The queen "mum," conclusion

In our conclusion today about Bathsheba, we pick up her story after she became David's wife.

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; 25 and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. (II Samuel 12: 24-25)

Jedidiah means "beloved of Jehovah." He was also given the name Solomon, which is what we generally know him by -- that means "peace."

"The Lord loved him." Sounds like even though this was a marriage that wasn't supposed to happen, God is showering it with His blessing. Maybe it's so that we will learn that there is life after sin . . . and not just life. Not just existing, or surviving. There is abundant life, if we surrender our lives to God. God chastises for sin, but He gave both Bathsheba and David blessings after repentance. Bathsheba's story is not the story of perfection, but of a woman whose life was touched by God's grace. God took away her sin, her tarnished name, and her shame, and blessed her with children and with wisdom.  She is even chosen to be in the lineage of our Savior.

Remember our focus passage? That's the queen mum talking to her son . . . look one more time:

The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him. (Proverbs 31:1, NIV)

The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. (Proverbs 31:1, KJV)

Did you grow up with a nickname? Do you have a nickname today, or a pet name that your family members call you? Scholars tell us that Lemuel was a pet name given to Solomon by his mother, Bathsheba.
In fact, the rabbinical thought is that this was given to Solomon as a reproof -- she was chiding him for his marriage to the Pharaoh's daughter! This makes sense as we study, because these first few verses deal with Solomon's two big weaknesses: women and wine:

It is not for kings, Lemuel—    it is not for kings to drink wine,
    not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. (Proverbs 31:4-5)

Then, starting in verse ten, she describes a godly woman -- the kind of woman that her son should marry.  This is a wise woman, a mother who is trying to remind her son to live a godly life. She is telling him to find and marry a virtuous woman, and not one that simply appeals to his eyes. As my grandma used to say, "beautiful on the inside." This is a wise mother. A queen mum.

When we look at the whole of Bathsheba's story, we can see an amazing example of God's grace, and of her wisdom. She wasn't perfect, but she was redeemed, and so she is an example to us today. God can pull us up out of the muck and the mire, and transform our lives. And He gives wisdom to those who ask . .. . . talk about precious promises!