“The Old Testament Parable of The Ewe Lamb: 2 Samuel 12:5”

Parables are earthly stories which convey heavenly meaning. These stories relate to actual events or those which could reasonably happen. We often associate parables with Christ’s teaching but there are parables in the Old Testament. The parable of The Ewe Lamb in 2 Samuel 12 can teach us many lessons.

Lesson # 1: It Just Takes 1 Sin: The Bible is full of accounts in which one sin leads to disaster, for example, Ananias/Sapphira in Acts 5 or Nadab/Abihu in Leviticus 10. The parable speaks of a rich man who had large flocks and a poor man who had one ewe lamb (favorite, loved as his children). The rich man exercised selfish/cruel intentions to harm his fellow man. From one lust (acted upon), circumstances began to fall which separated David from God. Just like David, the rich man robbed the poor man of a loved one. Our times of idleness can be a source of temptation; temptation is ALWAYS strongest when we are alone. Temptation begins by questioning God’s word, denying it, then substituting our will in place of God’s, just like Adam and Eve in Genesis 3.

Lesson #2: Temptation approaches all men, but we make it sin: Before 2 Samuel chapter 8, David is primarily depicted as a man of humility, fairness, courage, and righteousness. Chapter 11 depicts him in a different light: greedy, lustful, merciless, unrighteous. Sin starts with an opportunity (man’s choice) James 1:14-15. Man often chooses to follow his will not God’s. David took the law into his own hands and applied only the part of the law he wanted; how often does it still occur today? In his anger, David invoked the name of the Lord to sentence the man in the parable to death. BUT according to God’s Law this was not a death penalty offense. David knew the Law (Psalm 19). However, in his own life, David chose to overlook God’s Laws; David broke 6 of the 10 commandments. To despise God’s commandments means to despise God.

Lesson #3: It is Easier to See the Sin in Others than in Ourselves: The parable speaks of a rich man who was greedy and insensitive and was willing to kill the lamb of a stranger but not without consideration for another. David’s sin was far worse than the sin of the rich man in the parable, BUT he was unwilling to see his faults. Adultery was a death sentence, Leviticus 20:10. Murder was a death sentence, Number 35:16. It seems easier to find answers to the lives of others than to take care of our own business. We also try to excuse our sins because they are not as “grievous” as the sins of others. Even with all that David did, God still loved David. Even though he confessed and repented, the consequences of sin were not removed.