Too Late: David Falls into Sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:4)

9/19/2010 7:54:04 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  The committing

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  2Sam. 11:4

            Message of the verses:  “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.”  “4  David sent his agents to get her. After she arrived, he went to bed with her. (This occurred during the time of "purification" following her period.) Then she returned home.”  (Message)

            Dr. Wiersbe points out all some of the questions that arise from this verse and some of the questions that come to mind is how much did Bathsheba have to do with this?  Is it possible that Bathsheba was missing her husband’s affection that she wanted to find some elsewhere?  Did Bathsheba plan this by taking her bath on the roof so others could see her, perhaps even David? 

            The Bible does not answer these questions or many others that come to mind here.  Even though David was king over Israel he did not have the right to commit adultery and therefore he could not force anyone to participate in this because he was king for the king covenant was with Israel and also with God and the Law of God forbid adultery and was punishable by stoning of both parties.

            The fact is that both David and Bathsheba committed a sin against God and the results of this would mean death to four people, five if you include Uriah.  “The wages of sin is death.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that all sin stems from selfishness, getting what you want when you want it no matter what the costs.  This is what happened to David and even if Bathsheba was setting David up he did not have to fall into the trap that was set for him! 

            Sin seems to be always crouching at the door of my life and because I am a new person in Christ I do have the power to say no, but the enemy of my soul is the worst kind of enemy one can have and will do anything to cause me to fall into sin and give into my selfishness.  One of the things that the Lord has been impressing on my heart is to take every though captive to the obedience of Christ, something that is very difficult to do but not impossible with the help of the Holy Spirit and continued study of the Scriptures.  By continuing in my study of the Scriptures I can have the mind of Christ and this is so important if I am to live a life that is pleasing to God.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      Trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not upon my own understanding, in all my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my path.

2.      Give myself to the Lord for worship and service this day.

3.      Continue to strive to learn contentment.

4.      Be protected by the spiritual armor.

5.      Strive to take every though captive to the obedience of Christ.  9/19/2010 8:28:06 AM 

David gets Information about Bathsheba (A Big Mistake) (2 Samuel 11:3)

9/18/2010 6:15:24 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Information

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  2Sam. 11:3

            Message of the verse:  “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?’”

            Dr. Wiersbe writes “When God forbids something and calls it sin; we shouldn’t try to get more information about it.”  This is what David is doing in this verse and when he got the information he found out it was his neighbor’s wife.  The last commandment states that you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife and another commandment states that you shall not commit adultery.  Bathsheba’s husband was one of David’s top soldiers who was fighting for Israel at this time on the battlefield.  Her father was one of David’s mighty men and her grandfather was Ahithophel, who one of David’s trusted counselors, who when the rebellion with Absalom came about would side with Absalom and then would eventually hang himself.

            David knew the law, but he came to the point where that did not matter for he had already committed adultery with Bathsheba in his heart and would now do it physically with her for he had gone too far down the slippery slope of sin.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I quoted in yesterday’s SD 2 Cor. 10:5b where Paul writes about taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  David did not actually know that verse but I’m sure that after this was all over he realized that temptation began in his mind and that would have been the easiest place to put a stop to it before it became sin, and it became sin when he began to dwell on it and that would have been the next easiest place to stop it.

            The spiritual meaning from this verse for me is to stop all of this before it gets this far and also learn to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

2.      Trust the Lord to allow me to be a good witness for Him as I go to our 45^th class reunion this evening.

9/18/2010 6:37:48 AM

   

David's Imagination as He looked at Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:2b)

9/17/2010 5:20:56 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Imagination

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  2Sam. 11:2b

            Message of the verses:  “-and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.”

            “You heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. But as for myself, I am saying to you, everyone who is looking at a woman in order to indulge his sexual passion for her, already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  (Matthew 5:27-28 Wuest’s Expanded Translation) 

            Dr. Wiersbe writes:  “Lead us not into temptation’ was the prayer David should have prayed.  By lingering and looking, David tempted himself.  By sending the messengers, he tempted Bathsheba; and by yielding to the flesh, He tempted the Lord.”

            As I wrote in yesterday’s SD it was that second look that got David in trouble.  When sin enters the mind it is the easiest place to do something about it, for there has been nothing done physically yet.  As far as temptation, that was what happened to David at first when he first looked at Bathsheba bathing and that would have been the best time to rid his mind of the temptation, for temptation is not yet sin, but David took that second look and then did not think of a way to rid his mind of her.  I’m sure that David knew the story of Joseph who ran from temptation when he was confronted and that would have been the thing for him to do, run to another part of his palace.  I guess that thing that disappoints me the most about this is that David acted like one of the kings of the world when he took Bathsheba and slept with her, for this would have been something like several of our former presidents have done as they used their power corruptively.  David however when confronted confessed his sin and that makes me happy for the good example that he set in doing that.

            My Steps of faith for today:  “Taking every thought to make it obedient to Christ” is from the last part of 2Cor. 10:5 and it is a most difficult thing to do, for it is something that takes practice and patience when you fail to do it. 

