Prophetic Jitters
Stories
Contents
“Prophetic Jitters” by David O. Bales
Prophetic Jitters
by David O. Bales
2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a
“Hey! Watch out,” the man had leaped up and almost threw himself in Nathan’s way. Nathan stopped and stood rigidly upright. One more step and he’d have mashed the merchant’s persimmons piled so neatly on the cobblestones. The fellow wasn’t angry, just concerned. For five heartbeats Nathan remained still, realizing that he was in the market place. How did he get here? It was as though he were sleepwalking. He shook his head vigorously and thought how much better it would be if he truly were asleep. Then this all might be a dream, the worst he’d ever had.
Nathan said, “So this is what it means to be Yahweh’s prophet.” He carefully maneuvered his way out of the market, walked right by fresh cucumbers, his favorite, and didn’t even smell them. He was on his way to confront King David; because, word was out about the whole ordeal. As in any royal household, there were no secrets among the servants in David’s palace. A few servants knew these pieces, and some knew other pieces, and then some figured out the whole despicable story: Uriah’s wife taken into the house for David’s pleasure while Uriah was fighting with the army. Then her message to the king that she was pregnant. Next the sordid events as David summoned Uriah from the battlefield and contrived to send him home to have sex with Bathsheba. Finally, word was out that David not only planned Uriah’s death, but had the faithful Uriah carry the message to Joab to arrange it.
Nathan had first dealt with the king when he was consulted whether David should build a temple for Yahweh. His inclination was to agree, yet that night Yahweh’s word changed Nathan’s advice. So Nathan had delivered the message that David wasn’t the one to build the temple. His prophetic oracle wasn’t only negative. He also reported Yahweh’s promise of David’s perpetual dynasty. However, this time Yahweh had placed in Nathan’s heart no good news along with the bad. Now while publicly David was praised for marrying the wife of a distinguished war hero, Nathan knew the truth and his task was to face David with his crimes.
“Why can’t Yahweh’s prophets be like the prophets of Baal, just dancing in ecstasy, agreeing with all the king’s policies? Every king needs dozens of such religious promoters to maintain their grip on the people. And David’s grip is firm. He’s every boy’s idol, every priest’s example to worshipers -- the pious David, darling of the people with his growing collection of psalms. Everyone forgets he was a turncoat, having fought for the Philistines. They conveniently don’t recall how day by day and settlement by village he and his raiders murdered every man, woman, and child, stripping them and taking their clothes and goods back to his Philistine master. Whereas David, not a Philistine, enriched the Philistines, Uriah, not an Israelite, fought for Israel to the death, one of Israel’s thirty great warriors.”
How much easier if he didn’t know about David’s past, so much easier if he were just dragged along with the royal desires. But Nathan’s mind wouldn’t rest on his own tenuous position as Yahweh’s prophet. Not for a moment did he plan to get out of his duty, for every time he thought of another reason why Yahweh’s directive was difficult, he called to mind the righteousness of Yahweh’s decision.
He continued up Zion’s hill toward the royal dwelling. He was completely defenseless in David’s private city. The place belonged to David. He’d won it in battle. Everyone in Jerusalem was his subject and must obey him. Yet here was Nathan ascending the steps toward the royal dwelling with seriously disagreeable news.
He would confront David. Nothing could stop him. Yet he hadn’t considered how to phrase Yahweh’s indictment. All he desperately prayed about was how to begin speaking. If he received an audience with the king and could choke out the first few words that he was sent by Yahweh, he could keep talking. He would get it done though it could mean his death. But how to start? With each step farther up the hill he rehearsed another approach, “Your excellency, King of all of Israel and Judah, Savior of your people, Judge among the nations.” Too grand. “King David, a word with you, if you please.” Too chummy. He was now at the king’s gate. He requested audience and, as the prophet who promised David’s dynasty eternal reign, the guards knew he was to be hustled right in to the king.
The doors swung open to the king’s reception room. David stood to greet him, a rare honor. Nathan stepped forward, his mind a muddle, no idea how he’d phrase Yahweh’s charge against the king, only wondering how to start. The only solid thought was his determination to do Yahweh’s will. Without knowledge of what he’d say after a first word, he began, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor….”
Preaching Point: What it’s like to be inspired and compelled to speak God’s truth to power.
*****************************************
StoryShare, August 5, 2018, issue.
