In 2 Samuel 15, the consequences of David’s sin are being revealed in the rebellion of his son, Absalom. Through his own sin, David helped create the moment and opportunity of Absalom’s rebellion. Upon hearing of this rebellion, David flees Jerusalem but shows his trust in the Lord in the face of his consequences. God remains active in sanctifying and correcting David through the consequences of his sin and is faithful in shaping David’s heart towards his Creator.

Scripture References

2 Samuel 15
2 Samuel 12:10
Galatians 6: 7-8
Romans 8:1,3b
Hebrews 12:5-11

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1. The law of the harvest in Galatians 6 has two sides. For what we plant into our heart and life we will reap the same but greater, larger, and more mature whether it be good or bad.. What are you planting in your life right now? What will you reap from that? How have you reaped the consequences of what you planted in the past?
2. There is a natural temptation to be more frustrated or burdened about your sin consequences than the actual sin itself. We try to manage the consequences or avoid them instead of grieving our sin. How have you seen this in your life? What is a current situation in which you have been more focused on the consequences of your sin rather than your sin?
3. In Hebrews 12, we see that God disciplines those He loves. We shouldn’t quit or get frustrated or exasperated when God corrects or disciplines us. God is intricately involved in the lives of believers and His discipline flows out of love for us. How has God disciplined you for sin in the past? How have you responded to that correction? Where do you see God correcting or disciplining you today?
4. We cannot hold other people accountable for not handling or responding to our sin well. It is not our responsibility to make sure they have all the facts right or are entirely correct when speaking to us about what has happened. We are ultimately responsible for the sin we committed. Have you caught yourself doing this recently? Why do you think we tend to try and make sure they have it all right before we listen? How should we respond instead?

Thoughts to Consider

– We will see that there are consequences to David’s sin, but the consequences do not negate the covenant. When we belong to Christ, we have confidence that God’s promises are bigger than our obedience. There are consequences to our sin, but they don’t negate the promise He makes to us in Jesus.
– The consequences of sin are both a curse and a blessing. Consequences mean God has paid enough attention to us to bring this discipline into our lives. Instead of being frustrated with the consequences, we can let them serve as a constant reminder to never go down that road again.
– David recognizes that his sin could have caused God to change the direction of his life, and he is okay with God’s new future for him — whatever that may be. The consequences of our own sin may take our life in a different direction.
– When we face consequences to our sin, we must submit to them, remember why we do not want to go down that road again, and worship the God who cares enough to see and know us.
– Because of our identity and unique relationship with God, we should imitate Him. Imitating is a way to identify and measure ourselves by.