Lessons From the Fall of David
2 Samuel 11
- Vs 1- at a time when Kings went to war David stayed back at home- there's a time to be at war as a christian. Be sober be vigilant..Don't be sleeping when you're meant to be fighting..idleness opens you up to temptation. Don't seek rest when you're supposed to be fighting. Too many spiritual kings are sleeping when they're meant to be at war. Building empires when you're meant to be building lives. Some can't even carry their sword of the spirit (Their bibles) themselves again! Now they have Joabs! Don't send when you need to go!
- vs2- David saw.. You know how men see.. i mean really see.. like you drive past someone and you feel the need to look again and then look at your rearview mirror.. Yes.. that kind of seeing.. First sight is usually innocent but the second third and fourth ones are more detailed and dangerous. be careful! What he saw affected his heart- be careful what you look at or watch! It has a way of affecting your heart. The devil would always set you up so you can see stuff you're not meant to see. Sinful things would always be beautiful to look upon or else they wouldn't appeal to you hence they wouldn't be temptation. Temptation is not temptation until it is desirable and available.
- vs3- next step to the fall was that he sent and enquired about the woman's availability. It wouldn't have been a sin if he had just seen a beautiful woman bathing naked by accident and looked away. He must have looked a second time and a third perhaps and the went a step further by enquiring. You see a girl, acknowledge she's fine and walk- you've not sinned. Most sin starts when you look for a link to her. Find a way to get to talk to her by all means even if you have to stalk her. Trying to find her on bbm, Facebook, twitter and Instagram is the pathway to falling into sin.
- the king would have saved himself if after he had found out that she was someone's wife he let her be. He was told in clear terms that she was Uriah's wife. That should have put a stop on his emotions and desires but alas what he had exposed his heart to had overruled his better judgement.
- vs4- the king sent and fetched her.. How many times have we sent and fetched trouble for ourselves. You go all the way driven by your lust looking for things you know you shouldn't be looking for in the first place. The time, energy and money you invest into something you know you should be chasing at times show the perverseness of our hearts. Married man who wouldn't give his children at home or his wife expensive gifts would find time, Money and energy to give some strange women expensive gift in order to get her and you ask for what reason?!
- notice how short the period of these whole experience was, including the act itself. Events that would change the course of a man's entire life don't take forever. How many people have altered their destiny in 20minutes of madness that messed up their entire life and even affect their entire family. Watch out! The devil just needs a little window of opportunity to do irreparable damage in people's life.
- and she returned.. Went back home like nothing happened! If only she knew what would follow after! Many time we do things in private and go on with life like nothing happened. Adam and Eve ate the fruit and it seemed to them like nothing happened.. Saul disobeyed God but still went on like nothing happened.. Never assume that your sinful act can be covered up without consequences.
- vs 5- the result of the seed of their sin was conceived and received. She became pregnant! Your own result might not be pregnancy but you'd definitely get your result in life good or bad. I don't understand why people act surprise when they get the result of the seed they have been sowing. If you don't want the harvest stop the seed! Galatians 6:7- God is never mocked, whatsoever you sow you would reap! Would you be happy with the harvest of your deeds? If not you need to consider your ways.
-vs6- now the beginning of attempts to cover up the sin. Sin brings shame. Or why would the king be trying to cover it up if it was such a good thing. Why do you need lights out to be able to do certain kind of dance moves. If you're so proud why do you need darkness? Why do you feel the need to hide your acts if they are right? How would you feel if your deeds are brought into the open?
-vs8- now the king is not only an adulterer, he was beginning to manipulate.. Trying to cover one sin always leads to committing another!
- Uriah got gifts from the king- people usually give you gift at times to further their own agenda. It is not all the gift you've received from people that are with good intentions be not deceived. People can offer you a cup of water hoping you'd choke on it! Even worship at time might be a tool of manipulation, the mother of James and John (sons of zebedee) worshipped Jesus but with a political motive.
- these Uriah guy was loyal to a fault! Imagine him sleeping at the door of the King's house on his return from battle when his house was next door! Loyalty to man would always bring you pain and sometimes death if you're not careful. The only person who would never fail you is God. There are so many misguided loyalist all over the world who sacrifice their life, family and even the life of other people for a cause they believe to be true. Only to find out very late in life that they'd just been pawns in their masters game to the top. They end up bitter, disgruntled and disoriented in the things of God.
- vs11- Uriah refused to go home and rest. He was a very selfless man who was willing to sacrifice his own good and comfort for a greater cause for the kingdom yet a selfish manipulative leader would rather take advantage of his passion to gratify his own lust.
- vs 14- the sweet psalmist of Israel had gone so low into sin that he's now the one trying to get people drunk! How are the mighty fallen! Let him that thinketh that he stands take heed. Who would've thought your man of God was a manipulator with all his anointing! If I build again that which I had hitherto pulled down, I make myself a transgressor. If you begin to justify those things you formerly condemned you need to take careful note.
- I'm tempted to think this guy was irresponsible! How can he come home from battle and stay 2 nights without checking up on his wife! A man that would not take care of his home is worse than an infidel! It is the height of irresponsibility to be the good man outside whilst you neglect your family at home.
-vs14- he was given a letter that was meant to kill him and he knew it not. He must have thought himself very privileged to be a royal message courier from the king himself to his commander at war. How many time we carry messages that leads us into trouble without knowing it. Who would have thought a message from the chosen and anointed of God carried death for the bearer! Without over emphasising the need for every Christian to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit rather than be drawn to anointing, it is very crucial for us to be able to hear God for ourselves or else..
