Crouching at your Door.

There are a handful of big mistakes you can make when you decide to explain a passage in the Old Testament. And what’s interesting about these mistakes is that they’re sort of cyclical. Here’s what I mean. A generation of preachers will wholeheartedly embrace one aspect of the Old Testament, and wholeheartedly reject all of the other aspects. And about 50 or 60 years later, another generation of preachers will shake their fists and their grandfathers, and wholeheartedly reject that aspect of the Old Testament which their grandfather’s embraced. And then they’ll waste no time in rushing to quite another aspect of the Old Testament to embrace at the expence of all the others. And so it goes, generation after generation. History repeats itself, and the cycle begins anew.

We are not immune to this ebb and flow.

When our grandfathers turned backward to the dusty pages of the Old Testament, they did so to teach moral lessons. Saul’s was a story about failed leadership. David’s was a story about courage through adversity. Esther’s was a story about strength of character. The pages of the Old Testament were written to teach us how to behave.

Well, Papaw, that is not the point of the Old Testament! The Old Testament is about Jesus.

And the pendulum swings all the way to the other side.

Lucky for you, the young buck have

To be fair, if you’re going to err, err on the side of reading Jesus behind every single word of this book. But to say that the Old Testament wasn’t written to teach us how to fight sin, how to trust God, how to cling in faith, how to love God’s people, how to give one’s life for one’s brothers — in a word, to say that the Old Testament is all about King Jesus but has nothing to say about preparing for his Kingdom — is ludicrous.

So today we are going to read a story that will teach us how to fight sin.

There are very few principles of reading that apply to nearly every single good book ever written. But one of them is this:

The first pages of a good book teach you how to read the rest of it. In a very well written story, the beginning is foundational. Everything builds upon the beginning. It is the framework through which you must read all that follows.

And even though that’s the case, and even though everybody knows it, I’m always amazed at those parts of Genesis we focus on, and those parts which we do not.

I want get us started this morning by quickly reading a story that I don’t think gets as much attention as it deserves.

Genesis 4:1–7 ESV

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

I want to reflect on these words for just a moment. It may be helpful to point out that Cain was the first murderer, and so this story bears a unique relationship to the one we’re about to read. But beyond that, I want to show you something about this story by way of Wikipedia.

want to read you something else.

Notice that Cain was the first murderer, and so this story bears a unique relationship to the one we’re about to read. But beyond that, I want to show you something about this story by way of Wikipedia.

This is the Wikipedia entry under the terms, “Cain and Abel.”

In the biblical Book of Genesis, Cain[a] and Abel[b] are the first two sons of Adam and Eve.[1] Cain, the firstborn, was a farmer, and his brother Abel was a shepherd. The brothers made sacrifices to God, each of his own produce, but God favored Abel's sacrifice instead of Cain's. Cain then murdered Abel, whereupon God punished Cain to a life of wandering.

Okay. Now what’s wrong with that description? Look, you ask 99 passersby on any city street about the story of Cain and Abel, and if they remember anything, that’s what they’ll remember. You ask most Christians about this story, and that’s what they’ll remember, too. But what’s missing?

What’s missing?

God speaks. God speaks, which in itself is a big deal - because God when God speaks the universe becomes, and when God speaks the direction of human history changes. But what does he say, when he speaks?

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Now, I don’t think it’s accidental that these words are precise enough to address Cain’s very situation, yet broad enough to address literally every time anyone ever in the history of humanity has ever been tempted to sin. God has a way with words.

And this story, just pages in the Scriptures, is a framework to understand how sin works.

God has a way with words. And this story, just pages in the Scriptures, is a framework to understand how sin works.

“If you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door.”

We’re going to explore the meaning of those words today, and we’re going to do it by reading the story of the fall of David.

Turn with me to .

2 Samuel 10 ESV

After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?” So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away. When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.” When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men. And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country. When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem. But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates. They came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.

I want to stop here for a moment and take a breath.

The first thing you need to know about this passage is that it sets the context for everything that follows. Perhaps the second most famous story in David’s life, next to Goliath, revolves around Bathsheba. And you may have some idea of what happens next, but you cannot understand fully what happens in that story without absorbing the context, and chapter 10 gives you that context.

The second thing I want you to notice is that the narrative never skips a beat. We’ve just read chapters 8 and 9, both of which highlight David’s might, equity, justice, kindness, generosity. As we turn the page, we find, again, David being David. He is a kind king, and he’s faithful to his promises, and he’s loyal to his allies.

David here receives word that that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, had died. Now the Ammonites had been defeated by Israel years ago, and had since given tribute to the King of Israel as a part of a formal peace treaty. And here we find that David, because he’s generous and loyal, sends comforters to the son of Nahash.

But things get messy from here.

