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“Thou hast Given Great Occasion to the Enemies Of the Lord to Blaspheme.” 2 Samuel 12:14
How sad! What terrible consequences followed David’s transgression. Our lives affect a lot of people and a lot of things. None of us lives unto himself. Everything we say and everything we do affects other people. Our companions, our children, our brethren, our neighbors, our friends, and our enemies are watching us. What we say and do does affect them! The scandalous lives of people who profess faith in Christ, and the scandalous actions of people who possess faith in Christ are matters of grave concern, because they give people occasion to blaspheme the name of our God. The more prominent and influential a person is, the more severe the consequences of his sin are (Romans 2:23-24). Lot was a righteous man; but he led his family to destruction! Though God did not punish David for his sin personally (His sin was punished in Christ!), he did chasten him publicly. He did so to vindicate his honor and show his displeasure with David’s sin. Some of the terrible consequences of David’s sin are plainly recorded for our learning and admonition. — Because of David’s transgression, the name of the Lord was blasphemed (12:14). — The child of his lust was killed (12:18). — The sword never departed from his house (12:10). — And David reaped the consequences of his sin in his children (12:11-12; 16:22). Amnon learned to live by his lusts by watching his father gratify his own lusts. Absalom learned to despise his father by his father’s deeds. Ahithophel learned to betray his trusted friend by David’s deeds. “Be sure, your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). You cannot take fire to your bosom and not get burned. You cannot sin against God and get by. Your sin and mine has its consequences upon the name of God, the family of God, and all who are under our influence. And our influence is always either positive or negative. It is never neutral. A crooked stick casts a crooked shadow. A straight stick casts a straight shadow.
Don Fortner
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Pastor Fortner’s
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