Lesson 17: Trusting God’s Path for Our Lives

“Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to [King David], and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead?” 2 Samuel 12:18

God’s Word has comforted millions of Bible believers for thousands of years. However, it is a mistake to think that a fitting Bible passage can completely absorb the pain of losing a loved one in death. Even Jesus, though He lived all the promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:20) and knew in advance that He would raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:11), wept with sorrow at the grave of His friend (John 11:35-36). The loss of a child is especially painful because we invest our most selfless love and brightest hope for their future. Even those who usually show calm, quiet strength in stressful situations can be twisted into grief-stricken outbursts or depressed withdrawal over the loss of their children.

This may have seemed the case with David, Israel’s most famous king. His servants were surprised by his actions during his child’s illness. So deep was his grief that members of his court worried about the impact of telling him the truth about his child.

Through the prophet Nathan, God had predicted the first child of David and Bathsheba would die. David prayed, fasted and slept on the ground instead of in his kingly bed for seven days until the child’s death. David showed such a mournful attitude that his servants wondered if he would survive this blow. Why did David do this? He knew from experience that God is “good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon Him” (Psalm 86:5). He hoped God would mercifully save the child’s life. While there was something he could do, he did it by humbly appealing to God instead of hopelessly pitying himself (2 Samuel 12:22).


David knew the death of the child was his punishment. Nathan had pronounced this as one of the many judgments on his household. David’s sin was great; he had abused his power to betray Uriah, a faithful friend. He had committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. He had commanded Joab to allow Uriah to be killed to cover up the evidence of his sin. However, when confronted with his sin, David admitted, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). David’s grief and repentance flowed out of his personal acknowledgment of guilt; he did not withdraw from the Lord. Instead, he trusted in God’s goodness and mercy, hoping, until the very end, for a reversal of the judgment.

While the most hope-filled promises cannot erase a loss like this one, we can be comforted by them. Romans 8:28 - “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” becomes our Godly hope in the destruction of death just as He was that for David. God brought Jesus to earth through his union with Bathsheba: Jesus’ legal right to Israel’s throne was established because of Mary’s husband Joseph (Matthew 1:6) and Mary’s descent from a later son of David and Bathsheba, Nathan (1 Chronicles 3:5, Luke 3:31). In His great mercy, God worked this miserable experience out to be the way of salvation for David and everyone who has trusted in Christ for redemption! He can work your affliction out for good as well!

Memorize: Romans 8:28