NBBC SS: 2 Samuel 11-12

Introduction: Last week, we considered David’s gracious kindness and the two different responses, one from humility and the other from a place of being deceived.

That high point of David’s kindness will be consumed with the horror of sin in the passage before us.

I will warn you that not only will this be a difficult reflection since it also uncovers areas of our own heart but it’s going to be a hurried reflection.

Therefore, if you have questions beyond the highlights that we hit this morning, let’s make a time to sit together and talk through these things.

2 Samuel 11 “1 Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. 2 Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.

Brothers and sisters, the main emphasis of the verses we just read concerns that of David being at home when he should have been on the battlefield with his military.

I’m sure that we’ve all heard the phrase, “An idle mind is the devil’s playground.”

More specifically, when there’s nothing to do, our sin nature can run amuck suggesting the wrong things to do.

In other words, without the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we are more drawn to sin than to what is pleasing to the Lord.

At the camp that I worked at and was so influential in my life, they had a saying, “Make it hard to sin and easy to do what’s right.”

I would encourage you, take an inventory of the ways that you can make it easier for yourself to develop habits that would make it easier for you to do what is right and harder to sin (Example: listening to the Bible as I sleep).

One other thing that I want you to notice before moving on concerns the response that David is initially given when he makes this inquiry.

3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am pregnant.”

Brothers and sisters, though we’re not told for certain that these folks were intentionally trying to encourage David to avoid sin, they remind David of the truth.

This woman is married!

And, this truth is related to another truth concerning God’s expectation for His people - do not commit adultery.

But, David, acting against this truth and its corollary, took the woman anyway.

Brothers and sisters, David had the truth in front of him but rejected it for his sinful desires.

In our fight with sin, we have to find ways to keep the truth in front of us and desperately seek the Holy Spirit to empower our rejection of temptation and living faithfully according to God’s Word (cf. Mt 6:13).

6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked concerning the welfare of Joab and the people and the state of the war. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and a present from the king was sent out after him. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 Now when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.” 12 Then David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Now David called him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with his lord’s servants, but he did not go down to his house.

Notice, we don’t have to read too much into this to understand what David is attempting to do.

He’s trying to cover up his sin.

Even though he’s not made it explicit, it’s clear that he’s trying to make it look like Uriah fathered this child rather than himself.

But, is David successful at covering up his sin?

No.

At every turn, he’s unsuccessful.

In fact, every effort David makes to get Uriah to visit Bathsheba makes David look worse and Uriah look better (avoids the temptation of the present and drunkenness for faithfulness to duty)!

What will David’s son later say under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? - Proverbs 28:13 “13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.”

It’s quite possible that Solomon learned this firsthand from his father, David.

Let us learn from David’s example and reject our sin so that we don’t even have to consider ways to try to cover it up.

14 Now in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 He had written in the letter, saying, “Place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” 16 So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he put Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 The men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died. 18 Then Joab sent and reported to David all the events of the war. 19 He charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king, 20 and if it happens that the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 ‘Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ” 22 So the messenger departed and came and reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we pressed them as far as the entrance of the gate. 24 “Moreover, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” 25 Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; make your battle against the city stronger and overthrow it’; and so encourage him.” 26 Now when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Brothers and sisters, how would you describe David’s attitude towards the dead from his statement?

He was cold and callous.

People have died and David remarks, “People die everyday.”

Brothers and sisters, this kind of callousness towards loss reveals not only in David’s heart but also in our own, when present, that something is wrong and needs to be dealt with.

Sin deadens our compassion, just like it did in David.

This is shocking because this is the guy who generously gave Mephibosheth all his family’s land and made a permanent place at his table for the former to eat there.

Brothers and sisters, what we are seeing is how sin deceives us into thinking that we’re getting what we want, even when it hurts others (i.e. Bathsheba’s mourning) or even murders them.

What a tragic evaluation that this scene ends with, “the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

This is the first time that the Lord is referenced in this passage.

But it does not nullify the truth of Proverbs 5:21 “21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He watches all his paths.”

The Lord is always watching.

2 Samuel 12 “1 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 “The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 “But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him. 4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. 6 “He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.” 7 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 ‘I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 9 ‘Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.

Brothers and sisters, while this confrontation of David’s sin begins with a parable, notice the two things that the form the foundation for our fight with sin that David forgot.

In vv. 7-8, the Lord reminds David of the former’s faithfulness.

In v. 9, the Lord reminds David that the latter forgot the former’s Word.

Brothers and sisters, what do we need in our fight against sin?

We need to remember God’s faithfulness.

We need to remember God’s Word.

This sounds easy in the SS classroom.

But it’s now and before the temptation that we need to arm ourselves with those reflections on God’s faithfulness and those specific reminders from His Word, to include the warning passages like this one, that we need to be prepared to resort to at a moment’s notice.

What are some reminders of God’s faithfulness that we can arm ourselves with in our aggressive fight against our sin?

2 Samuel 7 - the Lord made David king from humble origins

2 Samuel 7 - the Lord was with David, even during the darkest of times

2 Samuel 7 - the Lord delivered David from the latter’s enemies.

Brothers and sisters, this is but a sampling of the ways in which our God has shown His faithfulness!

