The Mystery of the Messiah: Part 3 – The Mystery of the Messiah’s Birth

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Bible Reading: 1st Peter 1:10-12  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  (11)  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.  (12)  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Matthew 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Up to this point we have set the foundation for this teaching. We learned from Part 1: The Paradoxes of the Messianic Prophecies and from Part 2: The Mystery of the Messiah’s Lineage. Now, we’ll go into Part 3: The Mystery of Messiah’s Birth.

He would be born in Bethlehem – Matthew 2:6  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Shepherds Worship Him at the Manger in Bethlehem

Luke 2:8-14  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  (9)  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  (10)  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  (11)  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  (12)  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  (13)  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  (14)  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

It’s apparent this announcement was made to the shepherds on the day of Jesus’ birth. Given the shepherds were “…abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” shows us that the birth of Christ was not on December 25th but rather was likely around mid-September.

According to one Bible commentator (Adam Clarke), it was traditional for the Jews to send their sheep to pasture from the spring until early October. As the cold winter months began, the flocks would return from the fields for protection and warmth. Since the shepherds were still tending their flocks in the fields around Bethlehem it can be deduced that the angels announced the news of Jesus’ birth no later than October.

It’s estimated that Jesus was born into this world around mid to late September instead. (Find the explanation of this at When Was Jesus Actually Born? Biblical, Historical Evidence)

This is why, although December 25th is a celebration of the day of His birth, it is not a birthday celebration as we know it. That is also why we will use decorations that depict the manger scene, but not use decorations that say “Happy Birthday, Jesus”. This is because celebrating a birth day (day of someone’s birth) is not the same as celebrating another year of life, called a “birthday”.

Wise Men Worship Him In The House In Nazareth

Matthew 2:11  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

This was probably around two years old (not at the manger). We notice the use of the phrase “into the house”, not “into the manger”.

Notice also this time the angel calls Jesus “the young child” (Greek: paidion – an infant)and not “the babe” (Greek: brefos – an unborn or newborn child), as the angel told the shepherds in Luke 2:12.

The Flight into Egypt

Matthew 2:13  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. Fulfilling Hosea 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

This happened just after the wise men left. Notice again the use of the phrase “the young child”, not “the babe”.

Herod Kills Males Two Years And Under

Matthew 2:16  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Why did Herod choose the age of two years old if Jesus was still a newborn in the manger when the wise men saw Him? This is because it’s more likely that by the time the wise men got to Jesus, He was older than a newborn baby.

Remember, Matthew 2:12  And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. This means that by the time they found Jesus, the plan of Herod was already in the works.

Two years old is the generally agreed upon age of Jesus because it appears that Herod counted back to around the time the wise men came to him until the time he decided to commit this atrocity.

This would be a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Jeremiah 31:15  Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

Through the providence of God, Jesus was spared being part of fulfilling this prophecy so that He may …grow up before him as a tender plant (Isaiah 53:2) and …justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11).

Have you allowed Jesus to bear your iniquities and bring complete peace into your world?

This site is dedicated to Encouraging Men and Women to Walk in a Personal Relationship with God. If this article has added value to your life for God, consider subscribing by >>Clicking Here << and joining our YouTube family by >> Subscribing Here <<.

Thank you!

Pastor Fulmer

Christmas 2024 Video from Our Church

This video is a compilation of some of our church members answering the question “Why is the birth of Jesus special to you?”.

New Testament Christian Church is located at 2153 South Market St., Wichita, KS 67211

The Mystery of the Messiah: Part 2 – The Mystery of the Messiah’s Lineage

You can watch the recorded teaching by >>Clicking Here<<

Bible Reading: 1st Peter 1:10-12  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  (11)  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.  (12)  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Matthew 1:1  The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Listed in the lineage of the Messiah are some unlikely candidates. Five women. In the Hebrew culture, women were not normally listed in the lineage, but they are in the lineage of the Messiah. These five women are: 1) Tamar, (Matthew 1:3) who slept with her dead husband’s father 2) Rahab (or Rachab in Matthew 1:5), a well-known prostitute 3) Ruth (Matthew 1:5), a Moabitess 4) Bathsheba, or “…of her that had been the wife of Urias” in Matthew 1:6), an adulteress, 5) Mary (Matthew 1:16), a virgin.

