How is that? David who committed adultery and arranged the assassination of her husband to cover it up? Isn’t this on the order of Trump and the Epstein scandal?
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:8-9)
And the cleansing process absolutely includes suffering.
“because thou hast despised me…I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house.” (II Samuel 12:10-11)
1) First the inevitable blowback from the relationships we damaged with our self-centered behaviors.
2) Then the chastising of a loving Father bringing us to repentance,
3) And possibly most of all – the agony of our self-awareness of the harm we’ve caused once we’re in a righteous state of mind.
David lost prized sons because they modeled their own self-serving behaviors after their father’s, Amnon was assassinated by his younger half-brother Absalom for raping then discarding Absalom’s sister Tamar. Adonijah was executed by Solomon for failing to live up to the terms of his probation when he plotted a coup. Absalom was executed by David’s top general Joab for inciting civil war to usurp David’s throne, and yet David screamed, ” O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (II Samuel 18:33)
Can we not understand that as Jesus, son / likeness of David and son / likeness of God, writhed in agony under the whip and on the cross, that the Creator of every law of the universe also writhed in agony “O my son, my son!” wishing he could have changed that awful experience?
“the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David…was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth…And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died.” (II Samuel 12:15-18)
David spent the rest of his reign in gut-wrenching suicidal grief over the loss of relationships and lives of four cherished sons.
And watches as each son upholds the most basic law of reality – transfer of life energy – and transforms into the image and likeness of his Father.
“in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:7-8)
Wait – is that Jesus or David?
Both, as they submit to death in accepting God’s righteous judgment and regeneration to eternal life.
Unfortunately, most people refuse to even consider taking personal responsibility for their sins of action and attitude.
You may have heard the term “shadow self” before. The idea therein is that good and evil reside in us all was introduced into our vernacular by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung who described it as our immoral impulses, desires, and personal qualities that that we refuse to acknowledge.
We need a Seed of the Woman, someone human like us, to redeem us from our sin nature.
“They sung a new song, saying, Thou…wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10)
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren / family,” (Hebrews 2:10-11)
Kingdom Come 