2 Samuel 11:26-27, 2 Samuel 12:1-13, Psalm 51:1-12, Exodus 16:2-4, Exodus 16:9-15, Psalm 78:23-29, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35.
(A) AMAZING GRACE FOR BACKSLIDING BELIEVERS.
2 Samuel 11:26-12:13.
It is not my purpose at this time to go into all the sordid details of David’s sin with Bathsheba, and his subsequent conspiracy to murder her husband. All this is explicit in chapters 11 and 12 of second Samuel. My purpose rather is to look at this episode from the perspective of the grace of God, and how God deals with the wilful sin even of believers.
So here we have David, who wrote ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever’ (Psalm 23:6). How can we say that goodness and mercy were following him when he took to bed his neighbour’s wife, and had her husband effectively murdered? Where was goodness then, and where was mercy then?
Well, the New Testament furnishes us with another well-known text: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose’ (Romans 8:28). ALL things? Yes, ALL things.
Now, I do not want to be accused of giving license to sin. That I am not (cf. Romans 6:1-2). However, when I read the word ‘all’ in the Bible what can it mean other than ‘ALL’?
We see this ‘all things’ working for good in the life of Joseph. Persecuted by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned; sent for by Pharaoh, raised up out of prison and made Prime Minister of Egypt; enabled to feed thousands during the famine, including his own family. Joseph had this to say to his brothers: ‘ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day’ (Genesis 50:20).
In the book of Job we see the reality that, even in the background of the everyday activities of one of whom the LORD Himself testifies that he is ‘blameless and upright’ (Job 2:3), that there is a malevolent force at work against him. Yet Job’s end was greater than his beginning, and there was compensation for all that he lost - including his children (Job 42:10-15). I like to think that, as well as twice as many livestock towards the end of his life, he has twice as many children, from both before and after the disasters that so shook his life, up there in heaven with him.
The devil was also seeking to derail David, who was pursued without a cause by King Saul, who more than once tried to kill him. Yet, when David became king, this awful temptation overtook him, and he let his guard down, and - acting quite out of character - gave way to the passions and lusts that came upon him so suddenly, and without notice. All this from the one who was ‘the man after God’s own heart’ (Acts 13:22).
Yet I say, even in this, God never ceased to be with him, working out his messes for good - as He does also ours. I am put in mind of the Prodigal Son, who never ceased to be son to his father, even when he rebelled, nor even when he was wallowing in the pig pen. And the father never ceased to be a father to him, awaiting his return, and even running out to meet him when he came (Luke 15:20).
Such was the compassion of the father in Jesus’ parable. After Nathan’s parable, David said, “I have sinned against the LORD”; and just as quickly the answer came, “The LORD also hath put away thy sin” (2 Samuel 12:13). Such was the compassion of God towards David.
What good came out of David’s sin? Well, Bathsheba was brought into David’s harem, and although the son of their adultery perished, their next son, Solomon, went on to be king. Although not actually named, ‘her that had been the wife of Uriah’ is one of the women mentioned in the regal genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:6).
This does not negate the fact that there were consequences to David’s sin, both in his family, and also in the nation. So if, as a Christian, you are tempted, then ‘resist the devil’ (James 4:7) with all your God-given might! Again, I emphasise, ALL sin does carry inevitable and terrible consequences.
But IF you have already yielded to temptation, even as a Christian, lay hold upon the reality of GOD’s goodness and GOD’s covenant mercy in your life (Psalm 23:6). Acknowledge your sin before God, against whom you have sinned (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51:4). ‘Go, and sin no more’ (cf. John 8:11).
(B) REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION.
Psalm 51:1-12.
In this solemn Psalm of repentance, we dive in (headfirst, as it were) with a plea for mercy. The verbs “have mercy… blot out… wash me… cleanse me” (Psalm 51:1-2) all appear to be in the imperative: but they are in fact plaintive pleas based in the fact that there is no redemption outside of God Himself. This is the task of the awakened conscience: “I acknowledge my transgressions; my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3).
