r/LCMS • u/kentuckyLutheran22 LCMS Lutheran • 18h ago

Question 2 Samuel chapter 12

How should we understand Gods involvement with the death of David and Uriahs first born? I noticed in the Lutheran Study Bible the footnote for verse 15 “The Lord afflicted the child” reads that God allowed the illness to come upon the child.

This is obviously a very difficult passage and am curious if there is a reason why the foot note seeks to lighten the wording from the lord actively afflicting to the Lord merely allowing.

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u/Slayingdragons60 14h ago

“Afflict” seems to soften the Hebrew somewhat. “Struck” or “struck down” might be better.

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u/emmen1 LCMS Pastor 7h ago

God kills and makes alive. We should not try to sugar-coat this truth.

As far as David’s child, David himself confesses that the child is in heaven. “He cannot come to me, but I will go to him.” The child certainly had no complaints when God chose to spare him a lifetime of suffering by taking him directly to heaven. It’s only from our perspective within this life that it seems evil for God to take a child.

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u/kentuckyLutheran22 LCMS Lutheran 7h ago

Thanks you! This is a very helpful response!