            I have to write about one more thing David could have done that is probably not in any commentaries, but something that I have thought about since I have struggled with this problem for a very long time.  What I am thinking about is that David had many wives and concubines that could have satisfied his sexual desires when he looked lustfully at Bathsheba and although it probably would have been sinful for him to be thinking about Bathsheba when sleeping with one of his wives or concubines the results would not have been the same, for Uriah would not have been killed by David and therefore the other bad things that happened to David would not have happened.

            Now we come to a more difficult problem, well at least humanely speaking a problem, and that is what probably would be called the providence of God, for God could never cause someone to sin, but according to Romans 8:28 God causes all things to work together for our good and for His glory.  In God’s providence God would chose Solomon to be the next king of Israel to keep the line of David going, and God loved Solomon very much and this is expressed in His Word.  I see this problem in my mind, yet I trust the Lord to work all of this out, and one more thing, and that is that David had great difficulties in his life because of his sin with Bathsheba, so even though this was in the providence of God, David still experienced the pain.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      Continue to remember to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ.

2.      Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.

3.      Trust the Lord to guide and direct my path and also to continue to teach me, and for me to learn contentment.

9/17/2010 6:00:16 AM

David's Big Problem With IDLENESS (2 Samuel 11:1-2a)

/2010 8:00:01 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Idleness

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  2 Samuel 11:1-2a

            Message of the verses:  “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.”

            This SD begins a new chapter in Dr. Wiersbe’s Commentary on 2Samuel, but there is nothing written in 1Chronicles about the sin of David.  Wiersbe entitles this chapter “David’s Disobedience, Deception and Discipline.”  The chapter has seven main points in it and I will begin the first main point, (“The Conceiving”) in this SD.  There are three sub-points under this first main point of which the first is “Idleness.”

            Dr. Wiersbe points to James 1:14-15 at the beginning of his commentary on the first main point, “13 ¶  Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14  But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”  I have included verse thirteen in this SD because I believe that it is important that God is never blamed when I am tempted.

            The writer who is writing under the influence of the Holy Spirit begins by saying that springtime is the time when kings go out to war.  The winter rains have stopped and the weather is warmer and there is an abundance of food available for the soldiers to eat, and that are some of the reasons that these wars began in the spring.  Not the interesting point that the writer makes here is that he shows that David did not go out to this battle, but he stayed home and this was the first step in his sin even though staying home was not a sin David should have been out with his troops advising, for David was a military genius and would have been a great asset to his troops.  This is perhaps another reason that David did not go and this is recorded in 2Samuel 21:15-17, “15 ¶  Now when the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David went down and his servants with him; and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. 16  Then Ishbi-benob, who was among the descendants of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, was girded with a new sword, and he intended to kill David. 17  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish the lamp of Israel."  It is good to remember that 2Samuel is not written chronological order as this even happened before the events in chapter eleven.

            The battle that David sent Joab out to was for him to finish what they had started against Ammon because they had embarrassed those David had sent to console their new king and he got his advice from his young advisers. 

            Up to this point and even when David begins to walk out on the roof there is no sin, but these were things that the enemy would use to tempt David to commit sin.  Perhaps Davis should have been doing things that kept his mind more occupied, things concerning the running of his kingdom.  David was perhaps around fifty years of age and this could be another reason that he did not go out on this battle, but again he could have been very useful helping Joab in a leadership role.  I have heard a saying “idols hands are the Devil’s workshop” meaning that we all should be doing something constructive, but does not mean that we have to be working all of the time in order to be doing something constructive.  David surely was not doing something constructive and it was part of what lead him to his downfall.

            Perhaps someone should have gone with David on this walk so that he would have had some company and then he would not have taken that second look, for looking the first time is sometimes unavoidable, while stopping to take a second look is, but I am getting into the next sub-point.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I can honestly say that getting rid of our cable TV has helped me to be more constructive in my life because I am not just sitting around watching TV.  Last night I viewed a movie that I have on VHS, so that tells me that it was an older movie, somewhere around twenty years old, and I was shocked at how much swearing there was in it because I have not been exposed to that kind of language in a long time because I do not have cable anymore.  This follows what Chip Ingram said would happen when you stop watching TV.

            The point here is that I have to be doing things that are constructive, which David was not doing.  I want to say that I am glad that the Lord has put into His Word these sins that all of these great leaders fallen into as it shows me that they were human, and had the same struggles that I have today, and also that I can learn from their mistakes so that I will hopefully not do the same as they did.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      Continue to trust the Lord to guide our steps as we look to go to Kauai for work and for ministry.

2.      Trust the Lord to make our paths straight and to give us heavenly shock absorbers to handle the bumps along the way.

3.      Give myself to the Lord for worship and for service.

4.      Continue to learn contentment.

9/16/2010 9:16:49 AM

               

David fights Another Battle (2 Samuel 10:15-19)

9/15/2010 8:32:03 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

                                                                                     

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  The second battle

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  2Samuel 10:15-19

            Message of the verses:  “15 ¶  When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16  And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam; and Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer led them. 17  Now when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans arrayed themselves to meet David and fought against him. 18  But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. 19  When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans feared to help the sons of Ammon anymore.”

