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"GETTING AWAY" WITH MURDER And adultery, I might add. If anyone doubted that David was a man after God’s own heart, all doubt should have been removed when God allowed the man to live and rule as king even after committing adultery with a man’s wife and then having the man killed in an effort to cover the sin. Not long after the sinful evening with Bathsheba, David was informed by the woman that she was with child. He then sent her soldier husband into the most dangerous spot on the battlefield for the purpose of having him killed in action. The man was killed, thus making David guilty of premeditated murder. (II Sam. 11) When confronted by Nathan the prophet about the matter, David’s response was, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (II Sam. 12:13) Okay, the next thing that’s supposed to happen is the death of David (Lev. 20:10; Exo. 21:12; Num. 35:31), but that’s not what happens. Upon hearing David’s confession, God’s prophet informs him that “The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” (II Sam. 12:13) WHAT? According to the holy law of God, the man is worthy of death on two counts! Yet, he gets to go right on living and ruling as king! For contrast, Uzzuh was dropped dead in his tracks for trying to stabilize the ark of the covenant while David was having it moved (II Sam. 6:6-7). How do you explain that? One man broke the law with good intentions, and God killed him. Another man broke the law twice with evil and selfish intentions, yet God put away his sin and let him live and reign. Why don’t we read about the sure mercies of Uzzah in Acts 13:34 instead of the sure mercies of David? Seems a little foolish, does it not? Good, that’s one of the reasons that God continued to use David. It just seemed like an odd thing to do, and God delights in doing odd things. He knew that this would annoy a bunch of conceited and self-righteous religious folks. He also knew that Satan expected this to disqualify David, so upsetting the devil was also on the agenda. From a more practical standpoint, the Davidic covenant emphasized God’s mercy (Isa. 55:3), and it wouldn’t make much sense to speak of the sure mercies of David and the mercy of God on David’s children (Psa. 89:28-33), if God had not been merciful to David. One day the Jews would kill God’s Son, yet find forgiveness afterwards (Jer. 31:34; Luke 23:34), so there had to be an Old Testament Jewish representative that received a super helping of God’s mercy. David was that man, and the mercy of God bestowed upon him is a type of the mercy later received by Israel, a nation that just happens to be guilty of adultery (Jer. 3:8-9; Ezk. 16:32-33) and murder (Acts 5:30; Rev. 1:7)—just like David. After all, the name "David" means “beloved,” and Paul writes in Romans 9:25, “. . . I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.” Moral: if it doesn’t make sense, there’s a great truth in it.