None of these women would be considered eligible to be in the lineage of the great, holy, and of course Jewish Messiah, either because of their immoral lifestyles (as with Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba), being non-Jewish (as with Ruth), or never having been with a man to have a child (as with Mary). But, God is the great mold-breaker!!

                 Tamar – We are going to focus on Tamar for now, to show you the length to which God will go in order to work all things together for His glory and His plan.

In Genesis 38, we read that Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah, who was the fourth xuallyson of Jacob and Leah. We know, from (Genesis 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.), that the Messiah was supposed to come through the line of Judah. The problem is that there were some major problems with the line of Judah.

Tamar was married to Er, Judah’s oldest son. Er was so wicked that God killed him. We don’t know how this was done, we only from Genesis 38:7  And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. That’s his legacy!

Judah then told his second son, Onan, to marry Tamar and have a child with her, and name it after Er. Onan gladly had sex with Tamar, but he did not want to have a child with her and name it after his dead brother. So, God killed him also.

 Judah promised Tamar that, if she would remain a widow, he would let his younger son, Shelah, marry her. After Judah’s wife died, he goes up to Timnath, and sees a prostitute. He goes in and has sex with her and promises to pay her later with a young goat. As collateral, she keeps his bracelets, staff, and signet ring until he returns. He quickly returns with the goat, knowing that the items she has could easily identify him, but he could not find the prostitute anywhere. So, he goes back home.

 After three months, Judah hears that Tamar, his daughter-in-law, is pregnant by someone she’s not married to. He then orders her to be burned. There were only two offenses for which people may die by burning. 1) Prostitution by a priest’s daughter (Leviticus 21:9  And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.) and 2) Incest. (Leviticus 20:14  And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.)

 As they were getting ready to burn Tamar for getting pregnant without being married, we read in Genesis 38:25  When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet (that says “Judah #1 on it”…I added that part), and bracelets, and staff. Tamar had dressed up as the prostitute that Judah slept with three months earlier. He had slept with his own daughter-in-law and didn’t know it.

 Judah then acknowledges his sin in Genesis 38:26  And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her (had sex with her) again no more. Tamar had twins by her father-in-law, Judah, Pharez and Zamar and it would be through the lineage of Pharez that the Messiah would come.

   The Curse of Being Born out of Wedlock

 We now know that, in Genesis 49, it would later be prophesied that the Messiah would come through the lineage of Judah, but there was a problem. Judah’s two older sons were dead and he had twins by his daughter-in-law, but they were illegitimate children because they were born out of wedlock and God pronounces a curse upon those who are born out of wedlock, in Deuteronomy 23:2  A bastard (illegitimate child) shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

Well, God would just use Judah’s youngest son Shelah, right? Wrong! God uses the lineage of Pharez, one of the illegitimate children, to bring the Messiah into the world. Let’s see how God does that.

Remember, the curse of the illegitimate child lasted to the tenth generation. Matthew 1:3-6  …1) Phares begat Esrom; and 2) Esrom begat Aram;  (4)  And 3) Aram begat Aminadab; and 4) Aminadab begat Naasson; and 5) Naasson begat Salmon;  (5)  And 6) Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and 7) Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and 8) Obed begat Jesse;  (6)  And 9) Jesse begat David the king; and 10) David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; From Pharez to David is 10 generations and the curse is broken at the birth of David, who later would be king of Israel and through whom God would bring the Messiah.

The Curse of Jeconiah

We read in Matthew 1:11  And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: Jechonias (or Jeconiah, Jehoiachin, or Coniah) was a very wicked king in Israel’s history. It was during his reign that Israel was taken into Babylonian captivity.

