

Absalom was now surrounded by a large force, but it was mostly composed of men untrained for war. As yet they had not been brought into conflict. Ahithophel well knew that David’s situation was far from hopeless. A large part of the nation were still true to him; he was surrounded by tried warriors, who were faithful to their king, and his army was commanded by able and experienced generals. Ahithophel knew that after the first burst of enthusiasm in favor of the new king, a reaction would come. Should the rebellion fail, Absalom might be able to secure a reconciliation with his father; then Ahithophel, as his chief counselor, would be held most guilty for the rebellion; upon him the heaviest punishment would fall. To prevent Absalom from retracing his steps, Ahithophel counseled him to an act that in the eyes of the whole nation would make reconciliation impossible. With hellish cunning this wily and unprincipled statesman urged Absalom to add the crime of incest to that of rebellion. In the sight of all Israel he was to take to himself his father’s concubines, according to the custom of oriental nations, thus declaring that he succeeded to his father’s throne. And Absalom carried out the vile suggestion. Thus was fulfilled the word of God to David by the prophet, “Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor.... For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” 2 Samuel 12:11, 12. Not that God prompted these acts of wickedness, but because of David’s sin He did not exercise His power to prevent them.

From Eternity Past

Chapter 72—The Rebellion of Absalom, David’s Son

EP 536.1

To prevent Absalom from retracing his steps, Ahithophel counseled an act that would make reconciliation impossible. With hellish cunning, this unprincipled statesman urged Absalom to add the crime of incest to that of rebellion. In the sight of all Israel he was to take to himself his father’s concubines, thus declaring that he succeeded to his father’s throne. And Absalom carried out the vile suggestion. Thus was fulfilled the word of God to David by the prophet, “Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor... . For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” 2 Samuel 12:11, 12. Not that God prompted these acts, but He did not exercise His power to prevent them.

2 Samuel 12:13

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Ms 164, 1902

17LtMs, Ms 164, 1902, par. 4

“If thou wilt walk in My ways, to keep My statutes, and My commandments, as thy father David did walk, then will I lengthen thy days.” [Verse 14.] Several times during his reign, David walked in the counsel of his own heart and greatly injured his influence by following his impulses. But he always received the words of reproof sent to him by the Lord. These words cut him to the quick. He did not seek to evade the matter, but bore the punishment of his transgression, saying, “I have sinned.” [2 Samuel 12:13.]

2 Samuel 12:14

Living by Principle

PH048 3.4

2 Samuel 12:14: Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

2 Samuel 12:25

Prophets and Kings

Chapter 3—Pride of Prosperity

PK 51.2

But after a morning of great promise his life was darkened by apostasy. History records the melancholy fact that he who had been called Jedidiah,—“Beloved of the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:25, margin),—he who had been honored by God with tokens of divine favor so remarkable that his wisdom and uprightness gained for him world-wide fame, he who had led others to ascribe honor to the God of Israel, turned from the worship of Jehovah to bow before the idols of the heathen.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Lt 8b, 1891

7LtMs, Lt 8b, 1891, par. 13

What a history of deterioration was Solomon’s! We see him as he entered upon his lifework pleading for wisdom from God, and it was given him. He is called Jedidiah, “The beloved of God.” [2 Samuel 12:25.] But instead of going forward and upward, from strength to strength, from glory to glory, from character to character, he went downward from transgression to transgression, from weakness to weakness. Through indulgence of sensual passions, he became the victim of Satan’s devices, and his soul was filled with darkness, with discontent and despair. His history stands as a beacon of warning that young and old may learn the sure result of departure from the ways of the Lord.