When you compare the two accounts of David’s sin with Bathsheba, there’s a draught of deep comfort to be drawn. The first account in 2 Samuel 11-12 is details the whole saga. Whereas, to an untrained eye, the episode is simply glossed over by the author of 1 Chronicles:
And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, […] But David tarried at Jerusalem (1Ch 20:1).
This has led some to scoff and say that the later author of 1 Chronicles (likely the godly priest Ezra) was some sort of state propagandist covering up scandals in order to help do damage control for the Davidic dynasty. But we don’t take the Scriptures in isolation. Instead, taken together they enlighten our understanding of what God is up to in the scriptural revelation. From one side, call it the prophetic side, David’s dirty laundry is hung out for all the world to see. But from the other side, call it the priestly side, a short line about David staying in Jerusalem while Joab went to war suffices. The prophetic voice denounces the sin with bold exactness and compelling imagery. The priestly voice covers over the sin.
You are about to confess your sins to the God who saw everything you said, did, and thought this week. You can’t hide anything from Him. His prophetic Word leaves no gray areas for you to dispute over whether your actions were sinful. But when you come to Him, in true faith & repentance, the Great High Priest covers over your sin. Your sin really was dreadfully sinful. Yet God is happy to cover it all with Christ’s blood. In short, God loves to cover up sin.
Prayer of Confession
Father God,
The depth of Your mercy is breathtaking. You, who really could number our every sin and crime against You and Your Word, have determined to cover over our sins as we confess them and repent of them. This really is utterly scandalous. Here we kneel, as sinners in need of forgiveness, and there You are abundant in mercy, long-suffering, and more than willing to pardon us entirely of every last blot. Forgive us for trying to hide our sins, instead of confessing them to You and having them truly covered. Grant us humility now, to confess our sins in truth, with no evasions, excuses, or exaggerations. And grant us joy as we hear the Word of Your pardoning grace.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Make no mistake, you cannot hide your sin. But you can confess them in truth and God will cover it. The forgiveness of sins really is the great scandal of grace, but it only comes through faith in Christ and humble repentance.
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