The story of King David’s sin with Bathsheba, the death of Uriah, and the loss of David’s child (2 Samuel 11–12) offers a profound lesson in the creative power of assumption—the very foundation of Neville Goddard’s teaching. This narrative reveals how our inner states of consciousness shape outer reality, and how awareness and revision can transform our lives.
David’s Misaligned Assumption: Desire, Control, and Its Consequences
David’s journey begins with a moment of weakness: seeing Bathsheba bathing, he desires her and acts impulsively.
“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful.” (2 Samuel 11:2)
Instead of living from a state of fulfilled desire and faith, David acts from a state of lack and impatience. He summons Bathsheba, sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant. To cover this, David arranges the death of her husband Uriah by sending him into battle.
“Then David sent a message to Joab: ‘Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.’” (2 Samuel 11:15)
Neville Goddard teaches that such actions represent the holding of a false assumption—a state of consciousness not aligned with the fulfilled wish. David’s attempt to force external circumstances, rather than revising his inner assumption, leads to destructive outcomes. His state is one of control, fear, and impatience, rather than faith and assumption of the desired reality.
Nathan’s Rebuke: Becoming Aware of the False Assumption
The turning point comes when the prophet Nathan confronts David with a parable, exposing the underlying assumption creating the unwanted reality:
“There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but instead of taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler, he took the poor man’s lamb and slaughtered it.” (2 Samuel 12:1–4)
Nathan’s story is a mirror held up to David’s inner state—exposing the selfish assumption beneath his actions. The lamb, innocent and cherished, represents what David has wrongfully taken and destroyed through his unchecked desire and impatience.
David’s immediate response is telling:
“David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!’” (2 Samuel 12:5)
Nathan then reveals the parable’s true meaning:
“You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own.’” (2 Samuel 12:7–9)
This powerful rebuke reveals the exact false assumption David held—the assumption that his desire could be forcibly manifested without inner alignment or faith. Nathan’s words act as a catalyst for David’s self-awareness, the first step in transforming his state of consciousness.
The Death of the Child: Outer Evidence of Inner Conflict
After Nathan’s confrontation, David repents:
“David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.’” (2 Samuel 12:13)
David then pleads for the life of his child born from Bathsheba:
“David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground.” (2 Samuel 12:16)
Despite his prayers, the child becomes ill and dies. Neville Goddard’s teaching explains this as the manifestation of the conflicting assumptions within David—his repentance and desire to restore, countered by the residual tension and guilt that delay full manifestation.
David’s response to the child’s death is significant:
“Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions, and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped. He then went to his own house and at his request, they served him food. His servants asked him why he acted this way, and he answered, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. But now that the child is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.’” (2 Samuel 12:20–23)
This shift from mourning to worship reflects the imaginal act Neville emphasizes—surrendering to the unseen creative process and persisting in faith despite visible evidence.
Neville’s Principles Illustrated in David’s Story
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Assumptions Shape Reality: David’s initial assumption, driven by desire and impatience, leads to destructive consequences.
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Awareness and Revision: Nathan’s parable sparks conscious recognition of the false assumption.
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Feeling the Wish Fulfilled: David’s prayers express his desire, but inner conflict delays manifestation.
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Faith Beyond Appearances: David’s worship after the child’s death signals surrender to creative power beyond current evidence.
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Manifestation Reflects Inner States: Outer events mirror the dominant consciousness.
Conclusion: David’s Story as a Guide to Conscious Creation
David’s story vividly demonstrates Neville Goddard’s core teaching: the inner assumption—the state of consciousness—creates the outer reality. His journey from wrongdoing through awareness to faith and surrender is a roadmap for transforming false assumptions into empowering states that manifest desired realities.
By becoming aware of limiting assumptions, consciously revising them with faith and feeling, and persisting in the imaginal act of the wish fulfilled, we align our inner world with our highest desires. David’s story remains a timeless lesson in the power of assumption.
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