And, all these reminders came from God’s Word - so it’s like a 2 for 1!

Notice brothers and sisters what it is that the Lord highlights next.

10 ‘Now therefore, the sword shall never depart [peace] from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 “Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 ‘Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’ ”

First, the sword will never depart from David’s house, or that the Lord would remove peace.

Additionally, that a great evil would be done in David’s family publicly, something that would have otherwise been secret and therefore shameful - hence, shame associated with sin.

Brothers and sisters, sin always comes with the removal of peace and the presence of shame.

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.

David’s response is incredibly revealing.

Notice, David didn’t say, “This is too much for me!” (like Cain).

Instead, he confesses his sin.

And, when David confessed his sin, what did God’s man representing the Lord state?

David was forgiven.

Brothers and sisters, even in the midst of David’s sin, because he has shown humility, he has also received grace.

As Proverbs 28:13 reminded us earlier, the Lord has grace/compassion for those that confess their sin.

14 “However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”

Brothers and sisters, when we read this, this is shocking to us.

Especially now as a dad I think about this little life that died, I grieve in a different way than I had ever known before becoming a father.

But, when we consider the violence done against the reputation of the Lord on account of David’s adultery, deception, and murder, do we grieve that as we would the loss of an infant?

Brothers and sisters, do we take the value of God’s reputation as seriously as what the Lord is encouraging us to here?

When we hear of ministry leaders who had a public face of faithfulness have private, and abhorrent unfaithfulness rise to the surface, do we grieve that assault on God’s reputation like that of hearing about the loss of a child?

Brothers and sisters, this has been a wakeup call to me.

I need to continue to grow in my abhorrence of sin on account of its assault on God’s reputation.

We need to continue to grow in our abhorrence of sin on account of its assault on God’s reputation.

15 So Nathan went to his house. Then the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. 16 David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

Notice, brothers and sisters, even though David knows based on the authority of God’s Word that the former’s son will die, what does he do?

He continues to seek the Lord.

The fact that David continues to seek the Lord, what does it demonstrate that David believes to be true about the Lord?

The Lord is full of mercy and grace.

David states as such in 2 Sam 12:22.

Brothers and sisters, God always remains gracious, even during temptation and after sin.

And, God’s graciousness prompts our diligent pursuit of Him.

This is even when the wake of our sin might prompt otherwise.

18 Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” 20 So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ 23 “But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Brothers and sister, it is significant that the first thing that David does following getting himself presentable, even before he has food, is to worship the Lord in the Lord’s house.

David’s seeking the Lord after the death of his child demonstrates his continued confidence in the Lord though this difficulty occurred.

It also suggests for us that David agrees that the Lord remains righteous in all that He’s done, including the death of this child.

Brothers and sisters, whether it’s your own sin or sin that is done to you, the enemy will try to use that opportunity to dissuade you from seeking the Lord.

The enemy will tempt you to think that God is unrighteous.

Yet, God has not changed despite our sin or the sin of another.

Therefore, you can confidently seek the Lord following your failure or someone else’s failure in sin.

24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and he named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved him 25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah for the Lord’s sake.

Brothers and sisters, as Pastor Chad reminds us, when the Lord brings a new life into this world, it’s a direct evidence of the Lord graciously at work in someone’s life.

There is life after sin.

It’s not going to be the way that it was before sin.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord can restore joy after sin.

Sin need not permanently remove your joy.

But, we must repent and confess our sin.

26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and captured the royal city. 27 Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, I have even captured the city of waters. 28 “Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and camp against the city and capture it, or I will capture the city myself and it will be named after me.” 29 So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it. 30 Then he took the crown of their king from his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city in great amounts. 31 He also brought out the people who were in it, and set them under saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.”

What is it that David has experienced here?

Victory.

Brothers and sisters, there is victory after sin.

Not victory over physical enemies.

But, victory in being able to do what the Lord has given us to do.

Serving the Lord and His people.

Serving our families faithfully.

Faithfully encouraging the Lord’s people to eagerly pursue him.

Brothers and sisters, the enemy wants to discourage us from living to please the Lord, shackled by the weight of the shame associated with our sin that we’ve been forgiven from.

It is nothing but a lie from the enemy that our sin means the end.

Yet, the Lord has victory for those that seek Him, as we’ve seen David confidently do.

Conclusion: While we have yet to finish 2 Samuel, I want you to consider, when do we hear that David did anything remotely like this again (adultery, deception, and murder)?

We don’t. Brothers and sisters, though the price of this discipline was high, David nevertheless learned this hard lesson concerning God’s holiness that followed him to the close of his days. Though there would be other areas of sin that David would have to deal with, he didn’t have to deal with adultery.

Let us learn from David’s example not just with the sin of adultery but with all sin to avoid temptation resulting from idleness, to confess sin, to repent of sin, to avoid sin because of its cost personally and in the community, remembering our gracious God is faithful and brings both life and victory after sin as we seek Him.