Daivd's Failure
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Throughout our study we have seen a comparison between the kingship of Saul and David. When we studied Saul, he lost the kingdom because he refused to do what God told him to do.
David is referred to “A Man After God’s Own Heart.” But in our passage today we find that his actions seem to tell a much different story. Like you and me, David may have been a man after God’s own heart, but he still sinned—and sinned greatly!
David’s Mistake
David’s Mistake
In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
In the spring it was normal for kings to go off to war. But David didn’t go off to war! He stayed in the comfort of his palace while sending Joab and his army off to do the “dirty work.”
David’s Second Mistake
David’s Second Mistake
One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.
He Saw
He Saw
The idea here is that he kept looking. In fact, it even has the idea of spying upon, or watching intently, even examine.
This was far more than a casual glance! No David saw, and kept seeing!
He saw a beautiful woman bathing.
He Inquired
He Inquired
He wanted to know who this beauty was!
—She’s Bathsheba
—She’s the daughter of Eliam
—She’s the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Now Uriah was one of David’s mighty men of valor. He was one of David’s most elite soldiers. And he was fiercely loyal to David!
He Sent
He Sent
Notice verse 4.
Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.
—He sent for her, and his intent was NOT good!
He Sinned
He Sinned
—He slept with her—see I told you his intent was not good.
—Little side note: She was purifying herself from her monthly uncleaness—this was a clue that she could easily become pregnant—but David proceeded anyway!
The Result David’s “Mistakes”
The Result David’s “Mistakes”
The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”
Sure enough, Bathsheba is now pregnant.
Attempted Cover up
Attempted Cover up
Attempt Number 1
Attempt Number 1
So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David.
David sends for Uriah to come and report to him.
When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him.
—David gets the report.
—And David sends Uriah home to visit his wife. Notice the euphemism, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” David is telling Uriah to go home and see his wife—and have sleep with her (to cover up his deeds).
—David even sends Uriah a gift (we’re not told what the gift was, but he receives a gift).
Uriah’s Nobility
Uriah’s Nobility
But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.
—Uriah refused to go to his house.
—So David sends for him again.
David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”
Uriah’s Response
Uriah’s Response
Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”
Uriah is so righteous he refuses to enjoy the company of his wife while the ark of God, and the armies of Israel and Judah are out in the battle. And Uriah is adamant, saying, “I will not do such a thing!”
Attempt Number 2
Attempt Number 2
Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.
Stay Longer!
Stay Longer!
Stay one more day—so Uriah does.
At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.
—David gets Uriah drunk.
—But Uriah still sleeps on his mat with the other servants of David, and he didn’t go home.
New Plan!
New Plan!
So far, David’s plans to cover up his sin with Bathsheba have failed! So now he comes up with a new plan. A drastic plan! A plan of betrayal at the deepest kind!
In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”
David Writes a Letter
David Writes a Letter
Send Uriah to the front lines, where the fighting is the worst. Then pull back away from him, and let the enemy kill him!
Joab’s Response
Joab’s Response
So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.
—The Israelites are fighting against the city.
—Uriah is right in the middle of the most fierce fighting.
—A pretty large group of David’s men are killed.
—Most importantly, Uriah the Hittite died.
Message to David
Message to David
Joab sent David a full account of the battle.
—So Joab sends a messenger with a bad message back to David.
—He knows David is not going to like the news.
—So Joab tells the messenger to end with this message:
Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’ ”
“Moreover your servant Uriah the Hittite is DEAD!”
So David believes that his plan has worked! Uriah the Hittite is dead and no one will know what he did!
He completes the cover up, by taking Bathsheba home as his wife.
But he did not get away with it, because God saw what he did and God was not pleased with what he did! Look at verse 27.
After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.
That is a sad phrase. “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.”
When we come to chapter 12—God sends the prophet Nathan to rebuke David.
Nathan’s Rebuke
Nathan’s Rebuke
When Nathan comes to David, he tells him a story.
Telling the Story:
Telling the Story:
There were two men—a rich man who had a great number of sheep and cattle. Then there was a poor man, and all he had was one little sheep. He loved the little sheep, and shared everything with the lamb. In fact, he loved that little lamb so much that the poor man took care of it like it was one of his children.
Now the rich man had a visitor come to visit. And the rich man didn’t want to sacrifice one of his many, many animals to feed his guest, so he stole the poor man’s little sheep. He killed it and used it to feed his guest!
David’s Reaction:
David’s Reaction:
Now remember that before he was king, David was a shepherd. As a shepherd, he loved his sheep. He spent hours tending and caring for his sheep! So the thought of someone stealing and killing someone else’s little lamb was more outrageous to him. So when he hears Nathan’s story, he becomes indignant. Look at verse 5.
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
—The man must die!
—He must pay for the lamb 4 times over!
God’s Proclamation to David
God’s Proclamation to David
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
God lists all the things that He had done for David.
God wants to know how David could despise all that God did for him and murder Uriah the Hittite. God knows that David didn’t actually stab Uriah—but David ordered his death.
God’s Judgement
God’s Judgement
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ”
—David’s household will face calamity from within.
—One of David’s wives will be defiled by someone close to him—and in broad daylight.
David’s Response to God
David’s Response to God
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
—“I have sinned before the Lord.”
Because of his repentant heart, God says, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”
The Child Will Die
The Child Will Die
God’s continued His judgment.
But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”
Here’s the thing. When we sin, God is always ready to forgive us. That’s the beauty of 1 John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
But God does not take away the consequences of our sins. There was still a baby born, and the baby still died—according to God’s proclamation.
David’s Restoration
David’s Restoration
Joab calls David to war! Jump down to verse 26.
Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.” So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it.
—David goes and captures Rabbah of the Ammonites.
—He also captured the royal citadel.
—David took the crown off the king’s head, and put it on his head. And the crown was made of gold weighing about 75 pounds!
So What?
So What?
We need to guard our hearts!
—What we focus on leads us to making inquires.
—Inquires leads us to pursuing sin.
—Sin causes us to be separated from God.
We learn that God forgives us from our sin—but that doesn’t mean he will erase the consequences of our sins.
And even though God forgives us, sometimes bad things still happen.
God is the God of second chances—and even third, forth and unlimited chances.