The rise and fall of David
By: Rev. John C. McCaherty
November 17, 2002
Murphy Baptist
Text: II Samuel 11, 12, Psalms 51
Introduction: David was a hero of the faith, mentioned throughout the Bible as God’s man, after Gods own heart. Mentioned in Hebrews 11 (the great faith chapter),
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”
Wow! What a legacy to leave behind; think of it, David the little Sheppard boy that
Son of Jesse, in the line and heritage of Jesus Christ
Anointed by Samuel
Kills Goliath
Becomes King
Dances before the Lord
And yet here in our text he allows himself to become obsessed by the beauty of a woman that was not his. Let me ask a question, do you think that the David that all of these great things happened to, would have ever thought that he would be caught up in the adulterous, murdering situation that he is in at this point in his life. I really don’t think that it was his intention when he got up that morning to do these things… but let’s look at the progression of Sin in David’s life
1st Thing to go wrong:
II Sam. 11:1-2
• At the time when Kings go out to battle…. It was a normal thing for the Kings of the land to go to battle with their men and to lead them into victory and collect the spoils, God had blessed David many times in battle.
• David tarried…. For whatever reason, David decided this time to stay home, take a nap. (the old saying goes, ‘idol hands are the devils work’) as he rose from the nap, he looked and saw this beautiful woman.
2nd thing to go wrong.
• Vs2-3 Once he saw her, instead of turning away he looked upon her and began to desire her, then sent his servants to find out about her... At this point when he found out who she was he could have went about his own business and not sinned, James 1:14-15 “but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed” “then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
• David, allowed the lust of his heart to devise away to have the woman, and then to cover up his sin
• How many times have we tried to cover up our sins? Sin cannot be covered by anything we do, no amount of planning or deception can cover sin.
Tell the remainder of the story of the sin of David,
1. sleeps with bath-Sheba
2. Sends for Uriah, to have him sleep with his wife, then the baby would be perceived to be Uriah’s and David’s sin would be covered.
3. Uriah won’t do it, it would be wrong to have the luxuries of his home while his brethren were in the fields.
4. Uriah sent to the front lines to be killed, David knew Uriah would be killed, and that would cover his sin, he could marry Bath-Sheba and know would know the difference.
5. David’s plan comes together.
6. Nathan, the prophet comes and shows David his sin.
God’s Judgments
II Sam 12:7-12
• God had Given David everything
• David could not hide his sin from God (by the way neither can you)
• Judgment passed
David’s Repentance
II Sam: 13-19
• Recognized the Sin – Part of repentance is the act of agreeing with God that you have sinned, some will never do this, do to pride or hard hearts or whatever they have refused to acknowledge that sin to God.
• Act of Repentance – There is more to repentance than just saying “yeah Lord, I sinned” there is the act of repentance. When someone tells you they are sorry, and yet they never cease the thing in which they are supposedly sorry for, are they truly sorry?
• David’s act of repentance started with fasting and prayer.
• Vs. 16- Laid upon the earth all night, WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME 2 MIN PRAYER AT AN ALTER, WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING BEFORE A HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS GOD AND AGREEING THAT WE ARE SINNERS AND ASKING FOR MERCY...
What could David possibly have said to God?
• Psalms 51
• Mercy, Wash Me, Cleanse Me
• Acknowledged Sin, and who he had sinned against.
Vs. 6 God desires truth in the inward parts, God does not care what things look like on the outside, what he cares about is what the heart looks like
• Purge me with “Hyssop” Hyssop was a little shrub, of which the blood and water of purification was applied.
• Purge me was by the blood, a sinner from the guilt of sin. “Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word.”
• Wash me was by the water, a saint from the defilement of sin.
• Create in Me a clean heart, O’ Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. (we sing the song, but do we really want God to create in us that clean heart and renew that spirit)
Read the rest of the Text, it is an awesome reflection of a broken heart, a humbled spirit, one that has truly realized his sin and come to God for unconditional repentance.
David knew that all the sacrifices in all the kingdom was not what God wanted, David could have sacrificed more than any man in Israel, but that is not what God wants.
That is not what God wants from you, not your Bulls, Goats, and Lambs. Not your Money, Promises or anything else.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. That is what God requires.
The sacrifice of Blood, has already been given, the lamb has already been slain, a broken spirit is what God requires.
God Forgives David
II Sam. 12:19-25
• Consequences of the sin remained
• David accepted the consequences of his sin
• God forgave, and renewed David to full fellowship with him. I do not believe that there is any other instance in scripture where David had to learn this severe of a lesson again
You and I have the opportunity today to have the forgiveness of God, just as David had years ago, and the process has not changed. God is still a loving forgiving God, God still does not desire your sacrifices, what he want is the Broken heart, the broken spirit, the one here right now who knows that the Love that God has to offer is the only love that will cleanse and renew.
