Being Like Nathan

Steven’s Scribbles
“Being Like Nathan”
2 Sam. 12


    Nathan is one of the lesser known prophets in the Old Testament. Prophets fall into two categories, literary and non-literary. A non-literary prophet would be someone like Elijah. A great man of God who obeyed the Lord, but didn’t write a book. Isaiah would be a literary prophet who not only spoke to the people, but dictated to them in written word at the Lord’s behest. Nathan is arguably the most forgotten non-literary prophet, yet he was a good teacher, a moral man, and he boldly spoke truth at the expense of danger. 2 Samuel 12 records the Lord’s response to David after he lusted after Bathsheba, sought her, tried to deceive her husband, and ultimately having her husband murdered when his plan didn’t go well. Nathan told a story to David about a wealthy man who had large herds, but when a visitor came, the wealthy man took the one ewe lamb from the poor man and prepared it for the visitor. This showed that Nathan was a good teacher, because he appealed to David’s history as a shepherd. He used this narrative to relate to David the grave nature of what he had done. Sometimes we need to relate to individuals through other moral messages to get them to see how grave sin is. Furthermore, it took great courage. David already had Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed, couldn’t he have just killed Nathan? We need to be like Nathan, and apostles of the first century when it comes to our convictions to preaching God’s law. “When they had brought them ,they took before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” (Acts 5:27-29). I love you all!
    
In His service,
Steven Hugley