Fatal Attraction Series

There’s an old saying that goes: Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you'll ever want to pay!

Read: 2 Samuel 11:1-5

David neglected his duty (vs. 1).

A compromise of duty leads to a moment of vulnerability.

We all have a duty that we are called to: A duty to God and to your relationships.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV84) —13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

When we choose to neglect our duty, it often leads to the next step that we see in David’s example.

David allowed his guard down (vs. 2).

Up to this point in David’s life he had a remarkable track record in integrity and righteousness. Was he perfect? Probably not. He did, however, continue to trust in God and inquire of Him. David made God his constant guard. Psalm 86:2 (NIV84) —2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.

What began as an unintentional glance in Bathsheba’s gave way to a lustful stare. David let his guard down. At this point, he could have inquired of the Lord – he could have sought the Lord and found protection in his Guard. Instead, he let his guard down. He steps outside of his protective guard. He became vulnerable to the lure of lust and the desires of his own sinful passions.

Proverbs 16:17 (NIV84) —17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV84) —13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

As David began to operate outside of his guard, he began to act on his own. His passions began to direct his choices and behavior. Which leads to the next step in David’s epic failure…

David felt entitled to indulge in this sexual exploit (vss. 3-4).

David was the most powerful man in all of Israel…perhaps the entire region of the known world. But this power was given him by God – David earned it through acts of obedience. As we look over David’s rise to the throne of Israel, he never truly felt entitled to the throne. He didn’t seek this throne in his own strength. Each step was given by God.

Now, however, David feels entitled to something that should be considered “OFF LIMITS” to him. Who exactly was Bathsheba? She was the wife of Uriah, one of David’s thirty mighty men. She was also the granddaughter of Ahithophel, one of David’s most trusted advisors. Everything about Bathsheba screams “OFF LIMITS.” But somehow David feels entitled to her and this sexual exploit. Perhaps his power has gone to his head.

Behind every sin, there is a problem of pride. This was the cause of the Original Sin (Lucifer) and the original sin (Adam & Eve). Pride is at the root of most sin. “I will choose to do my own thing, for my benefit. No one can tell me what to do.”

Proverbs 16:18 (NIV84) —18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Because David felt entitled, he was able to excuse this adulterous relationship. “I want this…I deserve this.” Which brings us to the next truth we discover in David’s poor example…

David did not focus his passion through the appropriate means (vs. 4).

David already had an appropriate means to focus his passions – his wives (Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Michal – he has at least 7 wives). Sin is often the result when we try to fulfill natural passions through inappropriate means.

1 Thessalonians 4:4–5 (NIV84) —3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God…For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

In his lustful passion, David did not stop to consider the consequences (vs. 5).

Bathsheba’s pregnancy was just one of several consequences. What were the other consequences? David also stole Bathsheba’s purity; he became an adulterer and made her an adulteress as well – an act that is punishable by death; the child born to Bathsheba would lose his life; David’s future is impacted (see 2 Samuel 12:10–12); we will see additional consequences as the story unfolds.

Illustration: The Domino Effect (Use 10 dominoes to set up a chain reaction of dominoes.)

The shock waves that began in a lustful heart on a rooftop would affect David for the rest of his life.