God the Father Gave Us His Best Willingly

3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

 

4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him." (2 Samuel 12: 3-4)

 

When Nathan the prophet told this story to King David, the LORD was using the parable as a means of confronting David's self-righteousness and exposing that he had committed a great sin.

 

Yet every parable, every account in the Old Testament grants to the Holy Spirit an opportunity to glorify the Lord Jesus.

 

The poor man is a picture, in a sense, of God the Father, and the little ewe lamb is a picture of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 27).

 

God the Father loved the Son, cherishing Him at his own table:

 

"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3: 17)

 

and

 

"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (John 1: 18)

 

and

 

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." (Psalm 23: 5)

 

Now, in Nathan's parabale, a cruel rich man takes the ewe lamb from the poor man just to offer him a meal. Yet with God the Father, He gave His Son willingly, that we may become sons of God in Christ:

 

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1: 12)

 

God our Father is the Kind, Good Father, and He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1: 3)

 

Indeed, let us contemplate how  much God our Father loves us, that He gave us His best, His darling Beloved (Ephesians 1: 6) too a world which was steeped in its sin (Romans 5: 8) that we may be called His sons and daughters (1 John 3: 1) and sit at His table forever!