WHy is King David Always held up as a great guy?

by zack 62 Replies latest jw friends

  • Fred E Hathaway
    Fred E Hathaway

    to tijkmo:

    You make some very interesting, thought-provoking arguments. David reminds me of Jesus' comment to the effect that whoever is forgiven the more, loves the more. Which says a lot about the characters of both Jehovah and David. Jehovah loves people learning to improve, and David loved Jehovah for teaching him to improve.

    We can only speculate as to all the details that were in Jehovah's mind that allowed the whole thing to be allowed to continue regarding David's sins involving Bathsheba and her husband. Here are some of the questions that I don't think any of us has the answers to, though Jehovah would know. Do we know how long Uriah and Bath-sheba were married before David saw her that fateful day? Do we know how long Uriah and Bath-sheba knew each other or King David? Do we know how long Uriah and Bath-sheba were living there by the King before that day? Do we know how much each of them loved to worship Jehovah before that day?

    But, as you said, we know from the Inspired Word what's relevant to us as imperfect worshippers of Jehovah, to whom the Book was addressed. I agree that David's heart was in the right place for looking to Jehovah for help in worshipping Him correctly. And it's also true that our love for God is proven by our love for our neighbor — including shouldering responsibility for his actions with Bath-sheba, especially since David was in a position of authority with respect to her husband (her head), as well as being her king (relative to Jehovah's headship over David).

    In light of David's experience with Uriah's wife, the Apostle Paul's words at 1 Corinthians 6:16-20 take on added meaning: 16 What! Do YOU not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? For, “The two,” says he, “will be one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee from fornication. Every other sin that a man may commit is outside his body, but he that practices fornication is sinning against his own body. 19 What! Do YOU not know that the body of YOU people is [the] temple of the holy spirit within YOU , which YOU have from God? Also, YOU do not belong to yourselves, 20 for YOU were bought with a price. By all means, glorify God in the body of YOU people.

    Too bad that David's/my favorite Scripture to recite wasn't Genesis 39:9. Then the trouble wouldn't have happened. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I am, and he has not withheld from me anything at all except you, because you are his wife. So how could I commit this great badness and actually sin against God?”

    But David learned from being being by Jehovah, and so can we all.

    It is also interesting how you put that "in effect jehovah could see that david had got himself into one big mess and he didnt know what to do or who to speak to and everything he did after that would seem to compound the wrongdoing..but jah told nathan go speak to david he is my friend save him."

    If Jehovah's direction to Nathan applied to our day, then the elders would tell us what God saw, rather than probe. Perhaps it is because we all have the Bible in fuller measure than did Nathan and David.

    now what if nathan had said yeah that'll be right..im not saving him - if he doesnt grovel, if he doesnt beg, if he doesnt cry like a baby, if he doesnt satisfy my criteria for contrition then i know better than god and i will tell him he is scum and beyond salvation.

    Saving is an interesting term. You apply it to Nathan. But Jesus' own name means "Jah saves". Nathan just means "the given one".

    I like the thoughts found at Isaiah 55:6, 7, 9. 6 Search for Jehovah, YOU people, while he may be found. Call to him while he proves to be near. 7 Let the wicked man leave his way, and the harmful man his thoughts; and let him return to Jehovah, who will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will forgive in a large way. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than YOUR ways, and my thoughts than YOUR thoughts.

    The problem with today's generation: they seem to often only know how to justify their own way. Humility is not often seen. David is a "great guy" when it comes to humility. He was loyal to Jehovah, both in his youth (with the sheep and Goliath) and on the run from Saul and as a devout family man praising Jehovah (which we know from Nathan's, David's, and Solomon's writings).

  • tijkmo
    tijkmo
    Saving is an interesting term. You apply it to Nathan. But Jesus' own name means "Jah saves". Nathan just means "the given one".

    i think you have read more into this than i said...i wasnt saying that salvation belonged to nathan..i was merely saying that jehovah had directed nathan to ensure that david was aware of his situation and wanted him to continue serving him.

    the elders are directed to 'snatch out of the fire' those that are in trouble. this would in effect be a 'saving' action even though the scripture isnt literal but ultimately salvation doesnt come from elders.

    my point was that nathan was a representative of jehovah as elders 'are' today.

    yet if nathan had decided that he didnt agree with jehovah about david then he would surely have incurred jahs wrath.

    elders today have in many cases acted in this way...deciding that an individual isnt worthy of being 'saved/snatched' merely because they have not behaved in a particular way as set out by the wts as producing works that befit repentance.

    i dont know how sorry david was...i know he wasnt as sorry as me.

    and yet the elders took delight in treating me like scum...

    i await with interest to see how jehovah will deal with them.

    in the meantime i dont want anything to do with them, jah or his organization.

    and he knows why.

  • Fred E Hathaway
    Fred E Hathaway

    to tijkmo:

    Words, phrases, sentences, etc. can & do mean different things to different people, whether in the same home or in different cultures from each other. So, I'm glad to get your updated words. It facilitates in the clarifying of the thoughts involved.

    elders today have in many cases acted in this way...deciding that an individual isnt worthy of being 'saved/snatched' merely because they have not behaved in a particular way as set out by the wts as producing works that befit repentance.

    Whether or not elders acted according to their assignment(s) is not for me to judge. Jehovah hasn't given me that role.

    i dont know how sorry david was...i know he wasnt as sorry as me.

    I'm not qualified to say one way or the other. I know that Jehovah's surveillance system works as it should.

    and yet the elders took delight in treating me like scum...

    The Scripture at Matthew 24:13 remains true, as do 1 Peter 4:12-19.

    i await with interest to see how jehovah will deal with them. in the meantime i dont want anything to do with them, jah or his organization. and he knows why.

    It's good to look forward to Jehovah's will being done on earth as it is in Heaven. Whether we want something or not is one thing; whether we get what we want is something else. Jehovah knows what He wants to, when He cares to know it.

    Actually, we're here on this thread to discuss "WHy is King David Always held up as a great guy?", not our own personal cases. If anyone wants to discuss themselves instead, it's better to give someone a PM.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit