Would you say that with age comes wisdom? What about with experience comes wisdom? How about with the imperfections of others, comes wisdom? The Book of Mormon prophet Moroni said, “Give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been” (Mormon 9:31). Today’s discussion of 2 Samuel 11–12 and 1 Kings 1–11 contain stories of the imperfection and contrition which when combined, can definitely make us all “more wise than we have been.”
Segment 1
Scriptures:
Mormon 9:31 (Condemn not imperfections)
1 Kings 8:61 (A perfect heart)
1 Kings 8:36 (Teach the good way)
1 Kings 8:58 (Incline our hearts)
Books:
365 Daily Devotionals from the Old Testament by Marianna Richardson, Christine Thackeray, Michelle Wilson and Krista M. Isaacson
Segment 2
Scriptures:
2 Samuel 11:1-5 (David and Bath-sheba)
2 Samuel 11:6-27 (David’s displeasing path)
2 Nephi 28:21 (Lead away carefully)
Words of the General Authorities:
My dear friends, when we resist the little temptations, which often come unexpectedly in our life, we are better equipped to avoid serious transgressions. As President Spencer W. Kimball said: “Seldom does one enter into deeper transgression without first yielding to lesser ones, which open the door to the greater.” (Ulisses Soares, “Seek Christ in Every Thought”, October 2020 General Conference)
Translations:
Bath-sheba = Daughter of the covenant (Hebrew)
Walked - Hitpa'el verb = reflexive verb where it goes over and over eg, walked himself over and over (Hebrew)
Segment 3
Scriptures:
2 Samuel 12:1-7 (Nathan confronts Samuel)
2 Samuel 12:13 (David’s admission)
Psalm 51 (Restore to God’s salvation)
2 Samuel 12:15-23 (David pleas for his son)
2 Samuel 12:24, 1 Kings 3:3 (The Lord loved Solomon, Solomon loved the Lord)
Segment 4
Scriptures:
2 Samuel 23:8-17 (Mighty men)
1 Chronicles 11:11-12 (The Three Mighties)
1 Chronicles 11:18-19 (The mighties prove themselves and David respects them)
Segment 5
Scriptures:
2 Samuel 23:1-7 (The last inspired words of David)
1 Kings 2:3 (Walk in His ways)
Words of the General Authorities:
Life is all about making choices. Our Father in Heaven gave us the divine gift of agency precisely so that we could learn from our choices—from the right ones and also from the wrong ones. We correct our wrong choices when we repent. This is where growth happens. Heavenly Father’s plan for all of us is about learning, developing, and progressing toward eternal life. (Mathias Held, “Opposition in All Things”, April 2024 General Conference)
Quotes:
The last few chapters of 2 Samuel seem to be afterthoughts, recounting several instances in David's life which needed to be preserved, but with little interest in chronology, much as we might string together significant experiences using different criteria than time sequence in our telling. It may also be that the last of his days were so much less glorious than the first that it was reassuring to recall the great times, in or out of time sequence.
David's last words included sage counsel to his descendants, the kings he fully expected to rule after him forever. They are lofty words full of idealism which only a poet, "the sweet psalmist of Israel," could frame. He delivered them directly through the "Spirit of the Lord" and in the manner of a prophet. (Ann Madsen, Studies in Scripture, Vol. 3: Genesis to 2 Samuel by Robert L. Millet, Kent P. Jackson)
Segment 6
Scriptures:
Temple Building Scripture Chain:
2 Samuel 7
1 Chronicles 22:6-11
1 Kings 5:3-5
1 Kings 6
1 Kings 8:22-66
Words of the General Authorities:
The temple is literally the house of the Lord. I promise you as you come worthily and prayerfully to His holy house, you will be armed with His power, His name will be upon you, His angels will have charge over you, and you will grow up in the blessing of the Holy Ghost. (Neil L. Andersen, “Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth”, April 2024 General Conference)
[Jesus Christ] is why we come to the temple. He is who our Father in Heaven desires us to meet in the temple. He is at the center of every symbol, every ordinance, every covenant, and every hoped-for blessing in the temple. Seeking Jesus in the temple enables us to understand why we are in the temple and why we should return. (Allen D. Haynie, “Meeting Jesus in the House of the Lord”, BYU Speeches delivered on October 10, 2023)
Read the transcript here.