THE RED LINE OF GOD: WHEN MERCY DOES NOT OVERRULE

David deliberately committed a secret sin and begged God for mercy. Though he was forgiven, the consequences were not overruled.

He committed adultery secretly with Bathsheba, the wife of a foreigner named, Uriah the Hittite. Ironically, Uriah was one of his Army Generals. David killed Uriah in a sneaky deployment to cover-up the case but God let it open. This story is recorded as a lesson for us in 2 Samuel Chapter 11.

It is surprising how a merciful God, who, at the same time is a just God, would immediately allow the consequences of David’s grievous sin to commence, in full force, in Chapter 12.

First, one of David’s son, Amnon raped his half-sister, Tamer. She was probably the only daughter of David. Next, Absalom, who was Tamer’s brother, killed Amnon, his half-brother. In the build-up to the fullness of consequences, Absalom conspired to overthrow King David, his father (2 Sam 15:1-16).

In fulfillment of God’s prophecy recorded in 2 Sam 12:11-12, Absalom publicly violated his father’s concubines on a roof (2 Sam 16:22). Alas, David lost another son, Absalom the rebel, in a fierce battle for the throne.

Guess what? The popular Ahithophel of the Bible, the great counselor of King David, and military strategist who later betrayed his master (2Sam 15:12, 31), was the grandfather of Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:3; 23:34) whom David violated. It became evident why Ahithophel betrayed King David, the beloved of God.

The rest of the story is there for us to read.

Truly, according to prophecy, David’s days were full of wars and troubles simply because he violated the wife of one of his generals and killed an innocent soul.

God said to David through Prophet Nathan, “the LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have UTTERLY SCORNED THE LORD ...." (2 Sam 12:14).

In fact, God said, "violating Uriah's wife is a DISRESPECT TO ME" (2 Sam 12:10).

God further said, violating Uriah's wife made God's enemy to blaspheme God (2 Sam 12:14).

Here is God's verdict and WHY MERCY DID NOT overrule (2 Sam 12:11-14)

God vowed to bring troubles against David
1. A major crisis will spring up from David's family
2. David's wives will be raped by a close relative, and everyone will know it
3. God vowed to punish David so that all the people of Israel could see it
4. The offspring of the illicit relationship must die.

If God had forgiven David, why did God pronounce those judgments on him? When evil is committed deliberately, God’s mercy does not overrule the consequences.

DO NOT CROSS THE LINE, as MERCY MAY NOT OVERRULE.

By Johnson O. Oguntuase, (Oct 2018, updated July 2019).