Prayer of Repentance
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The sin story - David saw; David wanted; David took.
The sin story - David saw; David wanted; David took.
DAVID SAW: Wasn’t Bathsheba just as much to blame? some will ask, “Didn’t Bathsheba seduce him?” The first thing to note is that she is not bathing on the roof (2 Sam.11:2). It’s David who is on the roof—a normal place to be in the cool of the evening. He ought to be at war with his men, but nevertheless, there he is, bored. We may wonder, why is Bathsheba bathing where he can see her? In David’s day, the city had no indoor plumbing. Bathing normally happened in public. If Bathsheba is bathing in a public pool, then, she can hardly be implicated for immodesty. And if she’s bathing in the courtyard of her own home, her bath is more private than normal. In fact, the text never says that she was naked.
DAVID SAW: Wasn’t Bathsheba just as much to blame? some will ask, “Didn’t Bathsheba seduce him?” The first thing to note is that she is not bathing on the roof (2 Sam.11:2). It’s David who is on the roof—a normal place to be in the cool of the evening. He ought to be at war with his men, but nevertheless, there he is, bored. We may wonder, why is Bathsheba bathing where he can see her? In David’s day, the city had no indoor plumbing. Bathing normally happened in public. If Bathsheba is bathing in a public pool, then, she can hardly be implicated for immodesty. And if she’s bathing in the courtyard of her own home, her bath is more private than normal. In fact, the text never says that she was naked.
Isn’t nakedness an obvious inference? Not necessarily. Dr. Imes remarks that, her family lived for two years in the Philippines and regularly visited a crowded Muslim neighborhood with no indoor plumbing. Despite strict notions of modesty, men and women found ways to scrub clean under adequate cover (usually generous tube skirts for both men and women) in public bathing spaces. There’s a good chance, in that culture at that time, Bathsheba is not even naked -this blows up this idea of her intentionally seducing David.
Isn’t nakedness an obvious inference? Not necessarily. Dr. Imes remarks that, her family lived for two years in the Philippines and regularly visited a crowded Muslim neighborhood with no indoor plumbing. Despite strict notions of modesty, men and women found ways to scrub clean under adequate cover (usually generous tube skirts for both men and women) in public bathing spaces. There’s a good chance, in that culture at that time, Bathsheba is not even naked -this blows up this idea of her intentionally seducing David.
DAVID WANTED David summons her. Does Bathsheba have a choice? Her husband and her father are both soldiers under David’s command. It is uncommon to refuse the king. There can be no doubt that David uses his power and authority over Bathsheba to have her come to him – there is no wooing of her heart - no slowly falling into an affair. Just a king demanding a subject come to him. David does not go to her personally – he sends servants to bring her. In fact, scripture records that David did not even know who she was until that moment. The servant that David tells to go find about Bathsheba makes sure to tell David, “she is the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah.” I think the servant knows what David is thinking here and the servant is subtly getting across the message: she is completely off-limits to you. Doesn’t matter- David sends his men to bring her.
DAVID WANTED David summons her. Does Bathsheba have a choice? Her husband and her father are both soldiers under David’s command. It is uncommon to refuse the king. There can be no doubt that David uses his power and authority over Bathsheba to have her come to him – there is no wooing of her heart - no slowly falling into an affair. Just a king demanding a subject come to him. David does not go to her personally – he sends servants to bring her. In fact, scripture records that David did not even know who she was until that moment. The servant that David tells to go find about Bathsheba makes sure to tell David, “she is the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah.” I think the servant knows what David is thinking here and the servant is subtly getting across the message: she is completely off-limits to you. Doesn’t matter- David sends his men to bring her.
DAVID TOOK: David knows she cannot refuse the king. Bathsheba’s only words in the entire story are “I’m pregnant.” David has put her in a predicament: If her husband returns and finds her pregnant, she could be stoned for adultery. But the situation is not her fault, and David knows it. David used his power and authority as king to get her to the palace – she hadno say in that matter. The idea of two consenting adults engaging in a mutual affair is simply not what we see happening here. At the very least there is a massive power imbalance
DAVID TOOK: David knows she cannot refuse the king. Bathsheba’s only words in the entire story are “I’m pregnant.” David has put her in a predicament: If her husband returns and finds her pregnant, she could be stoned for adultery. But the situation is not her fault, and David knows it. David used his power and authority as king to get her to the palace – she hadno say in that matter. The idea of two consenting adults engaging in a mutual affair is simply not what we see happening here. At the very least there is a massive power imbalance
DAVID TOOK - the life of Uriah Not only this but he orchetrates the murder of Uriah
DAVID TOOK - the life of Uriah Not only this but he orchetrates the murder of Uriah
David attmeots to justify his behaviour: David tells his commander, through whom David orchestrated the orders, leading to Uriah’s death, “Let this matter not be evil in your eyes” (2 Sam. 11:25). David attempts to redefine his own behavior as acceptable. If David had been king of any other ancient Near Eastern kingdom, his actions would have been unremarkable. Kings could do whatever they wanted. But this wasn’t any other kingdom; it was Israel. And David’s power was not absolute, nor did he make the rules. Yahweh did. Nathan the prophet makes absolutely clear that the David had done evil in God’s sight (2 Sam. 12:9). His rebuke lands squarely on David. And David knows he’s in the wrong. David’s response is simply, “I have sinned against YHWH (v. 13).
David attmeots to justify his behaviour: David tells his commander, through whom David orchestrated the orders, leading to Uriah’s death, “Let this matter not be evil in your eyes” (2 Sam. 11:25). David attempts to redefine his own behavior as acceptable. If David had been king of any other ancient Near Eastern kingdom, his actions would have been unremarkable. Kings could do whatever they wanted. But this wasn’t any other kingdom; it was Israel. And David’s power was not absolute, nor did he make the rules. Yahweh did. Nathan the prophet makes absolutely clear that the David had done evil in God’s sight (2 Sam. 12:9). His rebuke lands squarely on David. And David knows he’s in the wrong. David’s response is simply, “I have sinned against YHWH (v. 13).
Does David get off the hook? - no there are still consequences
Does David get off the hook? - no there are still consequences
absalom story - reap what you sow - natural consequences 2 sam. 15-17
Godly sorrow leads to godly repentance
Godly sorrow leads to godly repentance
Psalm 51
Psalm 51
Recogniton of sin - fully honest DAVID OWNS IT
Recogniton of sin - fully honest DAVID OWNS IT
DAVID RELEASES Reliance not on making it right (David can’t make it right) reliance is on God’s love, forgiveness and compassion
DAVID RELEASES Reliance not on making it right (David can’t make it right) reliance is on God’s love, forgiveness and compassion
DAVID TRUSTS God Does not abandon u sin our broknnness
DAVID TRUSTS God Does not abandon u sin our broknnness
