Nathan’s Parable of the Lamb

The Poor Man's Lamb: Source:https://imgflip.com/i/5m5k1l

Introduction

In our last study, we considered the parable of the trees in Judges 9, where Jotham warned Israel about the dangers of ungodly leadership through a simple story. That parable spoke to a nation about the consequences of choosing the wrong kind of king. This week we move from the national stage to the personal. Nathan’s parable of the poor man’s lamb was not aimed at crowds but at one man—King David* (1085-1015 BC). Where Jotham warned of bad rulers, Nathan confronted a ruler gone astray. Both parables show us the power of story to reveal truth and expose the heart.

An asterisk* after a name means the person is in SPIRITUAL LIVES.

The Parable

Nathan told of two men in one city. One was rich, with many flocks and herds. The other was poor, with nothing but one little ewe lamb that he had raised like a daughter. She ate from his table, drank from his cup, and lay in his arms. She was his treasure.

But when a traveler came to the rich man, instead of taking from his own abundance, the rich man seized the poor man’s lamb, killed it, and prepared it for the traveler’s meal.

David burned with anger at this injustice. “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!” he declared. And then came Nathan’s thunderbolt: “You are the man!”

The Hidden Sin

David had sinned, and he knew it. He had taken another man’s wife, arranged a murder to cover it, and then carried on as if nothing had happened. Perhaps in the busyness of his royal life, he thought it was hidden away—buried in the past, forgotten even by himself. But God had seen it, and God sent Nathan.

That is how sin works in all of us. We may excuse it, minimize it, or even forget it. Yet what is hidden from others is not hidden from God. He will not allow His children to remain in unrepentant sin. The same Spirit who inspired Nathan to confront David is the Spirit who convicts our hearts today.

The Spirit as Our Nathan

Are you carrying around unforgiven sin? Something you thought you had covered up, but which still stains your conscience? Jesus* (4 BC - 30 AD) promised that the Holy Spirit would come to “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). In that sense, the Spirit acts as our Nathan, speaking truth into our lives, stripping away our excuses, and calling us to repentance.

The good news is that where Nathan could only confront, Christ Himself provides cleansing. David cried out in Psalm 51, “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” That prayer finds its full answer in the cross, where Jesus bore our sins and offers forgiveness to all who repent and believe.

Application

Nathan’s parable was more than a story. It was God’s word of judgment, tailored to pierce the king’s conscience. The rich man was David, who had many blessings, yet stole the one precious wife of Uriah. The lamb symbolized Bathsheba, cherished and innocent. Uriah, loyal and righteous, was slain by David’s command.

Nathan reminded David of God’s blessings—His anointing, protection, victories, and the throne itself. To sin in such a way, despite all God had given, was not only adultery and murder but contempt for the Lord.

Convicted to the core, David confessed: “I have sinned against the Lord.” Psalm 51 records his deep repentance—“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” God forgave David, but the consequences remained: the sword would not depart from his house, and the child born of that union would die.

Conclusion

Nathan’s parable of the lamb pierced David’s heart and brought him to repentance. Last week we saw how Jotham’s parable of the trees warned a nation; this week we see how Nathan’s parable reached a king—and how the Holy Spirit continues that work in our hearts today. Earthly stories with heavenly meaning still cut through our defenses, exposing sin and pointing us back to the Savior who alone can forgive.

Two-line summary:

Nathan’s parable exposed David’s hidden sin and brought him to repentance. Today, the Holy Spirit continues Nathan’s work in our lives—convicting us of sin and pointing us to forgiveness in Christ.

Prayer

Lord, You are the God who sees all things. Forgive me for the sins I try to hide or forget. By Your Spirit, convict me as Nathan convicted David, and by Your Son, cleanse me as You cleansed him. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.

Questions for Reflection

Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit acting as a “Nathan” in your life, bringing conviction when you thought your sin was hidden?

Why do you think God often uses stories, like Nathan’s parable, to reveal truth that we might resist if spoken directly?

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Search me, O God,

And know my heart today;

Try me, O Savior,

Know my thoughts, I pray.

See if there be

Some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from every sin

And set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord,

For cleansing me from sin;

Fulfill Thy Word,

And make me pure within.

Fill me with fire

Where once I burned with shame;

Grant my desire

To magnify Thy Name.

Lord, take my life,

And make it wholly Thine;

Fill my poor heart

With Thy great love divine.

Take all my will,

My passion, self and pride;

I now surrender, Lord

In me abide.

O Holy Ghost,

Revival comes from Thee;

Send a revival,

Start the work in me.

Thy Word declares

Thou wilt supply our need;

For blessings now,

O Lord, I humbly plead.

J. Edwin Orr, 1936.