Calvinism Everywhere, Part 12

Chapter 12 of 2 Samuel always hurts to read. It contains, of course, Nathan's rebuke to David, and the fallout of David's sin with Bathsheba. Much instruction might be gained from considering the scope of the chapter, but since my stated aim is to expound "Calvinism Everywhere," I shall limit myself to a few verses highlighting the holy and heavenly reign of the high King of heaven.

After Nathan utters his stinging rebuke, "You are the man!" he says: "Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more'" (2 Sam. 12:7-8). God anointed David king over Israel. God delivered David out of Saul's hand. God gave David his master's house. God even gave David his master's wives into his arms. God also gave him the house of Israel and of Judah. Then he says, "I would add to you as much more." Raw sovereignty rises to plain view for faith to behold and bow before. God has governed all that has come to pass, including David's multiple wives being given into his arms. I'll not deal at all here with the ethical troubles this gives us. I simply want to reckon with what the text straightforwardly says: God did it.

Well then, you might say, did God therefore do David's sin?
I answer with John: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 Jn. 1:5). Of course God did not do David's sin. Nor did he tempt David (Jas. 1:13). But David was tempted when he was lured and enticed by his own desire. Then when desire conceived it gave birth to sin (Jas. 1:14-15).

But I'll also add, God did permit the sin. How could it be otherwise? He reigns. He clearly could have prevented it even as he prevented Abimelech from sinning by sleeping with Abraham's wife (Gen. 20:6). But he didn't prevent it, for wise and holy ends. He left David to fall. And David sinned grievously according to his grimy desires. And along with many Calvinists before, I affirm that what God permits he also ordains. Mystery holds here; it is not removed. I'm not attempting to do away with depths of mystery. That's impossible. After all, we're talking about God's infinitely wise governance of all things. So mystery holds. But I will not say that even David's sin escaped the bounds of God's sovereign governance of all things, even as the worst sin ever sinned—namely, the murder of the spotless Son of God—was predetermined before the world was, according to God's definite plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). The Lamb—he was slain before the foundation of the world! (Rev. 13:8, KJV; note manuscript variants).

Now, the consequences of David's ugly sin. For despising the word of YHWH, for doing what was evil in God's holy sight (2 Sam. 12:9), Nathan prophecies: "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife" (12:10). God continues, "Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house" (12:11).

Now what could this evil be? Who would have guessed what God would send? It causes ears to tingle just hearing it. Here is the word of the Lord to David: "I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of the sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun" (2 Sam. 12:11-12). God ordains serial adultery with David's wives in the public square. How disgusting. How unlike God, we think. But there it is. Holy is he, high and lifted up, Judge and Lord of all, working his will in the heavens, his hand never forced, his purposes never thwarted, his judgments always true.

And if that is not enough to cause our knees to wobble, becoming unstable as water, we read: because David utterly scorned YHWH, the child born to him would die (2 Sam. 12:14). Then next verse: "YHWH afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick" (12:15). Shortly thereafter he dies despite David's fasting and prayers.

O believer, behold your sovereign God! And bow low in worship and fear. Tremble at his word. And repent with me of all God-belittling thoughts and ways and words. He is the Lord, and there is no other. Our God reigns!