OPENING TEXTURAL READING
“To every thing there is a SEASON, and a TIME, to every PURPOSE under the heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
INTRODUCTION
There are portions of God’s Word that, although I have read them many times, and have studied them patiently, I find them difficult to wrap my mind around. I accept them because they are the inspired WORD OF GOD. I do not have to understand all of the Holy Scriptures, but for me it is required that I accept them as the Word of God and to build my faith in God, both for now and the future on them.
The sayings of Solomon could hardly be construed as anything other than having come out of his personal experience. He is saying here that THINGS HAPPEN. We can count on them happening. He has contrasted virtually every facet of life, and we should not attempt to challenge him. We have all been there. To everything there is a SEASON…A TIME…AND A PURPOSE. Please don’t tell me that you understand this, or can wrap your mind around it, especially the “purpose” part of it. Everything is but for a season and a time. We may be able to at least partially understand this, but THE PURPOSE is more difficult to grasp. Only by faith is anyone able to do so.
He…the preacher…sums his twelve chapters of ramblings – in Chapter 12 – by saying, “Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was: and the spirit shall return to God, who gave it” (12:7). He then gives the best advice that could possibly be given after considering all that he has said: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (12:13, 14)
NOW, TO ANSWER MY QUESTION, “WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE BABY DIES?”
THE BIBLICAL SETTING IS FOUND IN 2 SAMUEL, CHAPTER 12
The chapter tells the story of David’s horrible mistakes with Bathsheba, having had her husband killed in battle so that he could take Bathsheba to wife. Out of that mess, a son is born, and God speaks to the prophet, Nathan, who confronts David with what he had done and how God planned to handle the matter. When confronted, David was immediately repentant.
“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
Howbeit, because by this deed thou has given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:13, 14)
The emphasis for this message is not going to be placed upon the terrible sin that David committed…a series of sins, actually…but upon how David responded.
“David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth.
And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
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?
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,” (2 Samuel 12:16-19)
David’s reaction is swift and decisive. Notice:
1. He immediately besought God for the child…showing that he, for his own reasons, very much wanted this child in his life. He truly loved the child and wanted the best for the child.
2. He fasted and lay all night upon the earth – not your normal behavior
for someone who had everything and the finest of things.
3. He could not be persuaded by his elders to stop fasting and get up
off of the ground.
4. He would not eat bread with them.
All of this clearly shows how traumatized David was by all of this. It shows the ultimate in grieving.
NATHAN HAD ALREADY TOLD DAVID THAT THE CHILD WOULD NOT LIVE, YET DAVID DID WHAT ANY OF US WOULD DO…HE WENT TO GOD TO SEE IF GOD WOULD CHANGE HIS MIND AND STAY THE DEATH SENTENCE FOR THE CHILD. AFTER ALL, THE CHILD WAS NOT THE ONE WHO HAD SINNED. DESPERATE SITUATIONS DEMAND DESPERATE ACTIONS…DESPERATE FAITH! As we are about to see…his praying was to no avail. Was it wrong for David to pray? Absolutely not! God is a God of mercy. David knew this. He felt that God just might have a change of heart and let him keep the child. He did the right thing by praying, but God chose to stay with His decision and THE CHILD DIED. Now…
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE BABY DIES?
What do you do when anyone close to you dies? I honestly believe that David’s response is the right response for those of us who have, are, or will have to face the loss of a loved one. And, it doesn’t have to be because of some horrible sin, or the judgment of God. THINGS HAPPEN! PEOPLE DIE! “It is appointed unto men once to die” (Hebrews 9:27). Everyone will eventually die either a physical death or go through the change that must take place at the time of the resurrection of the dead. We WILL die! How should we handle it? A look at how David handled it should be very helpful.
“Then David AROSE from the earth, and WASHED, and ANOINTED himself, and CHANGED HIS APPAREL, and CAME INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, and WORSHIPED: then HE CAME TO HIS OWN HOUSE; and when he required, they set bread before him, AND HE DID EAT.” (2 Samuel 12:20)
To many people, this seems almost unconscionable, not the proper course of action to take on the heels (only seven days) after the loss of someone as close as an infant son. The servants of his house did not understand David’s actions. Notice:
“Then said his servants unto him, What thing is that that thou has 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.” (2 Samuel 12:21)
Clearly his servants did not understand David’s actions. He was violating all of the grieving and mourning traditions of their culture. The custom was to grieve, to weep, to even hire mourners to make loud wailings for the dead for an extended period of time. David clearly violated tradition. His response, I believe, speaks for all who understand the sovereignty of God’s actions and the hope of the future for those who are left behind, probably not to grieve and weep without end. Notice:
“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?
But now that 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.”
(2 Samuel 12:22, 23)
For myself having lost my wife of 58 years, 7 months and 7 days on May 31st, these words hold unbelievable meaning, and the advice that I am asking God to help me follow. Oh, that I might have the same confidence in God and the natural fortitude to do as David did. THE WILL OF GOD HAD BEEN DONE, AND AS PAINFUL AS IT WAS, DAVID ACCEPTED IT AND MOVED ON WITH HIS LIFE.
“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.” (2 Samuel 12:24)
CONCLUSION
Indeed, God had put away David’s sin (v. 13). David accepted the sovereign will of God and responded in what I believe was the right way. God had chosen NOT to answer David’s prayer. David, being the man after God’s own heart that the writer of the Book of Acts wrote about, did all the right things, including going (first) to the house of the Lord to worship God. HE GOT UP! HE CLEANED UP! HE SPRUCED UP! HE WENT TO DINNER! And, God allowed him and Bathsheba to have another chance at bearing a son. His name would be Solomon, the son that would rule in his father’s stead when David’s life came to an end. In this action we see the gracious God to whom David prayed allowing David’s legacy to continue. GOD IS GRACIOUS and HE IS A GOD OF MERCY!
So what do you do when the baby dies…when someone close to you dies…DO WHAT DAVID DID. His actions are a wonderful pattern for us all to follow.
Another Sermon by
Dr. Jerry A. Jones
Post Office Box 6986
Burbank, California 91510-6986
e-mail: his2u@charter.net