I’ve been studying about the life of David, a man who loved the Lord so much that God called him a man after his own heart. But even though he loved God, he still fell into the trap of sexual sin! Let’s look at this story as recorded in 2 Samuel 11 & 12.
1. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop
2 Samuel 11:1 records 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.
We are told that while David was supposed to be in the battlefield, he chose not to go. Had he not been in Jerusalem at the time, he would not have committed adultery with Bathsheba.
This serves as a great reminder to us to keep busy with productive stuff lest Satan finds an opening as a result of idleness and lead us into sin.
2. The lust of the eyes
2 Samuel 11:2 NLT
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.
David could have looked away and while we are not told, I bet he continued to stare at this woman who was taking a bath and lust took root in his heart.
The Bible tells us that when a man (or woman) looks lustfully at another, he/she has already committed adultery in his/her heart (Matthew 5:26-27). Be careful about the things your eyes look at, that innocent television show may be leading you to sin unknowingly!
We are to guard our eyes! That is why as we should not view pornographic material.
3. Lust doesn’t care for one’s relationship status
2 Samuel 11:3 NLT ~ 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.”
Now you would think that when David was informed that Bathsheba was a married woman, he would have been put off. But nope he goes ahead and sends for her bringing me to my next point: lust doesn’t care if you are married or not.
It sees, and it wants because its SELFISH. That was his flesh that was speaking at the time and that is why we are commanded to put to death our flesh,and this can only be done by feeding our spirit man and as our spirit is strengthened the flesh dies.
4. Trying to cover up one wrong with another
Have you ever noticed how when you do something wrong it sets the stage for more stuff to go wrong? All of a sudden there’s all this things that one has to cover up. Well, the devil likes to set us up by starting with one small thing which he uses as bait to start a chain reaction and before you know it you’re covering up 10 different lies.
So after David sleeps with Bathsheba, she gets pregnant and informs him. Because her husband had been in a battle, it was obvious that he was not responsible for that pregnancy. So what does David do? He tries to get Uriah to come back home and sleep with his wife so as to cover up for the illegitimate pregnancy.
Its funny how sexual sin (whether its fornication, adultery,masturbation) will have you covering up your tracks. There is alot of lying, deception, secrecy and not to mention drama that is involved. Its just not worth it.
5. An innocent man is murdered
When Uriah didn’t go home to his wife as instructed by David ( could it be that God caused this to happen? ) and slept at the palace entrance, David later orchastrates his murder.
2 Samuel 11:26-27 NLT ~ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son.
But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
Something that started as lust got David to murder an innocent man just so that he could take his wife. Ask yourself today, what wicked thing has sexual sin got you doing? It may not be as grievous as murder but in the eyes of God it is a sin.
6. Sexual sin keeps us from hearing the voice of God.
I found this story interesting because David was a man that was used to hearing the voice of God for himself yet in chapter 12, the Lord sends a prophet to rebuke him for his sin, meaning that he had stopped hearing from God.
7. Sin has consequence
2 Samuel 12:11-12 NLT~ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
A few chapters later, we see his son Absolom killing his brother Amnon. Absolom goes further to overthrow David and sleeps with David’s concubines. The price for commiting any kind of sexual sin is very high.
8. The Lord forgives sexual sin if we repent
2 Samuel 12:11-14 NLT ~ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord .” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”
Despite David’s repentance, the child still dies even as the Lord forgives him. Why God lets the child die, I do not know but I’d like to hear your thoughts on this.
This story acts as a reminder that anybody can fall into the trap of sexual sin.
As I draw to the end of today’s post, I would urge all of us to flee from sexual immorality. No one is too strong to be able to withstand the temptation.
An encouragement to anyone struggling with any kind of sexual addiction is that all God wants us for you to repent and surrender the addiction to Him and he will help you overcome so do not be ashamed or afraid.