Copyright 2018 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“Prophetic Jitters” by David O. Bales
Prophetic Jitters
by David O. Bales
2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a
“Hey! Watch out,” the man had leaped up and almost threw himself in Nathan’s way. Nathan stopped and stood rigidly upright. One more step and he’d have mashed the merchant’s persimmons piled so neatly on the cobblestones. The fellow wasn’t angry, just concerned. For five heartbeats Nathan remained still, realizing that he was in the market place. How did he get here? It was as though he were sleepwalking. He shook his head vigorously and thought how much better it would be if he truly were asleep. Then this all might be a dream, the worst he’d ever had.
Nathan said, “So this is what it means to be Yahweh’s prophet.” He carefully maneuvered his way out of the market, walked right by fresh cucumbers, his favorite, and didn’t even smell them. He was on his way to confront King David; because, word was out about the whole ordeal. As in any royal household, there were no secrets among the servants in David’s palace. A few servants knew these pieces, and some knew other pieces, and then some figured out the whole despicable story: Uriah’s wife taken into the house for David’s pleasure while Uriah was fighting with the army. Then her message to the king that she was pregnant. Next the sordid events as David summoned Uriah from the battlefield and contrived to send him home to have sex with Bathsheba. Finally, word was out that David not only planned Uriah’s death, but had the faithful Uriah carry the message to Joab to arrange it.
Nathan had first dealt with the king when he was consulted whether David should build a temple for Yahweh. His inclination was to agree, yet that night Yahweh’s word changed Nathan’s advice. So Nathan had delivered the message that David wasn’t the one to build the temple. His prophetic oracle wasn’t only negative. He also reported Yahweh’s promise of David’s perpetual dynasty. However, this time Yahweh had placed in Nathan’s heart no good news along with the bad. Now while publicly David was praised for marrying the wife of a distinguished war hero, Nathan knew the truth and his task was to face David with his crimes.
“Why can’t Yahweh’s prophets be like the prophets of Baal, just dancing in ecstasy, agreeing with all the king’s policies? Every king needs dozens of such religious promoters to maintain their grip on the people. And David’s grip is firm. He’s every boy’s idol, every priest’s example to worshipers -- the pious David, darling of the people with his growing collection of psalms. Everyone forgets he was a turncoat, having fought for the Philistines. They conveniently don’t recall how day by day and settlement by village he and his raiders murdered every man, woman, and child, stripping them and taking their clothes and goods back to his Philistine master. Whereas David, not a Philistine, enriched the Philistines, Uriah, not an Israelite, fought for Israel to the death, one of Israel’s thirty great warriors.”
How much easier if he didn’t know about David’s past, so much easier if he were just dragged along with the royal desires. But Nathan’s mind wouldn’t rest on his own tenuous position as Yahweh’s prophet. Not for a moment did he plan to get out of his duty, for every time he thought of another reason why Yahweh’s directive was difficult, he called to mind the righteousness of Yahweh’s decision.
He continued up Zion’s hill toward the royal dwelling. He was completely defenseless in David’s private city. The place belonged to David. He’d won it in battle. Everyone in Jerusalem was his subject and must obey him. Yet here was Nathan ascending the steps toward the royal dwelling with seriously disagreeable news.
He would confront David. Nothing could stop him. Yet he hadn’t considered how to phrase Yahweh’s indictment. All he desperately prayed about was how to begin speaking. If he received an audience with the king and could choke out the first few words that he was sent by Yahweh, he could keep talking. He would get it done though it could mean his death. But how to start? With each step farther up the hill he rehearsed another approach, “Your excellency, King of all of Israel and Judah, Savior of your people, Judge among the nations.” Too grand. “King David, a word with you, if you please.” Too chummy. He was now at the king’s gate. He requested audience and, as the prophet who promised David’s dynasty eternal reign, the guards knew he was to be hustled right in to the king.
The doors swung open to the king’s reception room. David stood to greet him, a rare honor. Nathan stepped forward, his mind a muddle, no idea how he’d phrase Yahweh’s charge against the king, only wondering how to start. The only solid thought was his determination to do Yahweh’s will. Without knowledge of what he’d say after a first word, he began, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor….”
Preaching Point: What it’s like to be inspired and compelled to speak God’s truth to power.
*****************************************
StoryShare, August 5, 2018, issue.
Copyright 2018 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