            This is the section that leads up to the section that talks about David staying home, being idol, and then being tempted by Satan, and finally to that temptation which would change the direction of David’s life and leadership.  It also lead, in the providence of God, for the next king to be born, a man whom the Lord loved, Solomon.

            Back to this section and this is a battle between the Arameans and Israel in which Joab, with David along to be the commander in chief, defeats the Arameans when then become subject to David.  There were many killed including the commander of the army, and this would cause the Arameans to never help the people of Ammon anymore.  Joab would then go and finish the defeating of the people of Ammon the following spring.

            Dr. Wiersbe writes of David, “Because of God’s gifts and help, David undoubtedly became Israel’s greatest king and greatest military genius.  He was blessed with courageous men like Joab and Abishai, plus his ‘might men’ (2Samuel 23; 1 Chronicles 11:10-47).

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that what I can learn from this passage is to finish the job.  Sometimes for me it is easier to begin a project than to stick around and finish it and in this section David finished the job that was began by Joab and Abishai.  Speaking of finishing the job the problem with Tim now seems to be in the past and hopefully finished.  I need to begin to pray that Tim will set his priorities right, and for the most part they seem to be right, and that he will do a good job in knowing how much to support Greg, and have the wisdom to know when to challenge him when he is not following the things that the Bible has to say.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      Trust the Lord to continue to put the pieces together in order for us to go to Hawaii including to help Sandy in her perspective about going there and also finding a place for Aruba to stay.

2.      Give myself to the Lord for Worship and service, trusting that the Lord will use me to accomplish glory for Him.

3.      Trust the Lord to direct my path.

4.      Continue to learn contentment, even if it means staying in N. E. Ohio for the rest of my life.

9/15/2010 9:07:25 AM

David Battles the sons of Ammon (2 Samuel 10:6-14)

9/14/2010 10:11:21 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  The first battle

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  2Samuel 10:6-14

            Message of the verses:  “6 ¶  Now when the sons of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men. 7  When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. 8  The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field. 9  Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans. 10  But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon. 11  He said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. 12  "Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight." 13  So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14  When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.”

            Hunan figured out that it was a great mistake to listen to the young advisors that he had with him and so the only thing left for him to do was to spend 1000 talents of silver to get some soldiers of fortune who were not so fortunate at all.

            The delegates could wait at Jericho to have their beards grow back in and receive new clothes, and while this was happening David would send Joab to fight the sons of Ammon and those that Ammon hired.

            During the battle Joab realized that the battle was to be fought on two fronts and so he gave part of the troops to his brother Abishai and he kept the other part.  Joab told his brother Abishai to help him if he needed help or he would help him if he needed help and then told Abishai “and may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”  The LORD gave victory to the army of Israel as they defeated many of the troops and some ran to the city to seek shelter. 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In yesterday’s SD I mentioned the trouble that we had with our son-in-law that we felt that because the Bible teaches that young men are not to serve as leaders until they are older and part of the problem was because he was too young to serve as a deacon.  Now in today’s SD I see something that may have to do with our work in Hawaii, and that is we are not sure how things will work out and are a bit frightened to go, but feel that this may be what God has for us to do and so perhaps my attitude should be the same as Joab had when he said “may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      Trust the Lord to guide our path today and for the future as we trust Him to work in our lives and led us to the place that He wants us to be in order to serve Him, and that He would give us the strength and power to accomplish things for His glory.

9/14/2010 10:36:46 AM 

Administration in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 8:15-18)

09/09/2010 7:58:35 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Administration in Jerusalem

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  2Sam. 8:15-18; 1Chron. 18:15-18

            Message of the verses:  “15 ¶  So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people. 16  Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder. 17  Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary. 18  Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

“15  Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16  and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was secretary; 17  and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were chiefs at the king’s side.”

In a footnote on this section Dr. Wiersbe points out that the book of 2Samuel ends a major division with lists of people’s names and so this is the end of a division in 2^nd Samuel giving the names of the people who served under David in various positions.  I am not going to go over all of these names like Dr. Wiersbe did in his commentary because I have a very difficult time in following them, for example one of these men had four different names given in different places of the Bible.  Joab was the head of David’s army even though he had committed murder along with his brother.  There are two priests names who were priests during David’s reign.  Seraiah, (the one with four names), was the secretary, and from what I have read this is a very important position kind of like our secretary of state. Benaiah the head of these people from another country who were David’s bodyguards and Benaiah was also a priest and this is rather unusual to have a priest in this position.

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I have been studying about leadership and what makes up a good leader, and one of the things that I have learned is that a good leader always realizes that he is second in command, David realized that God was in command and that He used David to lead the people of Israel under His command.  David was a good leader, as David was a man after God’s own heart.

I desire to be a good leader in my home, but have failed on far too many occasions.  I have confessed these sins to the Lord asking for His forgiveness.  I see my biggest problem in this area is being to certain and not allowing the Lord to show me what He wants done.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      Wait on the Lord to lead me along the path that He wants me to go.

2.      Work on taking every thought captive.

9/9/2010 8:39:39 AM