Gold Nugget 663 - A Father's Heart

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      On hearing of the death of his son, David retired into secrecy and poured out his soul in perhaps the most touching language to be found in the Bible.  The strength and depth of feeling expressed were evidently in proportion to the interest which all along he had cherished in this abandoned child.  Some writers have reproached David for yielding to what is termed “weakness” for a son whose just punishment ought to have been accepted with a calm acquiescence.  But the criticism on his conduct is not really justified when all the facts are considered.

      He was a man constitutionally of strong, generous feelings – kindly and tender in his bearing towards others.  A father cannot forget that he is a father; and the more holy and generous his nature, the more powerfully will the fatherly feeling assert itself. …

      Nowhere does Scripture require men to suppress natural sentiments, or, in other words, require us to cease to be true human beings when we are brought face to face with the appalling judgments of God.  Moreover, it is given to all parents to cherish hope of the most prodigal of sons while life continues … There is no complaint against the wisdom and justice of God, no trace of a spirit of discontent with the administration of Divine love; it was pure sorrow for a ruined life. …        The love of a father’s heart is not eradicated by a son’s ingratitude. …

      Had not David been a very devout man, he would not have felt such deep sorrow over the death of Absalom.  Religion makes a father a true father; it renders love of offspring a more sacred thing.  This follows from the more general truth that religion restores man to his normal state.  Such affection has no relation to the sin of the child, except, perhaps, that the sin observed tends to render the affection more yearning and pitiful. …

      To die is the common lot, and natural affection, though strong and pure, does not face death without consolations.  But when death means passage into eternity of a soul laden with guilt, and that soul once the object of delight and occasion of fondest hopes, then the most terrible of woes comes on a pious parent’s heart. …

      David could not but think of the effect on his son’s views of life and tendencies of heart produced by his own great sin, the months of alienation from God which ensued.  How far parents are answerable for the character and destiny of their children is a grave question, but unquestionably a bad example in their early years cannot but tell perniciously on their future, and woe cannot but come on the father in darkest form when he connects his own misconduct with the hopeless death of his offspring.  What manner of persons ought parents be?  Who knows what a turn a single lapse into sin may give to a youth’s destiny?

 

The Pulpit Commentary, II Samuel p. 449-450, II Samuel 18:19-33, (C. Chapmen)

 

Gold Nugget 663

A Father’s Heart

 

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