-vs16- I'm still baffled as to how someone like David after God delivered him from several evil against him from leaders would turn around and be the source of evil against his follower! Isn't that what happens in life- abused and oppressed people when they escape their abusers and oppressor's grasp tend to themselves become abusive and oppressive. I cannot imagine that this was the same David who saw God's mercies while royal javelin from king Saul came flying at him. How I felt sorry for him that someone was attempting to kill him for just being good.
-vs17- it is painful that not only did Uriah lose his life whilst David was trying to cover his sins, other innocent faithful, loyal and dedicated soldiers also died with him! I know this might seem like nothing but their are some of us who get into fights that are pointless and useless based on our conviction about a leader. How many innocent soldiers of Christ have been injured or killed in the battles organised by their leaders for his own agenda, ambition and gratification. These poor folks died thinking this must be a good cause to die for. Unfortunate many of us are pawns in the games that men are playing and we don't even know it!
Now I don't know about you but I'm worried about Joab's person and personality! I'm worried about a captain who has won so many battles with his troupe and gone through many difficulties with this same people only to now offer them up as sacrifices without any remorse at all. I'm also wondering what his perception of his master David would now be. Yea, anointed man I know but if he could do this to Uriah how is Joab sure he would not suffer the same if ever situation demands. Foolish people help their leader achieve wicked objectives forgetting that the same way they were used so can the leader find another to use against them.
-vs18-21 - shows that at this point David had lost touch totally with who he really was. When Joab was sending the messenger he highlighted David's passion for the safety of the life of his soldier.. He would normally get really angry if any death occurred amongst his soldiers that was avoidable. This was the quality that made him a great leader but now his own deprivity had made the wasteful death of his men justifiable to him now. The king who normally would have been upset by these needless waste of precious life was consoled by the death of an innocent soldier whose only sin was marrying a pretty woman and being a neighbour to the king! So now the scandal caused by David's indiscretion has now been cleaned up and no one know about it. Or so it seemed..
- vs26-27- how on earth can Bathsheba claim to mourn the death of Uriah. Some days before this she had played the harlot and had given her body to the king without resistance. Infact I believe personally that this whole scheme was her design. Why was she having her bath outside? Did their house not have a bathroom? Even if she couldn't find a bathroom what is wrong with making clothes cover whilst she had her bath. She must have been in that house for a while and should know that the king usually came to that part to relax. She followed David's messengers without any resistance at all and consented to the act proper. I did not any point read about her complaining on her way to the king's chamber. Neither did she make noise when the king wanted to have his way. She even went home like nothing had happened. She would have slept with the husband and confused the paternity of the child had the husband not been a devoted soldier. Yet here she was mourning.. For what! Please note how quickly her mourning ended and how quickly she moved in with the king afterwards.
To an outside observer you would have concluded rightly that these couple got away with adultery and a vicious murder the way this chapter ended. The affair was covered up with the blood of an innocent man and several unfortunate soldiers. The king now has Uriah's wife and can also keep the child of their adulterous relationship. On a closer look at the end of the passage one important point jumped out at me... But the thing that David had done displeased God! Now I can afford to displease man, but I don't want to displease God! You know man is limited in their ability. There's a limit to what man can do against me.. I believe even David knows this much considering how God delivered him from a man who was displeased with him. I'm not sure I want God to be my opponent. You know God, He's got thunder and stuff! He can command the grounds to open and I'd be gone, He can dry up waters and all.. No! I never want God to be displeased with me.
Two key points as I conclude can be found in the next chapter of this scripture (2 Samuel 12). God though was displeased with what David had done still loved David. God sent message through prophet Nathan to let David know he was upset with him. To show him how far he had gone into error. David thought nothing wrong with all he had done. Not once did it cross is mind that he had done an abominable thing and had dishonoured God until Nathan rebuked him. The mark of a great Christian is your ability to quickly realise your error when it is pointed out and repent. David was a very powerful and anointed King yet he had respect for a certain Nathan.. (Not the popular Samuel) when he was rebuked. Never bring yourself to a position where you're unreachable by correction even from the people you lead. Jesus Christ was rebuked in error by Peter when He talked about dying. Christ didn't disdain him and say who are you to talk to me like that.. He only rebuked him for not understanding the things of God.
Finally David did not waste time at all trying to justify himself or excuse his faults. He bowed himself and cried for mercy. He forgot his position as the great king right then and went humbly before God. It doesn't matter how far gone you are in sin if you would only hear the voice of rebuke repent and return God is willing to forgive you. I must sound a note of warning though. It might look like David got away with a very light punishment for the magnitude of his sin but careful study of the pronouncement of judgement of God through Nathan should make you think again... 2 Samuel 12:10..Sword would never depart from your house..I don't know about you but I'm not sure I want war within my family.. How can you be at peace if your own children are killing one another.. Vs 11.. I will raise up evil against thee even in thine own house.. His son Absalom was determined to kill him... No one knew about his sin with Bathsheba but the whole of Israel watched the judgement as his son Absalom slept with his wife (David's) on the rooftop in the presence of the whole of Israel.. I'm not sure how it would feel as a father to see your own son rape your own daughter! Amnon, son of David raped his own sister Tamar David's daughter (2 samuel 13:1-end).. Though David escaped the punishment of death that he pronounced on himself yet the rest of his life was from one trouble to another. Sin has the capacity to turn what's meant to be a blessing into a curse. Avoid sin!
These write up was inspired by a study on the life of David with the youths of RCCG Royal Connections, London E3 2ND.
