Week 19

Week 19 - I hope you have enjoyed this week's reading on the fascintating life of David.


* Points to consider:

I want to look at several things from this week's passages.

First, David's most notable sin.

If you are familiar with David at all, you are familiar with his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. She was the wife of Uriah, the Hittite. Uriah was one of David's mighty men - his most valiant warriors. But what caused David's downfall?

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. (2 Samual 11:1,2)

God had raised David up to lead the Israelites and to rule over them. For whatever reason, David was being neglectful of the position and responsibilty that God gave him. During this time of history, kings led their armies into battle, but David stayed home and spent his days laying about in his bed even late into the day. His laxness and idleness was an opening for temptation.

Certainly these situations are not the only times that temptations come. But by creating these situations, we open ourselves up to additional temptations. I understand this from my own experiences, and you might know it as well. As David's life shows, when we are neglectful of following God as we should be, we allow openings for temptation.


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Second, David's forgiveness.

There are people who think that God would never forgive them because they feel their sins are too great.

Adultery and murder are two sins specifically condemned in the ten commandments. Under the law, adulterers and murders were to be stoned to death. Scripture tells us that the shedding of innocent blood is one of the things God hates.

David's laxness in his duty to lead God's people led to his temptation of Bathsheba. With this one episode of his life, David - a man after God's own heart - became an adulterer and a murderer.

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Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. (2 Samuel 11:2)

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus 20:17)

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David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. (2 Samuel 11:4)

"You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)

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Now in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. He had written in the letter, saying, "Place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die." (2 Samuel 11:14,15)

"You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)

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Sadly, adultery in today's society isn't viewed from God's standards as a heinous sin. It's common place in our society, in our movies and books, and even in our churches. However, our society still views murder as evil. Even with the sins of adultery and murder, God forgave David.

So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. (2 Samuel 12:13)

As followers of Christ, we can rely on the great promise of forgiveness.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

So, don't let Satan convince you that you are too bad of a person for God to forgive.


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Third, While sins are forgiven, there are still or may be consequences.

God told David that because of his treachery against Uriah, that the sword would never leave his house - ie: the House of David would be troubled with violence. A further consequence, and a more immediate one, was that the son conceived by his tryst with Bathsheba would not live.

Not all consequences are immediate or extreme. Perhaps the consequence of a sin may be a missed blessing that would have been given. Perhaps the consequence is the constant struggle with a habit developed in sin - a habit that Satan is only too happy to exploit.

When we sin, God is willing and ready to forgive us, but we may have consequences to deal with because of our sins that we will deal with for the remainder of our lives.


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Fourth, the story of Absalom and David is a type of picture of the human relationship with God.

We, mankind, are the "Absaloms" of the world. Absalom did everything he could to dethrone David as king and become his own king. Although it seemed he succeeded when David retreated, David was never dethroned.

We, like Absalom, try to remove God from His throne. We put our jobs ahead of Him. We put our sports ahead of Him. We put our entertainment ahead of Him. We put our science ahead of Him and try to dethrone him with atheism and evolution and laws. We do our best to remove Him from His throne in our lives.

Sadly, in many lives it seems to be successful. In Absalom's life it seemed to be successful. Just as when David retreated and it had the appearance that David no longer reigned, in many lives today it has the appearance that God no longer reigns. But just as David was not dethroned, God will never be dethroned. It may appear so in a person's life, but it is a deception; a veil drawn over their eyes.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' " (Romans 14:11)

But then we see again an example of how David had the heart of God in sorrow for the lost. Even in Absalom's rebellion, David loved him and sought to save him. Even in our rebellion, God loves us and seeks to save us.

In the last verse of 2 Samuel 18, David weeps and cries out "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son!"

You can feel the absolute anguish of an utterly broken heart in David's words. Try to now imagine the Father's anguish when a rebellious person dies in rejection of Him and the free gift of salvation through Jesus that He offers.

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

David would have preferred to die to save his son's life. God did die to save us whoever accepts Him.

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Had Absalom, an incestuous murderer and usurper, simply come to David for forgiveness, David would have welcomed Him back with weeping, rejoicing, and open arms.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)