The “princes,” or nobles among the Ammonites, whisper lies in the King’s ear. These men aren’t here to comfort you, they’re here to ruin you. The fool king believes the lies, and he responds accordingly.

David’s emissaries are shamed and sent away, and this makes David angry.

Now, prior to this point you shouldn’t think twice about David’s behavior. He’s compassionate toward his allies. He comforts his people. He’s exactly the sort of king you’d expect him to be, and exactly the sort of king he’s been in the last few chapters.

But let’s pick it up in verse 6.

2 Samuel 10:6–7 ESV

When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men.

2 Samuel

Now, as far as we know this is a first. “When David heard of it, he sent Joab.” Those words are new. David has, to this point, led the armies of Israel into battle. Indeed, it was why Israel asked for a king in the first place. It is the expectation. The people of Israel shouted, all the way back in , “There shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and — wait for it — go out before us and fight our battles!”

Here, David doesn’t go, he sends.

Now, it’s too soon to jump to conclusions. This is, after all, a small force relative to those whom David has recently crushed. The author tells us that David sends his “mighty men” into battle, but makes no mention of “all Israel.” Perhaps David underestimated the nature of the approaching armies. In either case, David sends Joab into what becomes a perilous situation.

Joab and his men are surrounded, facing an army toward the north, at the entrance of the city, and an entirely different army to the south. They will be fighting this battle on two fronts — never a great idea.

Yet listen to the words of Joab.

2 Samuel 10:12 ESV

Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”

Stop for a moment and reflect on those words. Who does this sound like? What valiant warrior shouts cries of confidence in the Lord’s strength in the face of mighty armies?

Joab, not David, stirs the faith of the mighty men. Joab, not David, acts as King and Priest before the enemies of God’s people.

And that, I think, is a major clue that something is off here.

God gives Joab victory, and the Syrians flee from before him, only to gather together and summon a greater force. As the dust gathers on the horizon, finally David stirs, recognizing that this seemingly minor obstacle has become a threat to the nature of his Kingdom. David leads the rest of his armies — all Israel — to support the mighty men against the renewed Syrian forces. And that’s a relief. We see David, once again, as we’ve always expected him. Mighty and valiant, leading the armies of Israel against her enemies. The Syrians are defeated, and the Ammonites flee in rebellion. David is victorious by the grace of God.

Let’s pick it up in chapter 11.

2 Samuel 11:1 ESV

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

Okay, stop.

The pace quickens here, so you’ve got to gather yourself and pay careful attention. The first sentence gives us three important pieces of information.

Kings are expected to go to war in the spring.

This spring, rather than going himself, David sent Joab to lead all the armies of Israel.

While his armies waged war againts the Ammonites, David remained at Jerusalem.

The implications of this extraordinary sentence will become even more clear as the story progresses. But notice that our building suspicions about David’s absence in chapter 10 have been confirmed. He has begun to send Joab on his behalf. Joab is leading the armies of Israel. And we aren’t sure why, but we know now that this is contrary to the people’s expectations of their king. Indeed, David’s absence is conspicuous — all Israel is waging war against the Ammonites. Just not David. He’s back home.

Keep reading.

2 Samuel 10:2–5 ESV

And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?” So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away. When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

2 Samuel 11:2–5 ESV

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

It happened. What a way to start this paragraph. It happened, late one afternoon.

LCsylvan

2 Samuel 11 ESV

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. 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. When they told David, “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?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, 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? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast 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.’ ” So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

Let me ask you a question. And I want you to think about it, because the implications for your daily life are extraordinary.

How did it happen? It happened, the text says. And I want you to ask how. How did it happen? What led to this series of events. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing. It happened. How? What series of events caused it to happen?

You could almost choke on the irony of the situation, it’s so thick in this paragraph.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch.

As his men were risking their lives, spending their blood on the battlefield.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch.

As the armies of Israel dwelt in tents on hard ground, as they left families and farms behind.

David stopped fighting. David stopped leading. That’s how. David stopped making war. David stopped protecting his people. That’s how. He sat down. And he sent his best friends and his closest allies to the battlefield, he sent the armies of Israel to die on his behalf while he sat down and took a load off. That’s how.

The good king doesn’t sit down until the work of rescuing his people is finished.

It happened that David saw a naked woman bathing. So he sent for his servants because he wanted to sleep with her.

There isn’t a shade of ambiguity in their response. “King David,” they say, “This is Bathsheba, Eliam’s daughter and Uriah’s wife.”

