The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!'” (1 Kings 1:33-34)

David’s Treatment Of Nathan The Prophet

It was in the spring, when kings went out to war, that David remained in Jerusalem while his army battled the Ammonites and besieged the city of Rabbah. While David was walking on the roof of the king’s house, he spotted a woman bathing, who was very beautiful. The woman was Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of the mighty warriors of David. Caving into his lust, David had her brought to him, where he lay with her, while her husband was off at war. When David learned that Bathsheba was pregnant with his child, the king had Uriah brought back from the war, hoping to cover his infidelity. His efforts were in vain, and finally, he had Uriah killed when Joab, commander of the army, placed Uriah into the heat of battle and then, withdrawing, allowed the Ammonites to kill him.

God knew all that David had done and sent Nathan, the prophet, to confront the king with his sin. Nathan was a great man of faith who trusted in the word of the Lord. As king, David had the power of life and death over his subjects. To have a man come into his court and accuse him of grievous sin could be matched with the king’s revenge. Nathan boldly told David that God knew what he had done, accusing the shepherd king of despising the commandments of the Lord and of doing such evil in His sight. David’s reaction defined his character as a man after God’s own heart.

While some kings may have had Nathan killed, David confessed to the prophet that he had sinned against the Lord. David knew the penalty under the Law of Moses was death for both himself and Bathsheba. By God’s merciful grace, the Lord put away his sin so that he would not die. Nathan told David the child conceived in the adultery would die. David pleaded with God for the child, but seven days later the little boy died. David arose and washed himself, went into the house of the Lord, and worshiped. Because of his sin, David would experience great tragedy in his family as Nathan told him the sword would never depart from his house. This suffering would come from David’s own sons.

When David was old and advanced in years, a struggle began over who would rule in his place. David’s son Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself and tried to make himself king. The scriptures show that Nathan the prophet remains an advisor to the king, along with Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the mighty men. Nathan was the man who confronted the king with his great sin, and David had not retaliated. He kept the prophet close to advise him and guide him. David sinned when he took Bathsheba from Uriah. He did not blame Nathan or treat the prophet with disrespect because he came and told him the truth. David knew he had sinned, and there was no recourse for him to blame anyone but himself. It is notable in the character of David not to blame the messenger who bore the words of truth.

Preaching the gospel can often comfort the afflicted, and sometimes it will afflict the comfortable. Sin has not changed in its nature. The relationship between David and Nathan is a model of the grace of God working in the lives of a powerful man and a humble servant of the Lord. David was king, exercising dominion over the nation, but he did not treat Nathan differently because he pointed out his sin. He knew he was guilty, and he stood condemned before the Lord. The apostle Paul withstood the apostle Peter to his face because he was to be blamed for being a hypocrite regarding the treatment of the Gentile Christians. Paul did this in a public manner. Did Peter seek revenge for Paul’s action? Like David, Peter knew he was guilty and glorified the Lord for the boldness of his brother, who challenged his actions. 

David’s treatment of Nathan is a lesson in how the hearts of those who must correct those in sin should be toward those who seek the eternal welfare of those in sin. There are times when sin is pointed out, and the accuser becomes the intended target of gossip, division, and malice. Nathan had the godly courage to stand before David, as did Paul to withstand Peter. David and Peter received rebuke from their brothers in the spirit of divine righteousness because they accepted their guilt. That is the heart of a servant of the Lord. Sometimes it requires rebuking another, and sometimes it is accepting the correction of those who love the soul, seeking repentance and restoration to God.