Thursday 14 July 2016

Psalm: Psalm 119:17-32

Background

Today's passage really begins on with 2Samuel 11:26-27, where Bathsheba discovers that her husband,Uriah has been killed. She grieves for him, but (in verse 27) whenthe time of mourning is over, David sent for her and she became hiswife and bore him a son.

David has got all he wants, or has he?

Having seemingly been silent in the tale, God now takes theinitiative and sends Nathan to David. Nathan has already deliveredone message to David (2Samuel 7:1-17) about God's covenant with the king. But this isa very different piece of news to bring.

The passage says nothing about what Nathan may be thinking orfeeling, but one thing we do know is that he is faithful to hiscalling. The prophet delivers his message in the form of aparable.

In the Old Testament the prophets fulfilled two roles, that offoretelling (ie predicting the future) or forthtelling - speakingGod's word of truth that is often unpopular to hear. In thispassage Nathan is doing the latter.

Nathan arouses David's sense of justice at the end of theparable, as the king exclaims "As the Lord lives, the man who hasdone this deserves to die" (v. 5). You will have to wait undertomorrow to read Nathan's final words.

To Ponder

• Nathan gets his message across by using a parable. What is yourfavourite parable, either told by Jesus or even a modern day one?Why do you like it? And more importantly, maybe, how does itchallenge you?

• How are the prophets of today? What are they forthtelling? And,again, how does that challenge you?

• In her Vice-Presidential address to the Methodist Conference atthe beginning of the month, Rachel Lampard spoke strongly aboutjustice. Take the opportunity to read or watch it. What do you take away from what shesays? And, yet again, how might this challenge you?