Friday April 12, 2024
Theme: “Breaking the good news to the authorities”
Text: 2 Samuel 12:7-14
7. And Nathan said to David: You are that man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: I have anointed you king over Israel, and I have delivered you out of the hand of Saul; 8. I have given you possession of your master's house, and have placed your master's wives in your bosom, and I have given you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if it had been little, I would have added more. 9. Why then have you despised the word of the LORD, doing what is evil in his sight? You have slain Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife to be your wife, and you killed him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10. Now the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and because you have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. 11. Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will bring evil against you out of your house, and I will take your own wives before your eyes and give them to another, who will sleep with them in the sight of this sun. 12. For you have acted in secret; and I will do this in the presence of all Israel and in the face of the sun. 13. David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the LORD! And Nathan said to David, The LORD forgives your sin; you shall not die. 14. But because you have made the enemies of the LORD blaspheme by doing this, the son born to you will die.
Let's remember:
Being the announcer of good news to the authorities requires extra courage, especially when it comes to announcing a harsh sentence to the person holding power. David was the one who could decide the life or death of anyone. Nathan had to speak before such authority without trembling. He had to speak with firmness and determination. He should stand tall and say the oracle of God without hiding anything. Announcing the good news here takes the turn of announcing the punitive sentence but how very instructive. The prophet Micah also gave a grave sentence when he announced to Ahab king of Israel before Jehoshaphat king of Judah that he would die in battle. He was sent to prison for speaking in the name of the Lord. But he did not back down, he remained firm and even strengthened the nail by insisting more. 1 Kings 22:27. “Thou shalt say, Thus saith the king, Put this man in prison, and feed him with the bread and water of affliction, until I return in peace.” Obviously the king was killed in battle. As for David, he experienced the humiliation announced by Nathan when his son Absalom took his wives. 2 Samuel 16:22. “They pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.” God is behind the word announced by his envoys to fulfill it. No fear of speaking on his behalf because his safety is guaranteed. Excellent Friday and good start to the weekend. Amen
Alain Louz.-