Features
The quandary of Prophet Nathan
Recently I have been compelled to reflect on the issue of Prophet Nathan and the assignment given to him by God to rebuke and declare God’s intention towards David, for taking someone’s wife and murdering him.
There are times in a man’s life that you need to either choose to obey God or behave like Jonah who disobeyed God. Depending on the consequences of obeying the instructions of God, in terms of either what you stand to lose, or the wrath you may incur from certain personalities, you may choose not to do the right thing.
Deciding to do the right thing, which means obeying God, who is the embodiment of all that is right, can be very tricky at times, due to the impact it may have on relations between yourself and others, or on your loved ones.
In some instances, you take into consideration the danger you may be exposed to and you are tempted to say to yourself, “Am I the only person who has been called to do the right thing”?
Nathan was a Prophet of God as recorded in the Bible, in the time of King David, according to 2 Samuel chapter 12. The story has it that, in the days when Kings went to war to acquire territories, King David decided to relax in his palace. As he was walking around the palace at the roof top, he saw a beautiful woman having her bath.
I am tempted to believe that she was a young lady so the protrusions in her chest area, indeed was a sight to behold; the men would understand what I am saying. The King, instead of taking his eyes off quickly, rather gazed at her naked body and was therefore mesmerised by what he saw and succumbed to lust.
He sent for her and committed adultery and when he was informed a few weeks later by the lady that she was pregnant, hatched an evil plan and got the husband killed. God being a just God by nature, was very angry and therefore sent Prophet Nathan to declare to David that what he had planned to do to David, as punishment for his evil deeds.
The dilemma for Nathan, the prophet of God was how to deliver such an unpleasant message to King of all Israel, who had the power to kill and to keep alive because such was the authority of Kings at the time. If he chose to obey God, there could be serious consequences not only for him but could even extend to his family.
On the other hand, if he decided to do a Jonah, he faces another potential consequences so what was he to do? Someone I know told me about a dilemma she faced when she accidentally discovered that her friend’s husband, had a separate secret family. She was shocked when she saw the secret wife and her two children with the man.
Was she to tell the friend of what she had discovered as a good friend should do and is also the right thing to do or keep quiet and condone the wrong thing fearing the consequences of divorce and associated issues that she had destroyed her friend’s marriage?
Most people are confronted with such situations which I term the quandary of Nathan in various aspects of our lives, whether at the workplace, churches, clubs, schools, etc. Instead of gathering the courage to do the right thing, we tend to fear what the society might perceive us to be or the possible backlash, instead of doing that which is right and pleases God.
Let us choose to be like Prophet Nathan who chose to do the right thing and please God so we receive blessings from God and also avoid living with a guilty conscience. It is dangerous to live with a guilty conscience. God bless.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
By Laud Kissi-Mensah