 God pronounces a curse upon Jechonias in Jeremiah 22:24-25  As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;  (25)  And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life… (Jeremiah 22:30 Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

How is it that God cursed the lineage of Jechonias, yet, we read that Messiah would come through the lineage of Jechonias in Matthew 1:11  And Josias begat Jechonias… I thought God said no king would descend from Jechonias. Isn’t Jesus the King of kings?

The lineage of Jechonias came through the lineage of King Solomon, the son of King David and it was through this lineage that Joseph the husband of Mary came. But, Jesus was not the biological son of Joseph. Jesus is the biological Son of God. So, the DNA of Joseph was not in Jesus, therefore the DNA of Jechonias was not in Jesus, which means Jesus is exempt from the lineage, and therefore the curse, of Jechonias.

Jesus is still in the lineage of King David through his mother Mary, who came through the lineage of another son of David by the name of Nathan. (Luke 3:31 …Nathan, which was the son of David,) Therefore, Jesus still gets to descend from the lineage of King David and bypasses the curse of Jechonias because the line of Jechonias is Jesus’ adopted lineage through His stepfather Joseph, not His biological lineage through His mother, Mary.

Scriptural Promise for the Week of December 15 – 21

In this scripture we have the promise that God’s promises will all be found in Christ!

The word “Yea” indicates, not just the word “Yes” as we know it, but a strong “Yes”, being said by God Himself.

That is, that if you have put your unreserved faith in Christ, then God’s blessings are yours with no reservation on God’s part!

Upon hearing and believing this, we as the Church should say “Amen” to the glory of God!

So, believe without reservation that God has no reservations of fulfilling His promises to you when you are found in Christ!

Let the Church say….AMEN!

Is The Church Building Really “The House of God”?

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2nd Samuel 7:5-7  Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?  (6)  Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.  (7)  In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

This area of scripture seems to be one that is frequently used by people to indicate that, because God cannot be contained in one physical location, therefore a building where people congregate is unnecessary.

Some may even go as far as to say it’s wrong to have a church building and to call it “the house of God”. When we find people making extreme claims like this, it’s best to go to the scriptures and find out what God has revealed to us about the topic.

The beginning text from 2nd Samuel 7 would later be referenced by Stephen in Acts 7:48-50  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,  (49)  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?  (50)  Hath not my hand made all these things?

People may ask, “If God can be worshipped anywhere, then why do we need one place to worship Him?” Since this seems to be a point of contention for some people, let’s look at it through the lens of scripture!

The Tabernacle in the Wilderness

Starting in Exodus 20, God gave Moses commandments that were to be taught to and obeyed by the people of God. This is not only where God gave the original 10 Commandments, but God also gave Moses laws concerning what kind of altars to build, laws about servants and how to treat them, laws about restitution of people’s possessions, and so much more.

Then, in Exodus 25, God took 40 days and 40 nights to lay out the specifications of how to build a tabernacle in which to worship Him. God told Moses what kind of fabric to use, exactly how to build the Ark of the Covenant, the table of shewbread, and many other articles that would be used in the worship of God. God then reinforced this to Moses by saying in Exodus 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

So, we see that all the way back to when Israel was travelling through the wilderness from Egypt to the Promise Land, God wanted to establish one location for His people to gather in order to worship Him.

The Temple in Jerusalem

When king David wanted to build a house for God, he was not allowed to do so. God told David, through the prophet Nathan, that it would be David’s son, Solomon, who would build a house for God’s name. 2nd Samuel 7:13  He (Solomon) shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

Solomon would later reference this in 1st Kings 8:18  And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.

So far we see that, not only did God actually command that a house be built for His people to worship Him in while they were in the wilderness, but we also see that God was pleased that it was in David’s heart to build God a house after Israel was already in their inheritance.

Of course, we have to deal with the typical rebuttal that says, “Well, that was in the Old Testament!”

Physical Church Locations in the New Testament

Luke 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

We see from this scripture alone that Jesus would go to a physical location to congregate with others when it was open to do so, which was usually on the Sabbath day. We also see that He went there frequently, by Luke’s use of the phrase “as his custom was…”

Of course Jesus would teach while in the mountains (Matthew 5),  by the sea side (Mark 2), by the coast (Mark 10), and many other places that were outside of a physical building.

