2 Samuel 11.
IT is in the natural heart to pass over sin lightly, and even to ignore it altogether (unless oneself be injured by the sin of another person), and God’s Word, speaking of these things in Romans 1:29-32 solemnly declares man away from the true knowledge of Himself; “who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
This chapter gives us the darkest page in David’s history. When the parallel story of grace is told, in 1 Chronicles, not a word of this is given, but here the sins as well as the piety, of David have their place. It is well for us that God should, in telling their life stories, have exposed sin in His children which, as His word says, “doth so easily beset us” (Heb. 1.2:1), else we should look upon such characters as Noah, Abraham, Moses and David as without sin, and wholly beyond ourselves. Instead, we have them principally as examples to be followed, in so far as they were guided by faith, and also as giving us warnings of what the believer may fall into, and must shun with all his power. The believer is set apart to God by the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:2); he should seek “those things which are above,” putting to death the things which characterized him before the light of God’s holy Word broke in on his soul (Colossians 3); he needs the “whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11, 13-18). If sin overtakes him, he is to confess it to God and be forgiven (1 John 1:5-9).
It was when David did not have on this armor of God, when he was tarrying at home instead of leading his army to battle, that he was tempted and fell. The consequences of that fall followed him to the end of his life, though his sin was confessed and forgiven, but of this we learn in the 12Th and following chapters. One sin was followed, as is often the case, by another in a hope of protecting himself from discovery and shame. Even the godly attitude of Uriah (verse 11) was a rebuke to David, and must have been felt by him. Joab, as to whom we have already noted that he was a self-seeking, unprincipled man, was quite willing, it seems, to put Uriah out in the forefront of battle where he was likely to be killed. And Bathsheba’s husband was killed (verse 17); so far David’s hopes had been realized. Circumstances seemed to favor him; he probably felt very much relieved when the messenger brought the news of Uriah’s being removed by death. Bathsheba mourned for her husband, and when the mourning period was over, David brought her to his house and she became his wife. A little son was born. The last sentence of the chapter is the only hint the chapter gives that there was punishment in store for David. He had sown; would he reap? He would indeed, for God is not mocked (Galatians 6:7, 8).
ML 01/09/1927