And at that moment David should have stopped in his tracks. Because these men are counted among David’s closest allies. Bathsheba was the daughter of one of David’s most valiant warriors. David fought alongside Eliab, he must have watched Eliab return from the battlefield in victory and embrace his wife and his young daughter. Not only that, this was the granddaughter of David’s most trusted counselor. Ahithopel, the father of Eliab, sat near the throne and gave counsel to the King. He was wise, and he had earned David’s respect, and how much closer must they have been, if David fought alongside his son? Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, was counted among David’s mighty men — more significantly, he was numbered among the 30 finest soldiers of Israel. Uriah spent himself on David’s behalf as he fled from Saul in the wilderness. He was among the least of these whom David had received in his darkest days, who would establish his throne by their sweat and blood and tears. The might of God worked to establish David’s throne through the sling of Uriah, and the sword of Eliab, and the counsel of Ahithopel. And so to take Uriah’s wife, Eliab’s daughter, Ahithopel’s grandaughter in an act of lust would be to spit upon their lifelong efforts to labor on behalf of a better King.

Nevertheless, he persisted.

You should know a few things about the law of Israel to understand the gravity of David’s actions.

First, Adultery was a capital offense. Anyone who commits adultery is to be stoned. So when Bathsheba reports that she’s pregnant, it’s a serious problem. David’s best case scenario, when Uriah returns and discovers that she’s pregnant, he’ll report it and she’ll be killed. David’s worst case scenario is that somehow he didn’t cover his tracks, or maybe she speaks up, or maybe his servants speak up, and maybe all of the people of Israel learn simultaneously that David has earned the death penalty under the law of the God whom he pretends to serve.

Nevertheless, he persisted.

David sent for her, and he took her, and he slept with her. And then he sent her away.

In not so many weeks, Bathsheba sends word that she’s pregnant.

Keep reading.

2 Samuel 11:6–13 ESV

So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. 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. When they told David, “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?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, 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? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

Uriah is a foil in this story. Do you know what a foil is? Sometimes an author will place two characters directly next to one another. And he’ll choose to describe their actions in such a way that they become a sort of inverse to one another. All of the sudden you see the darkness of the one character on full display because of the stunning light of the other. Uriah is a foil to David — his instincts, his decisions, his values are an inverse of David’s.

So when David learns that Bathsheba is pregnant, he immediately sends for Uriah. Because maybe if he can get them in a room together then everyone will assume that he’s the father. To a suspiciously overweight premature child.

First, Adultery was a capital offense. Anyone who commits adultery is to be stoned. So when Bathsheba reports that she’s pregnant, it’s a serious problem. David’s best case scenario, when Uriah returns and discovers that she’s pregnant, he’ll report it and she’ll be killed. David’s worst case scenario is that somehow he didn’t cover his tracks, or maybe she speaks up, or maybe his servants speak up, and maybe all of the people of Israel learn simultaneously that David has earned the death penalty under the law of the God whom he pretends to serve.

So when David learns that Bathsheba is pregnant, he immediately sends for Uriah. Because maybe if he can get them in a room together then everyone will assume that he’s the father. To an suspiciously overweight premature child.

Yet something happens here that sets David’s sin in stark relief. Uriah refuses to go home.

And watch how it happens, because the nobility and honor and faithfulness of Uriah is incredible. Uriah follows his orders, and he goes and brings report to the king. And when the king asks him to go home and take a load off — he doesn’t at this point protest. He leaves the king’s presence and then he turns from his path and sleeps in the servants quarters. He doesn’t make a big deal of his honor. He just decides, “No, that wouldn’t be right.” And he does it humbly and quietly. It isn’t until David calls him out that he explains why. And when you read these words it should cause you to reflect on David’s extraordinary, striking failure.

Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, 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? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”

As the LORD lives, how could I relax on my couch when the armies of Israel and the ark of God are on the battlefield? That’s an excellent question. Notice Uriah’s words — to lie with my wife.

My wife. David does all these things that Uriah can’t even imagine doing - he relaxes and eats and drinks when the armies of Israel exhaust themselves on the battlefield. And he doesn’t hesitate to take another man’s wife. Uriah’s response pierces to the heart of David’s sin. And if David isn’t feeling about three inches tall at this point, he should be.

Yet sin begets sin, and David persists.

David tries again, and this time he gets Uriah drunk. But again Uriah doesn’t waver. Drunk Uriah is ten times the man that is sober David, strolling about his palace.

Keep reading.

2 Samuel 11:14–26 ESV

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast 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.’ ” So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband.

2 Samuel 11:14–22 ESV

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast 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.’ ” So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell.

2 Samuel 11:14–27 ESV

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast 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.’ ” So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

2 Samuel

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2 Samuel 11:12

David panics because Uriah is a good man. David panics because Uriah is a better man.

Yet if Uriah returns without sleeping with Bathsheba, all will be lost - he will be caught, found out, held accountable. Sin begets sin, and David persists.

David wrote a letter to Joab - effectively sending Uriah away carrying his own notice of execution.

