- Sermon Notes
- Scripture
Instruction From David’s Great Sin
2 Samuel 11:1-27
Since beginning our study of the book of 2 Samuel, I have mentioned on several occasions that the book can be divided into three sections. The book is largely centered on the life and times of King David and if you divided the book, chapters one to ten could be called “David’s triumphs;” section two would be chapters 11 and 12 could be called “David’s transgression;” and chapters 13 to 24, “David’s troubles.”
In our study of David we have seen many amazing characteristics, triumphs, and truths. We know he was a shepherd in his early life, referenced as a many after God’s own heart, he was servant, he was a valiant warrior, one who showed persistence and patience as he waited patiently for his opportunity to become king with Saul in place, though he had been anointed the next king. We saw him show mercy, compassion, longsuffering, and his ways, in many ways have pointed us to the King of Kings; but in chapter 11, where we turn this morning, we find ourselves given great detail regarding David’s greatest tragedy.
1 Kings 15:5, David did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and did not deviate from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.
The case of Uriah the Hittite involves the sin David committed with Bathsheba and against a man named Uriah. The heading in my Bible leading into the section reads this way, “Bathsheba, David’s great sin. With that in mind I have titled this message, “Instruction from David’s Great Sin.”
Romans 15:4, Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Illus. Instruction.
Read: 2 Samuel 11:1-5
From verses one and two we get a bit of the context of the text. There is a defined time, the springtime, and there is a war going on with the Ammonites. This war has set the broader context of the text. From chapter 10, we know that the Ammonites have a new king. David initially wanted to show kindness to that king because his father had shown kindness to David, but that king believed it was a trap. The Ammonites then mistreated David’s men, called in reserves and went after the Israelites. David sent his men to war, but the Ammonites would not let up. It was then that David himself went out to war and dealt them a significant blow, but we see here that it slowed them down a bit, but they would not stop. And here we see them coming to fight against David and his men again.
This gives us the broader context, but the content of this chapter will center on David’s actions within the given situation. This leads us to the first piece of instruction we get from David’s great sin…
- Be On Your Guard
2 Samuel 11:1(a), Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle….
2 Samuel 11:2(b), … But David stayed in Jerusalem.
- In David’s day, wars were not typically during the winter months.
- Springtime was war season; it would come after things dried out from the rainy winter months. This would ensure soldier and chariots would not get stuck in the mud. It was also harvest time, so soldiers could live off harvested grains while out at war.
- This indicates that in the war with the Ammonites, there was a winter break of sort, and then the battle continues.
- It was not only a time when soldiers went out to fight, but we learn from verse one that it was defined as a time that kings would go out to battle.
- But King David stayed back…
- The information given, provides some insight into the fact that David wasn’t where he should have been, even before his great sin.
- He should have been out at battle, but he was behind.
- For the past few years in David’s life, he had been in a great season. Things had never been better for him; the nation was as powerful as it had ever been. David is likely in his early 50’s, he established his kingdom in Jerusalem and built a palace there, he has a growing family, and the picture we get is that he let his guard down.
- David forsakes his responsibilities, let his guard down, and from him we are given a lesson, “be where you’re supposed to be.” Because if you are where you are supposed, it means you won’t be where you’re not supposed to be!
1 Corinthians 16:13, Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. (NIV)
1 Peter 5:8-9, Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- The word for be on guard and be on the alert is the same Greek word.
- It means to be active, be cautious, it means to take heed so that calamity or destruction doesn’t come through idleness or lack of attention.
1 Corinthians 10:12, Let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall.
Galatians 5:16, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Illus. What are you walking into?
- The Lord had given David a call. He was to shepherd God’s people; to guard them, guide them, lead them (2 Samuel 5:2). But here he was hanging back with his own guard down.
2 Samuel 11:2, Now at evening time David got up 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.
- Be Careful What You Behold
- From verse 2 we know that David got up from what seems to be an afternoon nap. He could still see from the light of day as we will learn, so, it is likely early evening, not the middle of the night.
- Jerusalem is a city built on a hill, and David’s palace was built on the top of that hill.
- David was on the roof of his palace, which was flat roof where gardens were often placed, and it was common, particularly in warmer times of the year to spend time there.
- David is depicted as walking around on the roof, perhaps a picture of uneasiness, but from his roof, being at the top of the hill, he could look down and see house terraced down the hill in different directions.
- It would have been easy for him to see what was happening nearby from his vantage point.
- New King James sets off verse two with these words:
2 Samuel 11:2, Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. (NKJV)
- And as the verse continues there are two words important to consider… “he saw a woman bathing,” and then “the woman was very beautiful to behold, or NASB ‘in appearance.’”
- These two words are important to our understanding.
- First, David saw something. This word means that something was visible to him, he saw something literally.
- The other is, she was beautiful to behold, or in appearance… This word is to look upon.
Illus. There are choices to make after something is seen.
- David doesn’t stop with the glance, he goes to the gaze, and as we will see he won’t stop there.
Matthew 5:27, You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- Jesus states, “but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Vs. 28)
- The word “look” Jesus said, means to behold, or to the continuous process of looking.
