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.
2 Samuel 11:1
Throughout the entire time we have been reading about King David, we have seen nothing but dedication to the Lord, valor in battle, integrity and bravery. But that changes in today’s reading. The opening verse of Chapter 11 says it all.
It was the time of year when kings went to battle, but we see that David sent Joab, his commander, his servants and all of Israel to go fight. They did what they were commanded to do – but David remained at Jerusalem. What a contrast to the righteous, holy warrior from earlier times.
We then see in verse that late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch – again a huge contrast to the man we have read about previously. He was lazing around in the afternoon while his army was in battle. He strolled around the roof of his house and saw Bathsheba bathing across the way.
Long story short – David committed adultery with Bathsheba, tried to cover it up after she became pregnant and had her husband killed in order to save face. What started out as simply a relaxing day on the roof, snowballed into egregious sin. Note also the contrast of Uriah with the behavior of David. Uriah was a man of honor and integrity, refusing to go to his home while his fellow warriors were on the battlefield. After failing at getting Uriah to sleep with his wife and cover up the adulterous pregnancy, David sends word to Joab to set Uriah up for death. After he dies, he brings Bathsheba to his palace and marries her.
Problem solved. Right?
We then see at the end of Chapter 11,
But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
2 Samuel 11:27b
God knew it all. He sent the prophet Nathan to David to tell him a story about a poor man and a rich man. David, being in complete denial of his wrongdoing, became enraged at the story, not even making a connection to his own sin until Nathan tells him, “You are the man!” The LORD (through Nathan) then goes on to remind David of all of the blessings he had received thus far and declares the punishment for this offense – the child will die.
It is such a sad account for many reasons. But it is a picture of how dangerous it can be, even for those who love the Lord, to let our guard down. David had spent his life for the glory of the Lord, walking in obedience, honor and faith. It took one time of letting himself slip into an auto pilot mode for things to escalate. David let his guard down in the vigilance of his own heart – a mistake he would never have allowed on the battlefield.
A grave reminder that sin still dwells in our hearts – even when we are in Christ – and when left to their own devices, are bent toward sin. There is a lesson to be learned from this account of David. May we heed the warning and stand firm in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Sola Deo Gloria!
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