Dying Young (2 Samuel 12)

2 Samuel 12:15-24

¹⁵After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. ¹⁶David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. ¹⁷The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

¹⁸On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."

¹⁹David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."

²⁰Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

²¹His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"

²²He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' ²³But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

²⁴Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;

 

 

Do children who die in infancy go to heaven?

Genesis 18.25

Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

 

Romans 1.19-20

¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

 

 

Jonah 4.5-11

⁵Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. ⁶Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. ⁷But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. ⁸When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."

⁹But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?" "I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."

¹⁰But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. ¹¹But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

 

Luke 18.16

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

 

Job 1.21

and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

 

Now, let every mother and father here present know assuredly that it is well with the child, if God hath taken it away from you in its infant days. You never heard its declaration of faith - it was not capable of such a thing; it was not baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ, not buried with him in baptism; it was not capable of giving that “answer of a good conscience towards God,” nevertheless, you may rest assured that it is well with the child, well in a higher and a better sense than it is well with yourselves; well without limitation, well without exception, well infinitely, “well” eternally.

       // Charles Spurgeon

If death in infancy does depend on God's providence, it is assuredly God in His providence who selects this vast multitude to be made participants of His unconditional salvation . . . This is but to say that they are unconditionally predestinated to salvation from the foundation of the world.
       // B.B. Warfield

 

Heaven

 

A proper Christian understanding of heaven is not as a place remote from the present world but rather as a dimension normally kept secret of present reality… Heaven is God’s dimension of present reality.
       // N.T. Wright, Scholar

Revelation 1:10, 12

¹⁰On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

¹²I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,

 

2 Kings 6.17

And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

 

 

Heaven in the invisible world of reality so far inhabited by God, the departed saints and two categories of angel—those loyal to him and those in rebellion against him.
       // David Lawrence, Theologian

 

 

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

 

Acts 1:11

"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

 

 

Going to Heaven when we Die

 

 

2 Corinthians 5.8

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

 

 

Luke 23.43

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

 

 

“New Heaven & New Earth”

 

 

Philippians 3:20-21

²⁰But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

 

Revelation 21:1-4

¹Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ²I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

 

 

The presence of spiritual wickedness is in the heavenly places which his why the Bible says that not only will the earth be cleansed and renewed, but the heavens will also be judged and purified.
       // David Lawrence

Matthew 19.28

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

Romans 8:20-23

²⁰For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

 

1 Corinthians 15:42-43; 51-43

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; ⁴³it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

 

 

The resurrection body is not an abstract, spiritual existence having nothing to do with the earth, but something that has a place and a manifold function in the earth.
       // G.C. Berkouwer

Questions About Heaven:

 

·  Will we know everything in heaven?

·   Will we be equal in heaven?

·   Do those in heaven see us now?

·   Will we be bored in heaven?

Community Group Questions

 

Discuss classical understandings of heaven vs. a Biblical one

 

Why is a proper understanding of heaven important?

 

Discuss the idea that not everyone’s experience of heaven will be the same – use 2 Cor. 5.10 and Luke 19.11-27 in your discussion. 

 

How does a view of the restoration of creation rather than the abolition of it change the way we view the world, physicality and stewardship of the earth?

 

Read Revelation 21-22 and discuss what is different about this view of heaven than the classical non-physical view.

 

Discuss how Jesus views heaven and earth: use the Beatitudes, and the Lord’s Prayer in your discussion.

 

Reborn (2 Samuel 12)

2 Samuel 12

And the Lord sent x Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, y “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, [1] and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, z “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb a fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, b ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 c Why have you despised the word of the Lord, d to do what is evil in his sight? e You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and f have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, g but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 h David said to Nathan, i “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, j “TheLord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 

Parables are stories used to explain or convince. They are stories with intent. Parables are the means Jesus used most frequently to explain the kingdom and to show the character of God and the expectations that God has for humans.

 // Klyne R. Snodgrass, Scholar

 

Perhaps the most common overemphasis is the confessional reduction of the gospel to Jesus’ death, forgiveness of sin, and imputed righteousness leading to eternal life in heaven…it neglects Jesus’ exemplary life, resurrection and imparted life of regeneration. Tragically many Christians have lost the understanding of the new life of the Spirit. Rather than living out a joy-filled life flowing from their deepest desire to be like Jesus, they settle for being sinners saved by grace obligated to do all they can to keep the law of God by duty rather than delight.

 // Mark Driscoll, Pastor

 Many people today understand justification as the only essential result of the gospel, and the gospel they preach is that your sins can be forgiven. That’s it! In contrast, I make bold to say, the gospel of the entire New Testament is that you can have new life now in the Kingdom of God if you will trust Jesus Christ…If you preach a gospel that has only to do with the forgiveness of sins you will be as we are today stuck in a position where you have faith over here and abundance over there, and no way to get from here to there because the necessary bridge is discipleship.

// Dallas Willard, Theologial

The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.

// CS Lewis, Philosopher

Romans 8.14

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Colossians 1.13

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Matthew 5.48

48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Jn. 3.9: 

No one who is born of God practices (habitual) sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

 1 Jn. 3.6:

 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.

 1 Jn. 5.18: 

We know that no one who is born of God sins;

Rom. 6.6: 

We should no longer be slaves to sin…

“Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus…present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead” (Rom. 6.11-13).

 

“We serve in the newness of the Spirit” (Rom 7.6)

 

“Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God who raised Him from the dead…He made you alive” (Col. 2.12-13)

 

“If you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above” (Col. 3.1)

 

“Anyone in Christ is a new creation!” (2 Cor. 5.17) 

Life as a House (2 Samuel 7)

2 Samuel 7.1-14: 

s Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord t had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to u Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell v in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwellsw in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, x “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: y Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house z since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about a in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where b I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with c any of the judges [1] of Israel, whom I commandedd to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, e I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 f And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel g and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place h and be disturbed no more.i And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 j from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And k I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that l the Lord will make you a house. 12 m When your days are fulfilled and n you lie down with your fathers, o I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 p He shall build a house for my name, and q I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 r I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.

This is one of the most important chapters in the Bible.

            // Bill Arnold, OT Scholar

Mark 3.31-35

31 q And his mother and his r brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers [2] are outside, seeking you.”33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 Ands looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 t For whoever u does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

As the prophets had foretold many would come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. Once Jesus had symbolically redefined Israel in terms simply of loyalty to himself this move was in principle open.

            // N.T. Wright, Theologian

If someone asked my to summarize the effect the gospel in three words: adoption through propitiation.

            // J.I. Packer, Theologian

Mark 9.1-6 (NIV)

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not l taste death m until they see the kingdom of God after it has come n with power.” 2 o And after six days Jesus took with him p Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was q transfigured before them, 3 and r his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one [1] on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, s “Rabbi, [2] it is good that we are here. Let us make three t tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For u he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 

Psalm 72.17

May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun!
s May people be blessed in him,
t all nations call him blessed!

 Matthew 28.16-20

16 Now the eleven disciples f went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they g worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, h “All authority i in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 j Go therefore and k make disciples of l all nations, j baptizing them m in [1] n the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them o to observe all that p I have commanded you. And behold, q I am with you always, to r the end of the age.”