Israel’s Experience With Human Kings The Case Of The Open Window Shade Series

The Game of Thrones- Israel’s Experience with Human Kings”

“The Case of the Open Window Shade”

Today we turn to II Samuel 11. God allows us to watch the private life of a royal family. And despite their best efforts to put on a good front, we discover pride, lust, adultery, conspiracy, murder, and more! The picture goes from bad to worse. The royal family is falling apart.

God allows us to look into the home of King David who is called “a man after God’s own heart.” He lapses into sin. His sin is no greater than yours or mine. We simply are grateful that ours have not been recorded.

I’m not defending nor justifying it. If you shake your head in shame at David or cluck your tongue at this man of God then you have missed the truth of I Corinthians 10:12.

So, if you think you are standing firm, take heed, that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.

The key word… “take heed”. On a regular basis. If this kind of temptation comes your way… and it will…take heed and run away as fast as you can. Or you will fall, like David.

II Samuel 11 allows us to see him at a time of weakness and brokenness. God allows us to see "the interior hurt, anguish, and ambiguity that operate" in the palace. He lets us see that the royalty are "utterly human in their hurt, their hate, and their hope." He says to us, as it were, “Here! Look at this picture of David's family. Look behind the palace walls. But don’t just look because you are nosey. Look there if you wish but then look at what’s going on within the walls of your own home and your own life.”

This message is for both men and women. Two people are

Involved in this devastating event. David is about 50 years old. He has been on the throne of Israel for 17 to 20 years. He has distinguished himself as a man of God. A composer of musical psalms. A valiant warrior. One who deserves the respect of the nation. He gave the people love for the Psalms. A man of charisma. A man who wins your heart.

He is a man who has demonstrated compassion for he has taken into his inner circle Mephibosheth, the only surviving son of Jonathan, his best friend. He has shown grace to tis crippled son and given him land, and whatever he needs. David has kept his promise to Jonathan.

All we know is that David does not go along. In fact, verse 1 ends with these very strange and uncharacteristic words: “David remained in Jerusalem .”

The significance of those words may not immediately strike us but they are important. In 1 Samuel 8:20 the people asked for a king to “go out before us and fight our battles.” And up to this point David has been valiantly fighting in the name of the Lord but now he is at home, relaxing. David remains in Jerusalem when he should have been leading his troops in battle. And that sets the stage for two battles. While Joab and the army face the Ammonites, David remains in the palace and is about to fight the battle of his life.

Remember this passage? When God spoke to Cain? GE 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Even as a man of God he does sin. His sin has a devastating effect on his family and on his nation. This kind of sin always does. Some sins are without the body and do not have the impact of those that come from within. Sexual sins seem to have within them a greater weight.

The warning fits those in their 50’s and 60’s as much s those in their 20’s,30’ & 40’s. No one ever gets too old to fall. There is no such thing as sudden adultery. It happens over a long haul. David’s life is like a neglected sea wall. Finely in a weakened moment it crumbles against the onslaught of wind and waves, and pays a terrible price.

Chapter 5:13 is the back drop. (read)

There are chinks in David’s armor which begin to show. Even though the “hand of God” was upon him… but he took more concubines…..Oh yeah… just a note.

This was in direct opposition to God’s king. (read Deut. 17:14 ff)

Three things:

1) The King shall not multiply horses for himself

2) The King shall not multiply wives for himself

3) The King shall not acquire large amounts of silver or gold for himself.