Although our offences are often manifested in the pain which we bring to others, sin is first and foremost a slight to the character of God. I have wronged Bathsheba, David could say; I have wronged her husband Uriah; I have wronged my general Joab; I have wronged my people as their king: but above all, I have wronged God. Before I can even begin to go about my job of seeking reconciliation with these other people, I stand at the bar of God: “Against thee have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight” (Psalm 51:4).
We are not making excuses when we have recourse to observations about our tendency towards sin. David is not slandering his mother when he suggests that he was ‘conceived in sin’ (Psalm 51:5) - he is rather recognising that the tendency to sin is inherent in the human character. We are left without excuse once we realise that, not only did we inherit Adam’s fall, but we were equipped with a sense of right and wrong, even from the womb (Psalm 51:6)!
Once again, the Psalmist makes his plea, but this time he mingles it with faith: “Purge me, and I shall be clean… wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow… make me to hear joy and gladness, that I may rejoice” (Psalm 51:7-8). The purging is with hyssop, an aromatic herb used in the sprinkling of blood at the first Passover (cf. Exodus 12:22). Significantly it was also used for the cleansing of lepers (cf. Leviticus 14:6-8).
David was faced with the leprosy of sin in his own life. The penalty for both adultery and murder was death, with no provision for their forgiveness in the Jewish faith. Yet somehow, he believed that God could provide a sacrifice (cf. Genesis 22:8), and blood could be sprinkled even for his sins!
Well, just like Abraham was provided with a ram for a sacrifice in lieu of Isaac (cf. Genesis 22:13), the LORD had already provided a lamb for David. Oh, this was a Lamb which had not yet been sacrificed: yet it would be true to say that Jesus’ blood was sacrificed for the sins of His forebear (cf. Matthew 1:1), just as surely as it was for ours too. Thus, God is seen to be both just, and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus (cf. Romans 3:25-26); and to hide His face from our sins, and blot out all our iniquities (Psalm 51:9).
Having been purged of sin, we will then be able to enter into the positive benefits of reconciliation with God. We shall be satisfied with nothing short of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, and shall be returned to the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:10-12).
(C) A TEST OF OBEDIENCE.
Exodus 16:2-4; Exodus 16:9-15.
In this passage, we join the children of Israel just six weeks into their wilderness journey.
The ten plagues, the first Passover, the deliverance out of Egypt, and the parting of the Red Sea all lay behind them.
Yet now, here in the wilderness new fears and doubts arise, and the people of the LORD grumble at their spiritual leaders (Exodus 16:2): and through them at their God (Exodus 16:8).
I see a rhythm here, or perhaps even two rhythms interwoven together.
The (i) deliverance of God – redemption – lies behind.
Before long, His people become full of (ii) discontentment - and mouthy with it.
How easy it is to set a rosy character on our past life, and to forget that then, there, we were in bondage (Exodus 16:3).
Yet the LORD is merciful.
He has already heard the cries of His people in bondage (Exodus 3:7).
The same LORD knows our sorrows ahead of time.
Is it beyond belief that He has already prepared our path before us, complete with all the necessities of life (Psalm 23:2-3)?
So instead of directly punishing His people for their insolence, He sets a table before them, and furnishes it with good things (Psalm 23:5).
He makes (iii) provision for all the needs of all His people (Exodus 16:4).
Yet with the provision comes a (iv) testing.
In this we see the second rhythm emerging.
With the (a) daily bread, He also gives us (b) daily work.
If God’s first gift to Adam was a garden, His second was a set of gardening tools (Genesis 2:15).
Within this system, He also gives the (c) Sabbath (Exodus 16:22-23).
Furthermore, the whole episode is (d) commemorated before the altar of the LORD (Exodus 16:33).
In this we see Jesus, the bread of life (John 6:35) – and perhaps also the Communion.
Understandably, but (v) disobediently, there were those who sought to lay up more than a day’s supply (Exodus 16:20).
