In the Old Testament we read about, Nathan, another prophet of God. The name in Hebrew means God has given. Nathan lived in the days of King David and his son King Solomon. Nathan was a wise and steadfast servant of God who was frequently consulted by the kings. We only have a few short paragraphs of Nathan’s teachings/prophecies in the Old Testament. However, in 2 Chronicles 9:29 we learn that this great prophet wrote an entire book. Sadly, it is among the many lost records we no longer have available to us.
Nathan was one of the prophets I could not included in my book Last Words for the Last Days due to lack of information and space. I would like to include his words here though. We first read his words in 2 Samuel chapter 7, where we learn that through Nathan the Lord commanded David to start making preparations for the building of the original Temple in Jerusalem, but that his son would actually build the temple:
“And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? …And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (2 Samuel 7:4-7, 12-13)
Then in 2 Samuel chapter 12 we learn that the Lord sent Nathan to rebuke King David after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed. The Lord wanted David to know that He knew of his sins:
“And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But 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. And 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.
“And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despiesd the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. (2 Samuel 12:1-9)
Then Nathan revealed the plot of David’s son Adonijah in his attempt to succeed David as king in place of Solomon:
“And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants: But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
“Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then doth Adonijah reign? Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.” (1 Kings 1:9-14)
That’s all we hear from the prophet Nathan. Perhaps someday the Lord will restore the Book of Nathan so we can learn more about this devout prophet of God.