2
Samuel chapter 11 warns us about the dangers of idleness. When David
was doing battle with the giant or hiding from the king’s army in a
cave or even leading Israel in battle, God sustained him. In this
season of his life, David has resources and power and leisure time.
This combination can frequently lead to dangerous distraction. The
chapter begins, “In
the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out
with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army… but David
remained in Jerusalem“.
That sounds harmless enough, but David neglected the responsibility
of his God-given role.
“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…
David sent someone to find out about her.”
Notice the progression is very rapid and David never made the
conscious decision to sin. More likely David created justifications
for his actions. David is told she is “Bathsheba…
daughter
of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite“.
Decision time! Ladies and gentleman, if we do not have firm
boundaries that we predetermine, then when temptation comes, we are
susceptible. When we are motivated only by emotion and feeling,
truth becomes relative. Many lives have been tragically altered
because a commitment was not firmly set.
The
story continues, “David
sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.
Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David,
saying, ‘I am pregnant’.”
Suddenly the reality set in. David had slept with another man’s
wife while he was at the battle field and the evidence would be
undeniable. David formed a new plan to cover his deed. David sent
word to his general, “Send
me Uriah the Hittite“.
In a not too subtle move, he planned to allow Uriah some time with
his wife in order to cover his transgression. But Uriah was too
honorable. “Uriah
slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants
and did not go down to his house“.
He told the king, “The
ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and … lord’s men are
camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and
drink and lie with my wife?“.
Now David, desperate to cover his sin, created a cold premeditated
plan to “fix” his problem. He sent new orders to his general,
“Put
Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw
from him so he will be struck down and die“.
David’s plan worked perfectly and word came back to David, “your
servant Uriah the Hittite is dead“.
These words should have shook David to the core, but he is relieved.
Then
we read, “When
Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.
After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his
house, and she became his wife and bore him a son“.
David must have believed he got away with it, but the chapter ends
with these ominous words: “But
the thing David had done displeased the Lord“.
The long term consequences of David’s sin are severe. Many of us
have made life-changing mistakes along the way and we continue to
deal with the consequences years later. Like David, we can come to
God and seek forgiveness. He wrote in Psalm 86:15, “But
you, O Lord are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and
abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Romans 6:14 reminds us no matter how great our sin might be, Jesus
is bigger. Jesus paid the price for all your sins. God has forgiven
you, can you forgive yourself? “For
sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but
under grace“.
Fulfill the God-given role for your life.