2 SAMUEL MOMENT – (07APR19) David had sent Joab and his men
to battle, so he was left with nothing to do. As he was walking on the roof one
evening, he saw a beautiful woman taking a bath. After inquiring as to who she
was, he had Bathsheba to come to his palace and he slept with her. She became
pregnant, David tried to cover his tracks, his planned failed, and he had her husband
killed. Here are a few things that could have been avoided if David had taken a
different path and God's judgment.
IDLENESS – David had sent his men to battle when he should
have been gone with them. During the Spring, the kings went to battle with
their armies, but David sent Joab, his commander instead. Therefore, he placed
himself in a position of not having anything to do which contributed to him
sinning. “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who
destroys” (Proverbs 18:9).
EYES – David should have turned away when he saw Bathsheba
bathing, but he allowed his eyes to lead him into sin. “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then
could I gaze at a virgin?” (Job 31:1).
LUST – David lusted in his heart with Bathsheba before he
had even taken her to bed. “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
GREED – David was not in need of any more wives and even if
he did, there were plenty of women to be found. He had eight wives that are
mentioned by name in the Bible, but it is assumed that he had more than that
and not to mention his concubines. Unfortunately, his greed made him take another
man’s only wife for himself. “Whoever
is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes
will live” (Proverbs 15:27).
ABUSE OF AUTHORITY – David abused his authority by first summoning
another man’s wife to the palace and having Joab, his military commander, to do
his dirty work for him. “Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their
beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of
their hand” (Micah 2:1).
WRONG MOTIVES – David invited Uriah to the palace to seemingly
show him appreciation and he offered to allow him to go home to his wife.
David, however, was not doing this out of the kindness of his heart and his
actions were impure. “Every
way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart” (Proverbs 21:2).
CONSPIRED TO DO EVIL – David conspired in secret to do harm
to Uriah and even had him to carry his own letter of assassination to Joab. Nevertheless,
whatever is plotted in secret will be exposed openly. “Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans
from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who
will know?" (Isaiah 29:15).
SELFISHNESS – David only thought about himself. He did not think
to weigh the cost of what his actions would do to Bathsheba, her husband, his
kingdom, or what he was doing to God. “Let
each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of
others” (Philippians 2:4).
DECEITFULNESS — David was not forthcoming with any of his
actions. Did he tell Bathsheba that he was going to have her husband killed?
Did he tell Uriah that he had slept with his wife? Did he tell Joab the secret
that he was trying to cover up? David was deceitful in all his dealings with
those involved. “Whoever walks in
integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out”
(Proverbs 10:9).
NARCISSISTIC – David was wrong from beginning to end with
everything that he had done leading up to the death of Uriah. He had this
grandiose view of himself due to being king, and that he was entitled to get anything
that he wanted and that it did not matter who he had to walk over and manipulate
to satisfy his desire. God, however, did not like what David had done and it
angered Him greatly. “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that
devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who
breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
GOD’S JUDGMENT – God sent the Prophet Nathan to rebuke David
and tell him of the penalty he would pay for what he had done. David repented
and received God’s forgiveness, but he still suffered greatly for his actions.
David and Bathsheba’s first child died, and his household was cursed to never
have peace in it again. “Do
not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also
reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap
corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap
eternal life” (Galatians 6:7-8).
There
are times when we too may do or have done wrong and had to suffer the
consequences of our actions. It is not that God did not love us or has not
forgiven us, but we must be mindful that even in His love, we must pay the
penalty for sin. Yet, because of His grace and mercy, we will not suffer the
eternal penalty of death. Jesus came that we may have life and even if we lose
our earthly lives, for those who endure to the end, we are promised a life that
is eternal. Therefore, when we do wrong, we are to immediately repent by
confessing and turning away from the wrong we have done. We must ask the Lord to
give us strength to overcome, and He will help us to be victorious in Him. Something
to ponder…
QUESTION OF THE DAY – (07APR19) David and Jonathan had made
a covenant with each other that they would be kind to the other’s descendants.
In keeping with that covenant, David sought to find any relatives of Jonathan
who may be alive, so that he could fulfill his oath. He found out that Jonathan
had a crippled son named Mephibosheth and sent word for him to come to the palace.
David gave him all the land that had once belonged to his grandfather and
ensured that he was well provided for. Have you ever made a promise which may
have taken a while to keep, but you were glad once you did? God desires that we
be men and women of integrity in keeping the word that we give to others. Why
is this? Because God is a God of His word which never returns to Him void. Therefore,
we, being representatives of Him, would do well in also keeping our word to
others, for we serve a God who never fails us, neither should we fail others.
Our word should be our bond just as God’s word is guaranteed to be His in its
fulfillment. Something to ponder…
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