Good weekend to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
We all have something in our past that, if we could, we’d sure like the opportunity to go back in time and do things differently, right? So, what is that regrettable event for you and how long ago? More importantly, what negative consequences have rippled out in your life from that past event?
For the past few days we’ve been tracking the Biblical account of David, youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem, whom we first meet in 1 Samuel 16. David has risen from an unknown young shepherd boy, out in the Bethlehem fields tending his father’s sheep, to an unexpected young hero, when he killed giant Goliath with his slingshot and one stone, while visiting his older brothers who were soldiers in King Saul’s army. (1 Samuel 17) Then recruited into Saul’s army, David rose to a position of leading several hundred of Saul’s soldiers and finally, after the death of Saul, David was crowned as the second king of Israel! (2 Samuel 5:1-5)
David and his men conquered the city of Jerusalem and established that city as the new capital of the nation of Israel with King David’s residence there in ‘the City of David’. (2 Samuel 5:6-12) King David then relocated the Ark of God’s Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6) and both Israel and King David were becoming very significant in that region of the middle east as we come to the end of 2 Samuel 10 in God’s ‘Grand Narrative’ in the Bible.
Sadly, 2 Samuel 11 & 12 tell the story of that terrible series of events in David’s life which he regretted for the rest of his life. As you read through 2 Samuel 11 today pay close attention to the several dangerous, life altering mistakes David made which led him down a very slippery slope into adultery, murder and a prolonged cover up of his malicious, wicked, despicable decisions and behavior!
The contrast could not be greater between the God honoring, high moral character leader King David whom we have seen in recent days; and the total moral failure King David we see in 2 Samuel 11. For centuries now, people have asked one simple yet profound question: how could such radical moral failure possibly happen to David?
Today I add this question for us: what warning lessons should we learn from 2 Samuel 11, so we never find ourselves in such a terrible dungeon of wicked despair?!
Please remember David had the Ark of God’s Covenant brought to Jerusalem and placed in a special tent very near his palace. I believe by intention that tent was located so David could both see and hear the worship taking place at that Ark Tent, even from his residence, certainly from the rooftop of his palace, where he walked in the cool of that evening when he noticed Bathsheba bathing near her home.
There’s a first major lesson we must learn. Whatever can distract us away from God has the power to draw our minds and hearts to consider despicable, wicked thoughts, which unless restrained, can develop into action plans which are contrary to everything we believe, everything we hold to be truth and holy, everything we’ve always held as top priority and highest value for our lives! (James 1:13-15)
At each and every step of David’s profound moral failure with Bathsheba; and his despicable murder plan for her husband Uriah; David knew exactly what he was doing. At every step David was being warned by the Holy Spirit of God to turn away, STOP! But with every additional, despicable choice King David was asserting himself over God; rejecting the warnings of the Holy Spirit; and INVITING the ever-growing influence of the demonic dark kingdom into his soul!
Now pause and think about that my friends, because it could happen to you or me today or any day if we follow the same wrong path, make the same wrong choices David made! David’s unrelenting downward spiral demands that we declare what our plan is to prevent the same demise for us. There must not be any uncertainty, no ambivalence, no apathy, no lethargy… or we have sealed our fate to the same destiny!
May I make a bold suggestion to every person reading this or hearing my voice? Write on a card your defensive action plan which will prevent you from following David’s self-destructive path! Think it through carefully as you read 2 Samuel 11 and personalize your plan for YOU and the vulnerabilities you know you have!
Then, are you ready for this… consider sharing it with your spouse or someone whom you trust who could be an accountability partner. Someone who will, because they love you, bring that card into your face if they perceive you are sliding down the same terrible path of moral failure.
There’s a long gap of time between 2 Samuel 11 & 12. Psalm 32:3,4 is how David later described what he felt in that YEAR during which he lived his lie, his coverup of adultery and murder. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me O God; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” Have you ever lived in secret sin, pretending, lying, and yet inside your deceitfulness and God’s conviction were tearing you apart?
2 Samuel 12 describes what happened when God sent Nathan the prophet to confront morally rebellious King David. Read it slowly and carefully inviting the Holy Spirit to show you if there is any deceitfulness in you that needs to be rooted out! Notice please that finally David acknowledged his sin, but the horrible consequences of David’s sin remained and produced terrible, painful fruit for a long time!
The innocent child conceived in that adultery died! Bathsheba lived with her broken heart for the remainder of her life, even though taken in marriage by David after the death of her faithful husband Uriah. David’s sons did similar, horrible sins that brought profound shame on David’s kingship and caused David to even run for his life from his own sons for a time!
It was during this time King David poured out his repentant heart to God with Psalm 51, one of the most powerful of all the Psalms and I urge you to read it carefully and prayerfully!
By the time we reach the end of 2 Samuel 12 the glorious peace and blessing of God we saw in 2 Samuel 7&9 has been shattered and both King David’s family and the city of Jerusalem are in shambles with broken hearts of shame. This weekend, my friends, prayerfully, carefully read these two chapters. It will be painful but very, very important if we are going to live our lives and lead our families to live God honoring lives that will never experience such moral tragedy!
Very important lessons learned today notes are ready for you at the Grand Narrative link below and I’ve found a very special worship song which draws us close to Jesus as we read these important chapters of God’s Word. And I’ll meet you here again on Monday.
Today’s Scripture: 2 Samuel 11, 12.
Choose below to read or listen.
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2 Samuel 12
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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