Jedidiah

Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he a called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he a called his name Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him. – 2 Samuel 12v24-25

We have just read through an account of a terrible part of David’s life. Lust, adultery, murder, confrontation, despair, and the death of a son had all taken place. David had confessed his sin, dealt with it, been forgiven, and moved on.

After the death of their son David comforted his wife. She certainly needed comfort after all that had happened. God allowed them to have another son and named him Solomon. His name is an adaptation of the Hebrew word shalom, meaning peace. That in itself has a beautiful application for this situation. God can bring peace even from the most troublesome times.

But it is Nathan’s nickname for Solomon that I want to look at. Nathan called him Jedidiah. Jedidiah means ‘beloved of the Lord.’ I love the fact that God still loves even in the midst of judgement. This does not lessen the impact of David’s sin. It does not mean that God takes sin lightly. It does show however that while God is perfectly just and holy and that he exercises that in perfect judgement, He also loves perfectly.

It is wonderful to look back and see the Jedidiah’s in our lives where God has loved us in the times of our most difficult struggles.

Our wonderful God is the One who can show peace and love in the midst of justice. Praise His name that he is a perfectly holy God of justice who also show love and peace.