In 2 Samuel 11, it seemed like everyone was sending someone somewhere. David does some sending (2 Sam 11:3, 6); Joab sends Uriah (2 Sam 11:6) and later a messenger (2 Sam 11:18); even Bathsheba sends people (2 Sam 11:5). But throughout all of this sending in chapter 11, there is someone eerily missing: God. We’re left wondering, “Will God get involved and do some sending of His own?”

In chapter 12, we get our answer. God takes over this mess of a situation. He gives David enough time to feel the weight of his sin, and then sends His prophet Nathan to confront David (2 Sam 12:1). He does so by telling a story of a rich man who takes a poor man’s ewe lamb pet, and cooks it for his visiting friend. And although everyone would agree that it was an absolutely evil thing to do, David’s reaction is over the top, He screams “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die” (2 Sam 12:5).

David recognized that it was a wicked thing for a man with plentiful herds to kill the only companion a poor man had so they could enjoy a meal. The problem, though, is that David had no business calling anyone out on their sin at the moment, since he had just murdered many innocent people! He committed adultery (2 Sam 11:4), impregnated Uriah’s wife (2 Sam 11:5), took Bathsheba as his own (2 Sam 11:27), and then killed Uriah and other soldiers (2 Sam 11:17) just to cover up his evil. After killing a human being, David is nevertheless incensed that the rich man would kill a lamb.

In the next verse, Nathan utters two words that will sink David’s heart forever: “Attah Ha-ish!” “You are the man!”

And if that doesn’t sound bizarrely similar to the events of this past week, I don’t know what does.

Cecil the Lion was killed by a dentist (apparently it’s important to keep repeating his profession; I guess dentists are evil). Cecil, a celebrity in his country, was loved to the point that scientists were tracking his every move. You could say that Cecil was loved as much as the lamb in Nathan’s story was loved by its owner. And we all should agree that killing a lion, for no apparent reason other than stroking one’s ego, is not God’s design. But the timing of the outrage over this demonstrates the utter hypocrisy of our society. When millions of Americans are calling for the dentist’s extradition, his imprisonment, and even his murder (!), one can’t help but to point to the Planned Parenthood scandal and scream, “Hypocrites!”

I think it’s time to shout like Nathan.

“America, you are the man!” “This dentist ain’t got nothin’ on you!”

Hypocrisy is on full display when people sit by and watch Planned parenthood abuse young women, dismember babies, sell the limbs for cash, and not feel any emotion, but get choked up over the death of a lion. The irony that people are mourning the death of Cecil the Lion, all the while ignoring or happily supporting the merciless murder of human beings carried out by Cecile Richards
and her henchmen at Planned Parenthood, is just too much to handle. Some would say the similar names are a “coincidence” I say God is displaying our depravity, right before our eyes, which would be undeniable if our minds weren’t darkened in understanding (Eph 4:18; cf. Rom 1:28). The abortion industry has so seared our collective conscience that we lose our minds over the mistreatment of a large cat, but don’t bat an eye at the merciless slaughter of millions of helpless human beings. Annually. Planned Parenthood, and all those who support it, have proven that they have lost any grip on reality.

The fact of the matter is that people everywhere need to repent and give their life to Jesus. And my prayer is that this clear, undeniable hypocrisy would prick the consciences of many — that they would come to their senses, repent of their wickedness, and turn to Jesus in faith for forgiveness and righteousness. Because of the Gospel of Christ, there is still hope in the wake of Planned Parenthood.

In 2 Samuel 12, the severity of David’s sin and hypocrisy pierced him to the heart. But there was hope. He went home and penned Psalm 51, a beautiful song of confession, repentance, and pleading with God for forgiveness and restoration. And God answered David’s prayer. Pray with me that many would read Psalm 51 and find the same forgiveness and restoration that David found, through Jesus alone.