God spoke to the heart of a man named Jairus in Mark 9 that Jesus could heal his dying daughter. In the same chapter, God spoke to the heart of the woman with the issue of blood that if she would just touch Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. Both of these situations took place outside of a physical building.

In Mark 2, God spoke to the hearts of four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus, believing that Jesus would heal their friend. They believed it so much they tore open the roof of the place where Jesus was preaching just to let their friend down to where Jesus was…and the man was healed AND forgiven of his sins! This healing took place inside of a physical building.

So, we see that the unlimited God is not limited to the inside of a physical structure, but He is also not limited to the outside of a physical structure. God can speak to our hearts anywhere He pleases.

The problem comes when we start thinking He can only speak to us where we want Him to speak. I have found this to be the approach people take when they say things like, “I don’t have to be in a church building for God to speak to me”, and they’re right. But, do you notice in that phrase who is calling the shots? It isn’t God!

What Jesus Said About Church Buildings

For those who like to say that, “A church building is not the house of God”, they have to contend with at least two places where Jesus Himself says differently:

John 2:16-17  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.  (17)  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. (Referencing Psalms 69:9  For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up…)

Luke 14:23  And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Of course, this is Jesus’ parable about reaching out to anyone you can with the Gospel message and not just to those who have heard the Gospel and refuse to accept the invitation.

While it is certainly true that we should not look at church buildings as being the goal of a ministry, nor as the only place God’s presence dwells, we can certainly see that for thousands of years, God has used physical buildings to bring people together to learn of Him and to worship Him.

I personally have never met anyone who believes in going to church who would also say that God’s presence is limited to their church building. Most, if not all, realize that church buildings are simply a gathering place for God’s people to worship God together.

Some Benefits of Gathering Together

With gathering together, there is also a sense of accountability, not just to the Lord, but also one to another. This is what was going on during the time of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in 1st Corinthians 5:4-5 – In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (5)  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

This sense of accountability could be one of the very reasons many do not want to gather together, and would rather limit God to outside of a church building. It may also be why they constantly say phrases like, “I can worship God wherever I want because God is everywhere and He hears my prayers”. Again, this is true, but it is only part of the way that God speaks to people.

In conclusion, we see that God calls His people to be together, not on any certain time or day, although certain days have come to be known as “church days”. But, He calls His people to be together nevertheless and that He speaks to people both inside and outside of the physical church building.

The church building is a hospital for the hurting and a classroom for the learning. God’s ability to speak to us anywhere does not discount His use of physical locations where His people can gather to hear His word and His voice!

So, is the church building also considered to be “the house of God”? Jesus said it is.

This site is dedicated to Encouraging Men and Women to Walk in a Personal Relationship with God. If this article has added value to your life for God, consider subscribing by >>Clicking Here << and joining our YouTube family by >> Subscribing Here <<.

Thank you!

Pastor Fulmer

Scriptural Promise for the Week of December 8 – 14, 2024

In this week’s scriptural promise, the writer of the book of Hebrews is referencing God’s promise to neither leave nor forsake His people. There are many places in the Bible where God makes this promise!

The first time we read this specific promise goes all the way back to the book of Genesis, where Jacob had a dream while on his way to his uncle Laban’s house to escape being murdered by his own twin brother, Esau.

God told Jacob in Genesis 28:15 – And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

God has not changed! No matter what situation we are in; whether we understand it or not, if we set our hearts to seek the Lord, He will be right there with us to bring us all the way through!!

This site is dedicated to Encouraging Men and Women to Walk in a Personal Relationship with God. If this article has added value to your life for God, please consider subscribing by >>Clicking Here << and joining our YouTube family by >> Subscribing Here <<.

Thank you!

Pastor Fulmer

The Faithfulness of the Prophet Nathan

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2nd Samuel 12:1-14  And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.  (2)  The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:  (3)  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.  (4)  And there came a traveller 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.  (5)  And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:  (6)  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.  (7)  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;  (8)  And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.  (9)  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.  (10)  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.  (11)  Thus saith the LORD, 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 neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.  (12)  For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.  (13)  And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.  (14)  Howbeit, 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.

