Jump Start # 1412

2 Samuel 11:1 “Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.”

  Our verse today, beginning with the expression, “Then it happened,” takes us down one of the darkest pages of our Bibles. The mighty king David, giant killer, great king of Israel, the shepherd, the singer and soother of king Saul, the writer of most of the Psalms, the man described after God’s own heart, crumbles and falls. This is the chapter. This is it. “Then it happened.”

This week, our Jump Starts are going to focus upon this section and three people, David, Bathsheba and Uriah. We hope the layers of lessons will help you in your walk with the Lord. We hope that through this avenue, it may keep a “Then it happened” moment from being a reality in your life.

Let’s begin by understanding, that sin, any sin, even sexual sin as takes place in this chapter, doesn’t just “happen.” Long before David stayed home, things were taking place that he didn’t notice. Before the stroll on the roof top, before the look below, before the order to bring Bathsheba, other things were going on.

First, David’s relationship begins to slip with the Lord. We may have a blow out on the highway, but we generally do not have a blow out of our faith. It’s a slow leak. It’s so slow, that most don’t notice. God does. Satan does as well. Kings normally go to battle in the spring. David stayed home. Was that wrong? No. It was different. Things were not normal. Earlier, we read, “David took more concubines and wives” (5:13). It seems his appetite isn’t satisfied. It seems that he is not content. David is not settled inside.

David is around fifty years old here. The kingdom is doing well. There are no real threats. Peaceful times. Prosperous times. Other nations are paying tribute to Israel. It just seems that David’s focus isn’t as keen as it had been. Routines can do that. Normal can do that. In the midst of the storm our prayers go upward. In the crisis we use our faith. Those anxious moments in the hospital, those sad moments in the funeral home, waiting for your child to get home safe and sound. But normal can be hard on us. Just another day at work. Just another school day. Nothing specular. Getting through the norm can be harder on us than those crisis moments. We just don’t seem to need our faith as much. We do, but we don’t’ see that. Our guard drops. Routine brings a false security and peace.

Second, it didn’t take long for Satan to present an opportunity. The opportunity was custom fitted for David. He didn’t look over the wall and see an beautiful horse. He didn’t see a pile of money. He didn’t see a new chariot. He didn’t see an idol. No, it was a woman. Not just any woman, but, we are told she was “very beautiful” and she was bathing. Satan didn’t toss David a soft punch. He came with all that he had. He hit David hard. Tony Evans has written, “Of all the things that can crush a man spiritually, emotionally and physically, none can do it faster or more completely than a plunge into sexual sin” (No More Excuses, pg. 51).

David saw bathing Bathsheba. Her name wasn’t Edna. It was Bathsheba. Bathsheba taking a bath—what a twist on words. She lived next door to David. She was married to Uriah, one of David’s mighty men. A true hero in this story. Because they lived next door to the palace indicated great trust and confidence that David had in Uriah. In those days, not just anyone could live next to the king. Only the best. Only the most loyal. And it was this neighbor, wife of one of his heroes, that he sees bathing. David looked. David sent. David sinned.

There are several things that David didn’t see. Sin does that to a person. Sin covers their eyes. It blinds them to the reality and the consequences facing them.

• David never saw the commands of God about “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” He must have forgotten about those.
• David never saw the warnings of his servant. We’ll explore this more this week.
• David never saw that he was hurting one of his best and most loyal servants
• David never saw that his family would be ripped apart because of this sin
• David never saw a baby being born
• David never saw a massive cover-up to escape notice
• David never saw God sending a prophet to rebuke him
• David never saw all the tears that could come from this
• David never saw how low he would fall and the number of sins he would commit before this was over

David never saw those things.

Sin does the same to us. That’s while it is deceitful. It’s not honest. It’s not upfront.

• The drunk doesn’t see himself passing out in his own throw up. He doesn’t see losing his job, again. He doesn’t see his wife leaving him.
• The drug user doesn’t see himself becoming addicted. He doesn’t see himself stealing from his own family.
• The shoplifter doesn’t see himself getting caught. He doesn’t see the police, handcuffs and jail. He doesn’t see court rooms and a record
• The adulterer, like David, doesn’t see others finding out. He doesn’t see his wife leaving him.

Then it happened. It happens because we let our guard down. It happens because we stop feeding our faith. It happens because we become weak. It happens because we compromise. It happens. It happens all the time. It’s shocking. It’s harmful. It’s sad to the people of God.

I read of a preacher that once kept a list of consequences that would most likely happen if he got caught in an affair. The list included losing his job, losing his family, losing his reputation. The calls from other churches would stop. He’d have to move out of his house and find an apartment. He’d have to find a job, any job. How could he ever walk back into that church building again? How could he ever face his children again? What would he say to the leadership that loved him and supported him? What would he say to his wife? What would he say to God?

There are consequences that we rarely think about. The lust of sin blinds us. All we see is the moment. All we think about is self. All we know is that at the moment, we can get away with it. “Then it happened…” And what often happens is that if the guilt doesn’t kill us, the lies start coming more and more to hide, cover up and justify what happened. And once the door has been opened once, it is so much easier to open it a second time.

Then it happened. Every time I read those words, I shout on the inside. I want to scream at David. “Go back inside your palace.” “Go fight with your troops.” “Go.” “Go anywhere, just go.” We sure can analyze and see the mistakes of David, but then turn around and walk so blindly and so quickly into our own sin. It may not be lust and adultery, it may be dishonesty and greed. It may be self righteousness and the unforgiving heart. It may be pride. “Then it happened…”

There is never a time…there is never a place…there is never a moment that we put off Christ. Think about Him at work, it will help you. Take Him with you on vacation, it will help you. Include Him in your texts and facebook posts. Christ is our life.

The great giant killer, David, was defeated by Satan. He recovered. He was forgiven. But things were never the same. Sin is like that. It leaves a scar. Forgiven, the scar remains. The damage can be very destructive. It can take a lifetime to recover from a few moments of sin.

Then it happened…work not to have one of those moments.

Roger