David coveted the wife of Uriah, an exceptionally beautiful woman named Bathsheba. The story is narrated in 2 Samuel 11 and 12. When he saw her, he sent out messengers to find out who she was and he was informed that she was married to Uriah the Hittite. The sin of covetousness is a sin that stares the word of God in the face and blatantly chooses to despise, reject and ignore it. If Israel knew anything, they knew the 10 commandments the last of which says among other things “…you shall not covet your neighbors wife…” Exodus 20:17. David looked this command in the face and made a conscious choice to despise, reject and ignore it.
So he goes on to sleep with her, she gets pregnant and now he has to cover up his sin. All his tactics do not work so he resolves to organize her husband’s death after which he marries Bathsheba, gives a great sigh of relief and concludes that all is well with the world. You can imagine his shock when the prophet Nathan looks him in the face and tells all in the presence of God and everyone in the throne room. Not only does he tell him off, he proceeds to speak destruction into his family by the sword and the defiling of his wives in public for a secret sin he hoped no one would find out about. And sure enough, his own son slept with his wives disgracing him in the face of all Israel.
Now when he is found out David responds completely contrary to Saul. Instead of concealing his sin and insisting on his own justification he immediately repents declaring openly that he has sinned before the Lord. See the love of the Lord for mankind. Nathan immediately replies “The Lord has taken away your sin” vs 13. It is the same with us today. As we declare our sin openly before the Lord, our sin is taken away from us. Washed away by the blood of the Lamb Jesus.
The next verse reveals more about what happens when we sin in covetousness. Nathan tells David that in sinning after this fashion, the enemies of the Lord have received an opportunity to show Jehohah utter contempt. The devil and his minions revel in this sin and utterly mock God because it is a sin that looks his word in the face and says "This is utter nonsense.” How horrible!! Yet Jehovah has exalted his word even above his Names. Because of this, his son with Bathsheba dies and though David fasts for his recovery seven days, weeping and repenting before God, the Lord proves his word true. He is a God who does not change his mind after the fashion of men.
However, because he is God, he finds a way to redeem the situation in the midst of the promises of doom and destruction. When Bathsheba conceives again and gives birth to Solomon, the Lord sends the prophet Nathan with a message to name him Jedidiah meaning loved of the Lord. This is God’s way of letting David and Bathsheba know that all is forgiven and when the time comes to select an heir to the throne, the Lord names Solomon King after his father David.
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