The Prophet's Reproof

There is one thing about the Bible distinctly different from every other book--its honesty. Although David was king and his own family succeeded him for generations, nothing prevented the full details of his misdeeds in respect to Uriah and his wife. The wrong is as fully exposed as though the King had been a menial of the lowest class.

The Prophet of the Lord was sent directly to the King by Divine command. He made a parable showing the injustice, and asked what would be the just decision. King David was angry, and asked the name of the unjust man that he might be punished. God's Prophet fearlessly declared, "Thou art the man!" Humbly, the King confessed his sin to the Lord. He had already seen his horrible mistake, but its portrayal intensified the wrong. He wept and prayed before the Lord in sackcloth and ashes for forgiveness.

In this respect David was a man after God's own heart. Every time he was overtaken in a fault and snared by his own weakness, he confessed, reformed and sought forgiveness.

God accepted King David's penitence and restored him to His favor; but this did not prevent his suffering punishment for his wrong course. "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth."-- Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:11,12; Hebrews 12:5,6.

The honesty of the Bible is exemplified in both the Old Testament and the New. We are told of Abraham's mistakes-- "the friend of God." We are also told the faults of the Apostles. The noble St. Peter was so overcome with fear that he denied his Master three times with oaths. We are told of St. Peter's dissembling before Jews and Gentiles. We are told that St. Paul, the Apostle that took the place of Judas, was once the cruel Saul of Tarsus, who authorized the stoning of St. Stephen, and was very injurious to the early Church. Of St. Peter and St. John we read: "They were ignorant and unlearned men." No other book in the world manifests so great honesty or deserves the same confidence as the Bible.