patriarchs and prophets-第150部分

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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。

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。

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

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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。

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。

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。

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。

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；

720

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。〃

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。〃

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！

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。

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。

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

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sympathies　of　the　king；　to　arouse　his　conscience；　and　to　call　from　his　lips
the　sentence　of　death　upon　himself。　Appealing　to　David　as　the　divinely
appointed　guardian　of　his　people's　rights；　the　prophet　repeated　a　story　of
wrong　and　oppression　that　demanded　redress。

〃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。〃

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。

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。

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。〃

722


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。

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。〃

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