The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 290

Rnd a judgment, He wu true to his bett~r qualities when he denounced the sin and pronounced Bentence of death. The 11tory beoame to David a pamble the moment the prophet !!II.id to him, " Thon art the man I " The whole figures then becon:ie specific, and be was the one most oonspicuous against whom the judgment Wl!.II pronounoed. The psychological and moral changes involved in this we cannot now deal with; the poiot is that, when David's aroused righteous iodignation pronounced judgment on the evil man, the human conscience really forestalled the judgment of God on David'a sin by deolaring its deserts. God does not, in providence or on the day of judgment, Jeclare anything really new to the impenitent sinner. Conscience some time or other has virtually given the senteoce of condemnation. '!'hose who worked themselvea up to a state of self-delusion (Matt. vii. 22, 23) knew a time when the conscience witnessed against the formalities which issued in its being seared (Eph. iv. 19; 1 Tim. iv. 2). It is this e.ssent of conscience which will render the sense of injustice impossible in the future judgments God may see fit to bring on those who "hold the truth in unrighteousness." GE1'"ERAL LESSONS. 1. We should take warning from the instances in the Bible, and not presume on God's silence, or think that, because we are left to pursue our own courses, it will always be so. 2. There are always in existence agents or agencies by which in due time sin will be rebuked and exposed either in this life or in the 1ife to come (Matt. L 26; 2 Cor. v. 10). 3. In dealing with the lapsed we should not act on the same rule in all ce.ses, but deal with each according to his peculiar character. 4. It will repay parents, teachers, and evangelists to study human nature and the records of biography and sacred history to find ont the best methods of reaching the conscience of the impenitent. 5. We shonld be ready, as WBB Nathan, to carry through the mosb painful duties when God calls us in his providence to them. . i . '. . T1I£ co'll:1Ju:tea sinner. The fitness of the parable is revealed in its sequel. Nathan, laying aside the character of a friendly visitor relating a story of wrong, now assumes the functions of the prophet of God, and turns the whole light and force of David's. just indignation in upon himself, and, with an incisiveness most irresistible, brings an accUB&tion of gnilt without naming the actual deed done ; states. the aggravating circumstances arising out of the exceediD.g goodness 'of God in the past; declares the retribution abont to come; and, on witnessing the true penitence of tbe sinner, announces the fact of forgiveness, but qUB.lifies the announcement by foretelling an event of blended justice and mercy. 'l'he commission of sin is unhappily common enough, and also, we may thankfully admit, the conviction of sinners is an event of frequent occurrence. Few Bins exhibit the peculiar aggravations of this one of David, and few convictiollil are more sudden and thorough than his; but as there are common qualities in all sins and true convictions of sin, we may regard this case of David's as setting forth features in human experience and Divine procedure universally true. L THE FACT OF SIN IS BBOUGHT HOKE TO THE co:ssomNCE. David all along knew of the exiBtence of the sin, but had conducted himself as though it were not. In general terms he would doubtlel!!I speak of sin as an evil of deepest dye, and desire its banishment from mankind. Such sentiments were at the base of his deep interest in Nathan's story, and gave rise to the outburst of indignation. Sin was evil, the sinner ought to be punished, the doer of this deed must come under the ban of law.. All this wu quite correct. It we.s orthodoxy. The friendly visitor could not but admit its force. But it was just here, when David was dealing with generalities, and was eager to see general priuciples applied to a particular case, that Nathan brought him away from the general to the particular, from others to himself. " Thou art the man I " This was a straight charge. Nathan held a twofold position-he was a man in Israel, a subject e.nd neighbour, a pious friend of David's; he was also a prophet, a representa- tive of God, and in that capacity a superior to David. When, then, the friendly visitor said, with an unrecordable tone and gesture, "Thou art the man l " it was evident to David (1) that hiB deed, long kept secret, was known to his most influential and incor- ruptible subject and friend; and (2) that God was speaking straight to his conscience. Even 110 far as related to Nathan as a good man in Israel, the revelation of his e.cqtiaint- o.nce with the deed was startling and astounding; but the most potent element in the utterance was the direct charge of God. A sinner cannot look on the Holy One-he 011. xn. 1-31.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 295