David and Bathsheba’s Son Dies

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 12:18-25. For seven days David laid on the ground praying, fasting, and seeking God’s face. On the seventh day his son died. Seven is the number of completeness and perfection in the Bible. Wonder if there is some significance in this instance to the child dying on the seventh day.

David’s servants were afraid to tell him of his son’s death because David wouldn’t respond to them when they talked to him before the child was dead. They didn’t know how he would react to the news now that his son was dead.

David saw them whispering and realized that the child had died. So he asked them if the child was dead. David’s servants responded to him saying, “He is dead.”

David got up, bathed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. Then, he went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Despite this tragedy in David’s life, he loved the LORD and one of the first things he did was go to worship Him. David knew God loved him as well. When David was ready, his servants prepared food for him and he ate.

The servants asked David why he fasted, prayed, and cried over his child while he was alive, but now that he was dead he got up and ate.

David told them that he fasted and prayed to God hoping that He would be gracious to him and spare his son’s life. But now that he was dead, what could he do, he could go to his son, but his son couldn’t return to him.

David went in to comfort his wife, Bathsheba. He slept with her and she conceived a son who they called Solomon, whom the LORD loved.

David sent word to Nathan that they were having a son and he called him Jedidiah, which means “beloved of Jehovah.”

Sometimes we don’t understand why God allows things to happen. We may have prayed and asked God not to allow something bad to happen as David did. But, God has his reasons for allowing things to happen, both bad and good. In this Scripture God not only allowed their son to die, but he also blessed them with another son.

Isaiah 55:9 tells us, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Psalm 51 speaks of this time in David’s life. Where David repented of his sins to the LORD and asked for God’s forgiveness.

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 12:18-25

18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

Things to think about:

• What had David done for seven days?
• What did David do once he found out his son died?
• Why did David say his actions changed?
• How did God bless David and Bathsheba in this Scripture?

Prayer of the Day:

As we read this Scripture our hearts are grieved for the loss that David and Bathsheba experienced. We also see that You blessed them with another son shortly after their loss. Help us to realize that Your ways are higher than our ways. Even though we might not understand why some things happen You have Your reasons for allowing them. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Christian Daily Resources: “Friend of Sinners”

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Deborah H. Bateman

Deborah H. Bateman encourages other believers in their walk with Jesus Christ through Bible study. She is a Christian Author, Blogger, Website Designer, and Book Publishing Coach. She is the Founder of Christian Daily Resources a Christian online ministry dedicated to "Sharing God's Word". Deborah is the author of more than thirty books in the Daily Bible Reading Series and one book about self-publishing called: Self-Publishing Simplified: How to Publish a Book on Kindle. Deborah shares Daily Bible Reading lessons here on her blog at http://DeborahHBateman.com/blog Her website: Christian Daily Resources is at http://ChristianDailyResources.com She shares a Daily Bible Verse on her blog Bible Verse Tweet at http://www.bibleversetweet.com/. Deborah has a family favorite recipe blog called Recipe for Life at http://deborah-bateman.blogspot.com. She invites you to check them out and subscribe to the ones you like.