David has been blessed with a covenant with God, he has consolidated the combined kingdom, but he is not a perfect person, perfectly following the law.
In the story of David and Bathsheba, David arguably violates at least 4 of the 10 commandments (coveting, adultery, murder, false witness). Other than murder, he may not be that different from some political leaders of our day. Is he an irredeemable sinner, or a faithful servant of God?
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| Nathan rebukes David |
And even as the judgment is delivered on his son, in his stead, he fasts and seeks graciousness from God by prostrating himself on the ground (12:16). He suffers real anguish for his son, and believed that God would accept his penance and save his son. He also accepted when that did not happen.
David suffers the disease of all great leaders, but he accepts that God is his Lord, and he is subject to God’s laws – he may break those laws, but he accepts the consequences. He is a man of faith.
Do you agree?
I would agree. The wonder to me is that the writers of Hebrew Scripture would include this story as "boldly" as they did. David will be remembered in Judaism as it develops as THE great king, the one to be harkened back to and the one to be anticipated in the concept of "Messiah." But unlike most presentations of GREAT leaders, this one includes the story of a MAJOR abuse of power and scandal which obviously the writer(s) intend for us to know. The fact that David fesses up and bears the consequences is,I think, meant to underscore his aptness as a leader. His true "power" as a leader is seen, not through his perfection, but in his imperfection. In the end, h
ReplyDeletehe does not hold himself ABOVE God -- but in relationship to God. IOW, he takes the "right" posture toward God -- and the end, that makes all the difference in the world. There is a matter of factness about this passage that never ceases to amaze me.