WORN AND WEARY

On a balmy spring evening, restless King David paced the roof of his palace. He should have been with his army on the other side of the Jordan. He should have been leading God’s people to defeat the Ammonites and finally bring peace to the kingdom.

Not being where he should have been opened the door to temptation for David. Read the story in 2 Samuel 11:1-5. What happened, and what great sin did David commit?

David saw a “very beautiful woman” taking a bath on her roof. His sinful impulses got the better of him that evening, and he slept with Bathsheba, the wife of a trusted army officer. Like all ancient kings, David had absolute power. As king, he didn’t have to follow the rules that governed everyone else. And yet, the painful story of David’s famil y following this story-changing moment reminds us of the fact that, even as the king, he was not above God’s law.

Indeed, the law is there as a protection, a safeguard, and when even the king stepped outside it, he faced terrible consequences. As soon as David transgressed the limits of God’s law, he began to feel its effects on all aspects of his life. David thought that his passionate fling had gone unnoticed; yet, Bathsheba was now pregnant and her husband far away.

Read 2 Samuel 11:6-27. How did David try to cover up his sin?

Even David’s most intricate schemes to get Uriah home to his wife, Bathsheba, failed. Uriah was a man of stellar reputation who responded to David’s subtle hints: “ ‘The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife?’ ” (2 Sam. 11:11, NKJV). Eventually a desperate David reverted to “remote control” assassination to cover his sin.

It is hard to believe that David, to whom God had given so much, could have stooped so low. No matter who we are, what warning should we all take from this story?