At this point, Joab has led his forces to besiege Rabbah, a major Ammonite city. There was no immediate risk here to the armies of Israel, because they were playing a waiting game. But to obey the command of the King, Joab was forced to create conflict. So he placed valiant men in a compromised position in order to secure the death of Noble Uriah. And some of those guys die, too. The consequences of David’s lust has already claimed the lives of many faithful sons of Israel.

Notice David’s relief when he learns of the death of his close friend, Uriah. Notice David’s relief when he learns of the death of his loyal soldier’s son-in-law. Notice David’s relief when he learns that his faithful counselor’s granddaughter is a widow. He comforts Joab - the audacity of his words should shake you. “The sword devours now one and now another.” He says, “Now go back to the battle and defeat my enemies.”

Sin begets sin, and David persists. He comforts Joab, “The sword devours now one and now another.” He says, “Now go back to the battle and defeat my enemies.”

Sin begets sin, and David is a shadow of the man he was, just a few months ago.

So what happened? Just a moment ago we were reading of David’s justice. Now he’s an adulterer, a murderer,, a fiend. The worst kind of betrayal unfolds by his hand. He spends the blood of good men to cover up his adulterous appetites.

What happened?

Genesis 4:6–7 ESV

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

If you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.

We’ve only read the first half of this story, and that’s on purpose. Because I don’t want to miss this story’s implications. This story has something to teach us about the nature of sin. It has something to teach us about how to fight sin.

And the key to fighting sin lies in the answer to that question. What happened?

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch. Yeah, sure, all that happened. But HOW did it happen?

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch. How did it happen?

If you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.

You’re in luck. Because today I’m going to give you a sneak preview into a book I’m writing, it’s going to change the direction of Evangelical America. It’s going to spark a revolution, this book. I call it a one-step program for fighting sin. And it’s only one page long, with really big letters, so everybody will have time to read it. You ready for this?

“How to fight sin.”

Step one: DO WELL.

DO WELL.

That’s it. That’s the secret. You want to kill the sin that’s been haunting your heart? You want to stop struggling with that one sin, day after day after day? Here’s the key: Do well.

Look, David’s fight with sin didn’t begin on that couch. David’s fight against sin began on the day when he stopped fighting for Israel. He stopped chasing a kingdom free from her enemies. He stopped chasing a kingdom established. He stopped chasing after a people protected. David’s fight against sin began on the day when he mailed it in, rested on his laurels.

As soon as David stopped actively daily pursuing the Kingdom of God, sin was crouching at his door.

I want to be very clear here, because this is the foundation upon which you will fight your sin.

David’s problem was not that he caught a vision of a woman bathing. David’s problem was that he lost the vision of the kingdom.

And if you’re haunted by sin, that’s your problem too.

Have you been wrestling with pornography for years? Is lust killing you? Is it crippling your family, is it threatening your job, is it strangling your joy? Look, man, your problem is not that you see sketchy ads on Google. Your problem is not that your coworkers don’t dress modestly enough. You’re wandering on your roof, glancing about town while the armies of Israel spill their blood. Your problem is not that you’ve caught a glimpse of a woman bathing. Your problem is that you lost a vision for the kingdom.

Show me a man who spills his blood on behalf of the kingdom. Show me a man who bears the burdens of his brothers. Show me a man who fulfills the law of Christ by carrying his cross to see the love of Jesus proclaimed and I’ll show you a man who isn’t drowning in sin.

Your problem, man, is that you stopped waging war. You stopped making ready a people prepared. You stopped pleading in prayer. You stopped serving. You stopped renewing your vision in the word of God. You forgot the hope that you once had — you forgot the hope of a kingdom not of this world, a kingdom worth spending every moment of your day on, a kingdom worth dying for.

Your problem, man, is that you stopped going to battle on behalf of the King of Kings. You stopped laboring for your bothers and sisters in the faith. You stopped proclaiming the beauty of the gospel. You stopped burning the midnight oil to discover the mystery of the scriptures. You stopped dying for your bride. You stopped waging war and instead you chose to stay home and hit the couch.

That’s why you can’t kill your addiction to pornography.

You’ve been wrestling your pride for ages. Every season of your life is punctuated by episodes of your uncontrollable pride, and you can’t seem to shake it off. Your problem is not that you’ve caught a vision of your own grandeur, your problem is that you’ve lost a vision of the glory of the King of Kings. The Kingdom which is the hope and end of your faith is bigger and better than you. It is worth your blood and your sweat and your tears and your minutes and your hours and your days. Your pride is getting in the way because you stopped preparing for that kingdom. You lost a vision for that kingdom.

Crouching at your Door.

Morality and the Bible

Establishing the framework.

The fall of David.

Do well.

If you do not do well...

Sin is crouching at your door.

Do well.

If you do not do well...

Sin is crouching at your door.

A framework for fighting sin.