The Bible clearly reveals the sins of God's people, but never in such a way that sin is made acceptable. Unlike the so-called "true to life" books of today, the Bible states the facts and draws out the lessons, but allows nothing for the imagination to dwell on. There are some things that "are a shame to speak of" (Eph. 5:12), and the events in this chapter must be studied with a Spirit-directed mind and heart ... "considering ourselves, lest we also be tempted" (Gal. 6:1).

OUTLINE OF THE CHAPTER:

I. DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY - (1-5)

II. DAVID DECEIVES URIAH - (6-13)

III. DAVID INSTRUCTS JOAB TO "SET UP" URIAH - (14-17)

IV. JOAB SENDS DAVID THE "GOOD NEWS" - (18-25)

V. DAVID TAKES BATHSHEBA TO WIFE - (26,27)

 

I. DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY - (1-5)

At this point in David's life he is no longer a young man. The sin is not one committed in the immature passion of youth. David is a middle-aged man who deliberately, with malice of forethought, violates the clearly understood law of the God he professes to love and serve. A number of ingredients blend themselves together warning us that a fall was imminent.

First, David had become self-confident after enjoying victory and prosperity. Secondly, he was disobedient, staying at home when it was time to go to war. This led to thirdly, the idle time that David had on his hands. "An idle mind is the Devil's workshop..." and so it is. Fourthly, David was self indulgent, giving freedom to his sexual desires when he should have and certainly could have, restrained himself. The temptation was not nearly as intense as the pressure that Potiphor's wife applied to Joseph in (Gen. 39), and yet, Joseph resisted. Lastly, in his idleness he was careless allowing his eyes to wander yielding to the lust of the flesh and eyes. See (Jas. 1:13-15). David is not merely "looking" or "seeing," the scriptures are careful to tell us that he "looked upon" (vs. 2) Bathsheba.

Note the chain of events:

[1]. David sent Joab and tarried
[2]. at eveningtide arose from off his bed
[3]. the woman was beautiful to look upon
[4]. "David sent and enquired after this woman"
[5]. "took her"
[6]. "and he lay with her."

There are a number of places where David could have made the right decision but made the wrong decision in each case. "And the woman conceived" (vs. 5) ... this simple little "innocent affair" now has a few minor complications (don't they all?).

 

II. DAVID DECEIVES URIAH - (6-13)

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper." - (Prov. 28:13). David could have come to himself at this time and made things right with God, but he decided he would straighten this mess out himself.

Uriah, the mercenary Hittite soldier, is off to war, he's where David should be. David realizes that Uriah will not be very pleased to find his wife "expecting" when he returns from the battle. David concocts a plan to bring Uriah home on R&R, get him together with Bathsheba, and the fruit of his escapade will not be so obvious, what's a few weeks in a pregnancy? Men can't count anyway.

Uriah shows up at David's doorstep by personal invite. David converses with Uriah in small talk, feeds him a good meal, and is sure that he'll go home for the night. "But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house" (vs. 9). The next morning David questions Uriah, "why didn't you go home last night?" David is about to be on the receiving end of the most convicting sermon ever preached to him. Uriah is not a Jew, he's an Hittite, yet, Uriah is more concerned about the ark, Israel, Judah, Joab, the servants, than the king himself'. "Shall I then go ... and lie with my wife? ... I will not do this thing," but David would, and did!!! David asks him to tarry hoping he'll break. The last night he's home, David gets him drunk (Hab. 2:15) hoping that once Uriah loosens up a bit, he'd get with the program. "Curses, foiled again!"

III. DAVID INSTRUCTS JOAB TO "SET UP" URIAH - (14-17)

Uriah becomes the messenger carrying his own "death warrant." One sin leads to another, what began as tarrying at a time when king's go to battle, becomes conspiracy to murder.

David instructs Joab to make Uriah "point man" in his platoon. The average life span of the point man in combat is somewhere around 8-12 seconds. "Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle ... that he may be smitten and die" (vs. 15). I am sure that the respect that Joab had for David began to wane at this point, yet, Joab did not have the guts to question the order of his king.

 

IV. JOAB SENDS DAVID THE "GOOD NEWS" - (18-25)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Bathsheba is "showing" and the neighbors are beginning to get interested in a potential cover story for True Confessions magazine.

This must have been one of the lowest points of David's life. The guilt of sin yet unconfessed, the pregnant lady next door, and the prospect of "good news" from the battlefront, send David to the depths of spiritual and emotional depression. What once sounded like a good idea does not sound so good any longer. "Oh God, what have I done?"

With Uriah dead, Joab sends a messenger back to headquarters to announce "mission accomplished." Joab anticipates that David will respond with a biblical example to the news of the battlefield casualties. Notice (vs. 21), a reference to (Judg. 9:53). A stern warning and profound lesson lies here waiting for the Christian to grab: One can be straight doctrinally, knowing the Book from cover to cover, and still be as crooked as a dog's hind leg.

David pretends that the messengers announcement is of little consequence..."for the sword devoureth one as well as another" (vs. 25). "Those are the breaks." David's solution to the problem has been successfully perpetrated on Uriah, but David's troubles have just begun.

V. DAVID TAKES BATHSHEBA TO WIFE - (26,27)

Bathsheba does not appear to be nearly as guilty as our "hero." David does not conspire with her to eliminate her "hubby' and at the news of Uriah's death, she genuinely mourns the loss.

David does the noble, upright, self righteous thing in taking the poor little pregnant widow into his stables. The neighbors are not knowledgeable of the affair, for all they know Uriah did spend an evening home while he was on R&R. The matter is closed as far as David is concerned for only he, Bathsheba and God know what has happened...and oh yes, Nathan. (12:7).

"But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord." (vs. 27). See (1 Ki. 15:3-5).