It's Complicated (S2): WK 3 - MON
2 Samuel 11:1-5
In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the
Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid
siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the
roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual
beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told,
“She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then
David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with
her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period.
Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant,
she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”
Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Over the next two weeks, we will study 2 Samuel 11 and 12, focusing on the story of King David, Bathsheba, Uriah, and Nathan. While reading the verses in chronological order, we will examine two themes one at a time. This week, I invite you to reflect on David the murderer. Next week, we will explore David the adulterer. I hope this approach helps clarify why we focus on certain parts of the text now and save others for next week.
As I write this morning, online media is flooded with videos showing the horrific assassination of a public figure. Of course, social media quickly reacts by offering sides, dehumanizing discussions, and sharing many ghastly takes on the situation. It all makes me wonder, how does a person come to the point where they are willing to take another person’s life in cold blood?
You, like me, are a good person. Sure, you face problems, temptations, and failures. But murder? We’re far from that, right? Our passage suggests otherwise.
King David has been a model follower of God. The phrase, “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22), seems to apply, at least up to this point. In the story of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah, everything goes off the rails. It all begins with a simple phrase.
The opening verse of our study states, “In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites.” (2 Samuel 16:1) A sequence of events unfolds in this story, ultimately leading to premeditated murder. It is remarkable how quickly David progresses from innocence to deep, unpleasant guilt. Notice the first step on the escalator: “When kings normally go out to war.”
The Israelite army does what armies usually do. They go to war in the springtime. But their king is missing. Instead, we find him crawling out of bed in the middle of the day, indulged and pampered, while others risk their lives on his behalf. David moves from absence to lust, coercion to adultery (and maybe even rape), deception to bribery and entrapment, murder plot to mass execution and cover-up. It’s a story of how to lose your soul in ten easy steps.
David has access to power, privilege, and resources you might not. However, we all have the same starting point. It begins with neglecting our responsibilities. The consequences of shirking our commitments go beyond just earning a reputation for laziness. It opens the door to much worse steps ahead.
It’s not always easy to be where we’ve promised to be or to do what we've committed to. However, following through on these simple things is our best defense against ending up imprisoned behind the bars of deeply consequential regret.
1. Are you someone who keeps a physical to-do list? Why or why not?
2. Is there something on your list of responsibilities that you’re avoiding? Is there
something you keep delaying and find easy to neglect?
3. What have you been avoiding that could lead to regrettable consequences or
compromise your character? What would you like to tell Jesus about that?
In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the
Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid
siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the
roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual
beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told,
“She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then
David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with
her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period.
Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant,
she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”
Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Over the next two weeks, we will study 2 Samuel 11 and 12, focusing on the story of King David, Bathsheba, Uriah, and Nathan. While reading the verses in chronological order, we will examine two themes one at a time. This week, I invite you to reflect on David the murderer. Next week, we will explore David the adulterer. I hope this approach helps clarify why we focus on certain parts of the text now and save others for next week.
As I write this morning, online media is flooded with videos showing the horrific assassination of a public figure. Of course, social media quickly reacts by offering sides, dehumanizing discussions, and sharing many ghastly takes on the situation. It all makes me wonder, how does a person come to the point where they are willing to take another person’s life in cold blood?
You, like me, are a good person. Sure, you face problems, temptations, and failures. But murder? We’re far from that, right? Our passage suggests otherwise.
King David has been a model follower of God. The phrase, “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22), seems to apply, at least up to this point. In the story of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah, everything goes off the rails. It all begins with a simple phrase.
The opening verse of our study states, “In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites.” (2 Samuel 16:1) A sequence of events unfolds in this story, ultimately leading to premeditated murder. It is remarkable how quickly David progresses from innocence to deep, unpleasant guilt. Notice the first step on the escalator: “When kings normally go out to war.”
The Israelite army does what armies usually do. They go to war in the springtime. But their king is missing. Instead, we find him crawling out of bed in the middle of the day, indulged and pampered, while others risk their lives on his behalf. David moves from absence to lust, coercion to adultery (and maybe even rape), deception to bribery and entrapment, murder plot to mass execution and cover-up. It’s a story of how to lose your soul in ten easy steps.
David has access to power, privilege, and resources you might not. However, we all have the same starting point. It begins with neglecting our responsibilities. The consequences of shirking our commitments go beyond just earning a reputation for laziness. It opens the door to much worse steps ahead.
It’s not always easy to be where we’ve promised to be or to do what we've committed to. However, following through on these simple things is our best defense against ending up imprisoned behind the bars of deeply consequential regret.
1. Are you someone who keeps a physical to-do list? Why or why not?
2. Is there something on your list of responsibilities that you’re avoiding? Is there
something you keep delaying and find easy to neglect?
3. What have you been avoiding that could lead to regrettable consequences or
compromise your character? What would you like to tell Jesus about that?
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