Chapter 12                                             the week of April 8

The Trials of a King

King David consolidated his leadership of the twelve tribes of Israel. Without internal strife he had only external battles with neighboring enemy kingdoms. One such battle was with the Ammonites, the present day Amman in Jordan. David delegated the battle to his warriors and sat this out in his lavish Jerusalem home.

P 161  From his rooftop David saw a beautiful woman bathing. What was the process of his downfall? Walking on the rooftop was not wrong, but he might have been restless (wondering about the war without being there?). When he saw Bathsheba he didn’t turn away, he looked longer. He sent someone to inquire about her. Then he used his authority inappropriately to appropriate her for his own needs. Certainly she may have resisted, but it is difficult to turn down a king. Our own downfall begins with a lack of focus, turns into temptation, then allure, then inquiry, then action, which many times comes from personal power: money, strength or position. See James 1:13-15.

Pp 161-2  A second set of sins began with the denial of the sins of the first set. David’s confession to God, then to Bathsheba and Uriah would have saved Uriah’s life. As it was, David called Uriah (one of his choicest soldiers) back from battle and gave him freedom of movement to relate to Bathsheba. But, insult to injury, Uriah was too loyal to be with his wife while Israel was in battle. So David ordered Uriah to be left alone in battle, essentially executing him. Do you recall cover up sins more onerous than the original?

Pp 162-3  So David had another beautiful wife and  his own flesh in a child to be born. How do you think his other wives took this? Did they know how to count to 9 months? The prophet Nathan approached him with a story of a wronged vulnerable man. David wanted the perpetrator killed when Nathan responded: You are the man! Now there would be kingdom repercussions for David: violence in his family & the kingdom, desecration of his wives, and the death of his newborn son. David’s response, though belated, was genuine. He recognized he had sinned primarily against the Lord. With sin having much collateral damage, why is it primarily against the Lord?

Pp 163-4  David’s response in Psalm 51 is very authentic. He asked for God’s mercy to cleanse his sin. He needed restoration from God as well. He desired reconciliation so he would not be reminded of his stain against God. He wanted a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, the presence of God, the power of His Spirit, the joy of salvation, and a pliable spirit…all aspects of the spiritual life we should desire. Why does it take spiritual disaster for us to see more clearly and come to God?

P 165-6  David had likely broken nine of the ten commandments, possibly ten if it happened on the Sabbath. While his unnamed son was dying, David diligently fasted and prayed. When it was found the child had died, David cleaned himself and worshipped God. He was an example of pleading with God, even when the result seemed determined. Jesus did the same thing in Gethsemane. And the status of his deceased son?  ‘He (the son) would not come to me (David) but I will go to him’.

See the response of David to God from Psalm 32: Blessing God, acknowledging his own silence, groaning and wrenching of his body, recognition of his sin, cover up and the joy of forgiveness. Oh, that we would discover this sooner than later. Notice that the consequences of sin and resulting confession have physical and psychological repercussions. A new son, Solomon, comforts his parents David and Bathsheba.

Pp 166-9  There is trouble in the family. David’s son Absalom murders and creates insurrection. David dispossesses him then allows Absalom back to the city but ignores him. This is a pattern David had when his daughter Dinah was raped by another son. Absalom had only taken justice into his own hands because David didn’t. Absalom passively then actively fought against his father David. Absalom was killed by David’s commander Joab when David had explicitly told him not to do so. And David wept in an agonized Absalom, Absalom! Why are there consequences of forgiven sin?

Pp  169-72  David had desired to build a temple to the Lord, but God would not receive it from his bloodied hands. So David made the preparations and set aside materials and charged his son Solomon with the project following David’s death. Whether his motivation was a gift or a legacy, David must have felt unfulfilled because he was unable to build the temple.

Pp 172-3  David was arguably the most spiritual king of Israel. He was imperfect, but rebounded back to God. His 23rd Psalm gave credence to God’s attributes: God as shepherd, nourishing with pastures, water and right paths; His sustaining nature, with presence in our darkest places, making safe and comforting; His provision of food amidst enemies, and anointing with blessing in this life and in his presence forever. This truly is everyman’s psalm for every time.