How would you define a “faithful” person? The wise man, Solomon, tells us in Proverbs 14:5  A faithful witness will not lie… and again in Proverbs 27:6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend… and he asks in Proverbs 20:6 …a faithful man who can find?

It seems that Solomon looked at a faithful person, not as someone who faithfully toes the line to stay in good standing and to gain advantage, but as someone who, when it’s necessary, is willing to take on great risk to themselves and their reputation in order to speak truth; not just for the sake of calling things out, but with a much deeper reasoning…the hope of righting some wrong that is creating a negative impact on others. Such a man was the prophet Nathan!

What God considers to be faithful and what people consider to be faithful can be two very different things! Nathan was convicted by Jehovah to go and deliver a difficult message to the king. It would be a message that would no doubt be unpopular with those who surrounded the king and maybe even with the king himself. But, Nathan knew the message had to be delivered.

Nathan’s Divine Mission

2nd Samuel 12:1  And the LORD sent Nathan unto David…

The king, being the highest position in the land, was probably not used to anyone being so bold and forward with him. He was probably use to platitudes and placating language that would almost guarantee their place in the king’s good graces. But, Nathan knew his message was ordained by God and therefore feared God alone rather than fearing what the king, or anyone else, could do to him.

We call Nathan faithful, not only because he was faithful to God in delivering this very heavy message when others would have chosen to stay silent, but, we call him faithful because he was also faithful to David.

When Nathan could have chosen his own self-interests over the will of God; when he could have chosen to go his own way and “mind his own business”, which in turn would likely have allowed David to incur the wrath of God in a much more severe way, he chose to deliver the message, suffer the possible displeasure of the king, and at least give the king the opportunity to hear it from someone rather than letting David remain in ignorance and suffer the consequences.

God’s Message Through Nathan Did Not Happen Right Away

We have to remember that Nathan delivered his message to the king just before the illegitimate child of David and Bathsheba was born. So, we’re talking about nine months or so from the time of David’s sin with Bathsheba to the time Nathan delivers his message.

During this time, there were those around David who knew about this situation. 2nd Samuel 11:3-4  And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?  (4)  And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her…

We don’t read of anyone telling David that his actions were wrong in the eyes of God or that this action was going to hurt other people…why not? Maybe it’s because they thought the king was out of their reach. Maybe some feared losing promotional opportunity if they said something. Who knows? Again, what God considers to be faithful and what people consider to be faithful can be two very different things!

Even Joab started to realize something was amiss. Consider the following scriptures:

  • 2nd Samuel 11:6  And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
  • 2nd Samuel 11:15  And he (David) wrote in the letter (to Joab), saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
  • 2nd Samuel 11:20-21  And if so be that the king’s wrath arise…(21) …then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

So, we see that the error of David had been going on for a while and others were aware of it and that it was wrong. But, only Nathan would have the wherewithal to actually speak up about it, not to harm David, but to help him and all who were affected by his actions.

During this nine months or so, could David play the trumpet and harp with joy unto the Lord? Could he say With my whole heart have I sought thee…(Psalms 119:10)? Not likely!

What a joyless year he must have experienced! So it is when we are fighting against the conviction of God Himself! To fight against the only true joy-giver is to ensure that no joy is experienced, but rather the slow painful process of a dying spirit…as I’m sure David must have been experiencing!

Nathan understood that reproof, especially of someone who resides at a higher social level such as king David, should only be presented according to the will of God; not according to who deserves it nor according to one’s own whims. This calling requires careful prayer and consideration before it is carried out.

When Nathan understood this to be the will of God, he humbly obeyed. We do not find that he delivers the message with a spirit of retribution or to attack. But, it is delivered in the spirit of duty to the Lord. This way the response of the king and any possible rejection of those around him would have no bearing on his obedience.

