The scene is David's throne room. David is still basking in the glow of his recent marriage to Bath-sheba. Nathan, David's friend and a prophet, enters with the following story.
There were two men, one rich, the other poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds, while the poor man had one little lamb that was the family pet. One day some guests visit the rich man. Instead of taking from his own flocks, the rich man kills and prepares the poor man's lamb for his guests.
When David heard this, he was filled with anger at the rich man. He told Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man that has done this thing shall surely die." Nathan pointed at David and said, "You are the man!"
David's wrath was snuffed out like a candle, for he knew that Nathan spoke the truth. By taking Bath-sheba from Uriah, he had been that rich man.
There is one truly chilling aspect to David's punishment---the Lord through Nathan said, "What you did, you did in secret; but I will do this before all Israel, and before the sun." Is there a sin that you are convinced you have hidden from all of the world? Only three knew of David's sin. Uriah died for his knowledge, and David and Bath-sheba weren't going to talk. What we do in secret isn't hidden from God. If Nathan came to your house, would he point at you and say, "You are the man."?
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