1 John 2:16-17, For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.
- Biblically defined, “lust” is a craving, longing, or desire for something that is forbidden…The word “lust” means: to set the heart upon, to long for, covet, or desire.
- To look on a woman with lust indicates a goal or action that follows the action of looking.
- He is talking about when we gaze, and rest there.
- The ESV Bible translation reads, “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent.” (Vs. 28)
- It’s not the first glance or look; it’s what you do after that. It’s when rather than override, you give in.
Martin Luther (16th Century): “I cannot keep a bird from flying over my head, but I can certainly keep it from making a nest in my hair or from biting off my nose.”
- David was not at fault for noticing Bathsheba, she was in plain view. But he set his gaze on her, and his intent there, there was a sinful desire deep in his heart that he acted on.
Matthew 5:29-30, Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.
- It is important to note that Jesus wasn’t teaching self-mutilation.
- By saying get rid of your eye or your hand, He was speaking figuratively. He didn’t mean literally gouge out your eye, as even a person who is blind can lust.
- Jesus is speaking figuratively of those things physically, or otherwise that cause us to be tempted, or make us more prone to temptation.
- “If something is causing you to stumble, don’t manage it, don’t look at it, cut it out of your life…don’t go there!”
- Be careful what you behold!
- In Job 31:1, Job says he made a covenant with his eyes – a promise that he would not look lustfully at a young woman…He continued in verse 4, “Does He not see my ways, and number all my steps?”
Psalm 101:2-4, I will carefully attend to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall leave me; I will know no evil.
Romans 13:14, But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Illus. I know my limit.
III. Be Moved by God’s Warning and Way Out
2 Samuel 11:3-5, So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
- After David looked upon her, he inquired about her.
- Throughout our study of 2 Samuel, we have seen times when David inquired of the Lord and times he did not.
- We have seen it consistently, in times when David inquired of the Lord before moving forward and then went God’s way, things went well for him, great victories. In times when he did not, things did not go well, he would find himself in defeat.
1 Kings 2:3, Do your duty to the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.
- Here, David is inquiring…But he is not seen inquiring of the Lord, about the Lord, or what the Lord might say regarding the best way for, but rather, he inquired about the woman.
- Still in his inquiry, God gives a warning…
- He asks about her, and he is told her name, Bathsheba, and she was someone daughter, and someone’s wife.
- She was from a notable family. Her father, Eliam, was one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:34). Her husband was also one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:39).
- Not only this, but she was also the granddaughter of one of David’s chief counselors, a man named Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:12). After the fall out from it all, we will see Ahithophel turn on David and many believe it was because of David’s sin with his granddaughter.
- When David inquired of her, I see in the response, a warning. She is someone’s wife, someone’s daughter.
- This should have moved David away from her…But he did not stop there.
- David was tempted, but there was still an opportunity to listen, to turn, to be moved by God’s warning and way out.
1 Corinthians 10:13, No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
2 Timothy 2:22, Now flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Illus. Locked in?
- David isn’t moved by the warning or way out, he stayed set in the same direction, one a head on collision with what will be his greatest sin.
Genesis 3:6, When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
- David saw, took, and indulged in sin.
- He had gotten used to getting what he wanted. While studying chapter 3 of 2 Samuel we learned that David had many wives.
- We read in Deuteronomy 17:17 the Israelites being told that when get into the promised land and ask the Lord to appoint a king over them, there were specific things that king needed to make sure not to do; one of those things had to do with his wives…
Deuteronomy 17:17, And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn away…
- It was common practice for ancient kings, but God wanted his chosen king to do differently.
- David is seen growing his family not by being fruitful and multiplying, but by multiplying his wives in 2 Samuel chapter 3 and 5.
- You would think that with the amount of wives he had, that he would be satisfied with them, but he wanted more, he wanted what he didn’t have, he wanted the forbidden fruit.
James 1:14-15, Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (NIV)
- Be Quick to Confess Rather Than Cover Up
Read: 2 Samuel 11:6-27
- After David sinned, he went on a cover up mission. He tried to go about things in such a way that nobody would know what he had done.
- He tried to get Uriah, one of his mighty men to sleep with his wife so that he might believe the child was his, Uriah was upright and would not do what David wanted him to do. David tried the best he could, but Uriah wanted to do right.
- When Uriah wouldn’t play into David’s plan. He devised another plan to put an end to Uriah.
- It was an attempt to cover it all up, and seemingly nobody would know the difference.
- Even Bathsheba seems to only know that Uriah died at war, but doesn’t seem to know the plan David devised when she is brought in to become his wife.
- What David had done was not right, and on the surface, it seems that rather than feel remorse, he feels relief.
- Nobody knew, nobody could see… But it verse 27, it is stated clearly, “the thing David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.”
Romans 3:23-24, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Illus. Long list.
1 John 1:8-9, If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Proverbs 28:13, Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
- We are going to look more at God’s mercy next week at we continue in David story, but for this morning, I want to close by reading a Psalm, that most believe was written by David in the midst of this very situation.
Psalm 32:3-8, When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality failed as with the dry heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not hide my guilt; I said, “I will confess my wrongdoings to the Lord”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; certainly in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You keep me from trouble; you surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you.
2 Samuel 11:1-27