Nathan brings this message to a climactic close when he tells David in 2nd Samuel 12:14  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme… In other words, “It isn’t just about you and protecting your image…you have given the enemies of God ammunition, not only to use against you personally, but also to use against what God is trying to do through you, and now our people are suffering and have to work harder to overcome that stigma!”

David’s Favorable Response

When Nathan told David those famous words in 2nd Samuel 12:7 …Thou art the man…, we don’t read of David trying to come up with a reason why he wasn’t to blame. He simply said …I have sinned against the LORD…(2nd Samuel 12:13).

When Nathan was tasked to deliver this message, it was never in the heart of God nor in the heart of Nathan to try to hurt David. Nathan’s faithfulness is found, not only in that he delivered a difficult message to the highest ranking person in the land, but also in that he meant it for David’s good. Nathan had too much conviction to just let this wrong go on as others seem to have been doing.

2nd Samuel 12:15  And Nathan departed unto his house… After delivering the message God sent him to deliver, Nathan did not stand around to see if David would take notice of his good intentions and reward him for his bravery and faithfulness to God. David needed Nathan more than he realized!

Obeying the Lord was all the reward Nathan needed! He could say as the prophet Daniel would later say in his generation in Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another…

We can rightly say that the prophet Nathan was a faithful reprover because he was faithful to God and faithful to the one to whom God sent him. Only the love of God in someone’s heart can help them have sympathy and love for someone they must deliver a strong message to; especially if that person is someone they once greatly respected!

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Keeping the Two Greatest Commandments

Bible Reading: Matthew 22:34-40  But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.  (35)  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,  (36)  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  (37)  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  (38)  This is the first and great commandment.  (39)  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  (40)  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Text: Matthew 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

This lawyer was called by Mark “a scribe” in Mark 12:28  And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? Such were teachers and expounders of the Mosaic Law (Law of Moses).

This man was put forth by the Pharisees as an expert with the hopes that he would not be easily confused by Jesus as the Sadducees apparently had. Matthew 22:34  But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. “Wow, if this Jesus can answer questions so thoroughly that they run out of excuses for questioning Him, let me go hear Him too!”

By tempting Jesus, they were trying Him; putting Him to the test. On the lawyer’s part , this may or may not have been altogether maliciously, but maybe it was also from curiosity, and partly from a desire to hear Christ’s opinion on a much disputed point…Matthew 22:36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

It seems that Christ was pleased with this man personally, for he said to him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” Those who put this lawyer forward probably had sinister motives, but the man himself seems to have been straightforward and honest.

Giving Others a Chance

One of our initial motivations for getting saved is so that, rather than inheriting eternal damnation, we inherit eternal life through Jesus Christ. This is a good starting point, but from there we tend not to think of anyone else other than ourselves…Our salvation…Our walk with God…Our blessings.

When is the last time you gave someone a chance to also hear the Gospel, either by explaining it to them, or at least inviting them to the house of God where they can also hear the Gospel and how to get saved?

What Jesus explains here as the two greatest commandments are not even written in the 10 Commandments at all…not in this way. This is because Jesus is explaining the spirit of the commandments of God.

This is How Churches Grow

The proper way of looking at “our church” is that “our church is this part of the kingdom of God, not the whole kingdom of God”. That takes the focus off of us and puts it on God and on other people…those we are supposed to be loving more than we love ourselves.

Dying to Ourselves

True salvation is not just adding Jesus into our lives. It is dying on the cross with Him, and taking His resurrected eternal life with us, and leaving our old lives hanging on the cross!

The only person who can give eternal life is the One who already has it and is therefore able to give it! Only God in His goodness and grace possessed the willingness and the ability to leave Heaven, endure Hell, and to do it for His enemies.         

We do not even possess the willingness or ability to do this for someone because 1) we had no Heaven to leave and 2) we probably wouldn’t do it if we did. We may say that we would, but that’s only because we know that we don’t have to actually carry it out.

Romans 5:7-8  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  (8)  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Let us remember that, while we’re striving to keep God’s written commandments, there are two commandments that encapsulate all of God’s commandments…love God and love others!

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