There were also those who hunted for the food on the one day that they were told that it would not be there (Exodus 16:27).
Yet the LORD did not go back on His word, and continued to provide for the whole forty years of the wilderness wanderings (Exodus 16:35).
Perhaps the most significant incident in this whole passage is the appearing of the glory of the LORD in the cloud (Exodus 16:10).
Such is the mercy of the LORD that (vi) deliverance is never far from any one of us.
(D) CRAVING THE BREAD OF LIFE.
Psalm 78:23-29.
This Psalm, the second longest in the Book, demonstrates the cycle of (i) God’s provision for His people/ (ii) their ingratitude and rebellion/ (iii) God’s punishment of them/ (iv) followed by new offers of grace.
The passage before us focuses very much on God’s provision of manna and quail in the wilderness, after the Israelites had ‘tested God in their heart by asking for the food of their fancy’; they spoke against God saying, ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?’; ‘Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?’ (Psalm 78:18-20). At this the LORD was angry, because of their ingratitude. Nevertheless, He sent them the food they “craved” (Psalm 78:29) - but not without there being casualties (Psalm 78:31).
Is it not a remarkable thing that those poor slaves who had seen - and ‘by the blood of the Lamb’ been spared from - the plagues of Egypt; had witnessed the parting of the sea for them to walk through only for it to fall back on their pursuers; had benefitted from the cleaving of the Rock which thereby gave them an abundance of water to drink when they complained of thirst… is it not a remarkable thing when they, of all people should be indicted as ‘not believing in God, and not trusting in His salvation’ (Psalm 78:22)? Yet that is often the case. In the face of God’s greatest mercies and mighty deliverances, men will still often deny Him!
It is a remarkable thing, too, that God opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna on them to eat! Bread of heaven! Men eating angels’ food! (Psalm 78:23-25)!
As if this was not enough, the LORD “raised up a south wind” to furnish the Israelites with quail for their evening meal. He gave them what they craved (Psalm 78:26-29)!
Yet, even with the provision, there also came the judgment. ‘While the food was still in their mouths’ (Psalm 78:30), ‘He slew the stoutest of them, and struck down the choice men of Israel’ (Psalm 78:31). Be careful what you crave, be careful even what you pray for, for you might get more than you expect!
The LORD has promised to furnish a table in the wilderness, amid all our doubts and our fears (Psalm 23:5). Elijah ate bread administered to him by an angel, and it sustained him for forty days and forty nights (1 Kings 19:8). During Elisha’s ministry, on one occasion, a hundred men ate of a small offering and had some left over (2 Kings 4:42-44). Jesus fed five thousand men, besides women and children; and later four thousand likewise - and had baskets-full left on each occasion.
Jesus had to address the same doubts in His hearers, when He redirected those who had ‘eaten of the loaves and been filled’ (John 6:26). We must hear it too: ‘Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures unto eternal life’ (John 6:27). ‘For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world’ (John 6:33). ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and He who believes in Me shall never thirst’ (John 6:35). Will we not at least believe Him? Will we not at least trust in His salvation?
(E) UNITY IN DIVERSITY.
Ephesians 4:1-16.
1. Our unity is based in the unity of all three Persons of the Godhead (Ephesians 4:1-6).
EPHESIANS 4:1. We are asked to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” How do we do that?
EPHESIANS 4:2. “With all lowliness” = humility. Like the humility of Jesus (cf. Philippians 2:5-8).
“and meekness.” Meekness is not weakness, but the gentleness of the strong (cf. Matthew 11:29).
“with longsuffering” = patience. Patient even with annoying people.
“forbearing one another.” Mutual tolerance.
How can we possibly do this? “in love.” (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
EPHESIANS 4:3. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
“Endeavouring” has a certain eagerness about it: a purposefulness.
We are not being asked to create a unity - it already exists as “the unity of the Spirit” – but to “keep” it, maintain it.
“in the bond of peace.” What is that? Christ Himself is our peace, who has broken down the middle wall between us (cf. Ephesians 2:13-14).
EPHESIANS 4:4. “There is one body, and one Spirit.” In other words, there is only one Holy Spirit, who has created the church as one body.
“even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;”
EPHESIANS 4:5. “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” There is only one Lord (Jesus), so there is but one hope of our calling, one faith, one baptism (cf. Romans 6:3).
EPHESIANS 4:6. “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Those who are born again have but one God and Father, because we are all members of the same family.
2. Grace given to each and all (Ephesians 4:7-12).
EPHESIANS 4:7. “But unto every one of us is given grace.” Even though God is the Father of us all, we do not lose our individuality. It is “unto every one of us” that grace is given.
“according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Paul had mentioned earlier the grace given to him (cf. Ephesians 3:8). Likewise, we each have our own gifts of grace. The giver of these gifts of grace is the ascended Lord Jesus.
EPHESIANS 4:8. “Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”
Now, it will be noticed that Ephesians 4:8 reads, “and gave gifts UNTO men” – whereas the source of the quotation, Psalm 68:18 reads, ‘thou hast received gifts FOR men.’ These two readings are not contradictory, but complementary.
On the Day of Pentecost, just ten days after the ascension of Jesus, Peter spoke of Jesus, ‘being by the right hand of God exalted, and having RECEIVED of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath SHED FORTH this, which ye now see and hear’ (cf. Acts 2:33).
Jesus received gifts FOR men, that He might distribute them AMONG men.
EPHESIANS 4:9-10. “Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.”
The same Jesus who ascended, is the same Jesus who first descended. From the depths of humiliation (cf. Philippians 2:5-8), to the heights of exaltation (cf. Philippians 2:9-11).
EPHESIANS 4:11-12. “And He gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
The “Apostles” and “Prophets” are the Biblical foundation - ‘Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone’ (cf. Ephesians 2:20) - upon which “evangelists” and “pastors and teachers” build to this very day. The teaching gifts which Paul mentions here are intended to equip ALL of God’s people for “the work of ministry” (service). We are called into one body (cf. Colossians 3:15), and the body is not one member but many (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 1 Corinthians 12:27).
3. Maturing into the “body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13-16).
EPHESIANS 4:13. “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
The unity of the church is as certain as the unity of the Godhead, as we have seen. This is a reality in the mind of God: but in the meantime the church’s visible unity needs a little maintenance work (cf. Ephesians 4:3).
Unlike the world’s religions, the church is not in the business of seeking after God. We have already found Him in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, we are running - together - towards the goal of a greater growth into Christ.
In fact, we shall most certainly accomplish that to which we aspire.
EPHESIANS 4:14-16. “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lay in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
From now on “no more” helpless “infants” but “growing up into Christ.’ No longer “tossed about” but “fitly joined together and compacted.” No longer easily deceived, but (literally) “truthing in love.” This is an “effectual” work because it is based in the work of Jesus.
(F) THE MEANING OF THE SIGN.
John 6:24-35.
Jesus understood these hardy Galilean folk. They were working day by day trying to scratch a living out of the land, and they were interested not so much in His miracles (which John calls “signs”), nor even in Him to whom the signs pointed, but in His ability to produce free meals (John 6:26). However, God is offering not only food sufficient for today, but everlasting life with effect from today (John 6:27)!
The Galileans recalled God’s provision of manna in the wilderness, but Jesus now presented Himself as the true bread which comes down from heaven, who gives life to the world (John 6:31-33). Like the woman at the well when she asked for the living water (John 4:15), they were still thinking in earthy and earthly terms when they said, “Lord, evermore give us this bread” (John 6:34). Jesus said, “I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
“I AM” is, of course, the name of God (Exodus 3:14). Jesus identifies Himself with God, and proclaims Himself to be the all-sufficient Saviour bringing life to mankind. Bread is for all, and as bread Jesus satisfies the fundamental needs of our hearts.
