A Heart far Away from God?

Spring is a perfect time for Kings to march out to war, and the crops were growing and so men were not needed to work in the fields. David remained in Jerusalem and did not participate fully in some other battles; 2 Sam 10:7. The roof of the palace provides a good view to the King as Bathsheba was bathing. She was the daughter of Eliam one of David’s elite warriors, 2 Sam 23:34 and the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s faithful soldiers, 2 Sam 23; 39. There is also a possibility that she is the grand daughter of Ahithophel, who was David’s trusted counselor; 2 Sam 23:34. David slept with her 2 Sam 11:4; and the biblical writer placed the ultimate blame where it belonged and that is with the Israel’s King!

Hebrew word; ‘Kasah’ means “to cover, conceal, hide, to clothe … to forgive, to keep secret, to hide one self, wrap one self up.”

2 Samuel chapter 11 talks about how David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then manipulatively arranged Uriah’s death, in order to conceal his misbehavior. Let us observe carefully the progressive nature of sin in this story. David sent orders to Joab without revealing the reason he was summoning Uriah, 2 Sam 11:6. Israel’s King suggested a gentle time of relaxing to Uriah at his house, with a gift, where Bathsheba might arrange an intimate evening with her husband to make it appear that Uriah was the baby’s father, 2 Sam 11;8. David questioned Uriah about his refusal to go home in spite of his orders to him, yet being careful not to appear overly eager to make sure Uriah the Hittite went home; 2 Sam 11:10.

David did not stop here; he delayed Uriah’s return a few days while he contrived another plan; 2 Sam 11:12. David got Uriah drunk in an effort to get him home to Bathsheba, but Uriah did not go home, and David was getting very desperate to cover his misdeed; 2 Sam 11; 13. David sent an order for Uriah’s death to Joab, by Uriah’s own hand; 2 Sam 11:14. In the letter David wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest fighting, then withdraw from him so that he is struck down and dies.”2 Sam 11:15. The scheme of David ends with Uriah the Hittites’ death in the battlefield; 2 Sam 11:17; but the finale of the story did not end here. However David did not repent of his sin and misdeed, and “So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David.”2 Sam 12:1a.

The Bible says, “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.’ 2 Sam 11:27. David’s heart was further away from the Lord, which means it was characterized by selfishness and self-absorbency. We see David’s sin began in his thought life, and end up in the conception of an innocent child with another man’s wife. The news of Bathsheba’s pregnancy presented special problems for King David, because her husband Uriah had been fighting in the battlefield with the Ammonites and thus could not be the father of Bathsheba’s child. His heart went far away from the Lord and the evidence for this can be seen in how he reacted to Bathsheba’s pregnancy. Obviously David has quenched the Spirit of God to such a degree that he was able to resist the convicting power of God’s Spirit.

He sinned in thought, word and in deed. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time; failed to protect himself with a group of accountability partners; and was lonely. One has to be very careful about the God given responsibilities; and deliberately set up accountability figures around them, and avoid long isolation understanding the progressive nature of sin. He resisted many opportunities to repent of his sins; unmoved by Uriah’s integrity; tried to cover his own sins. Also, in his selfishness he involved a servant in his plans; invited Bathsheba to a season of guilt and grief; enticed Uriah to compromise his values; and involved Joab and killed Uriah the Hittite, the warrior who is a man of Integrity.

Intense selfishness accompanies a heart far away from the Lord, and we can measure this against the selflessness of Christ. David was a man after God’s own heart, and that is the caliber to which he has risen, and from that pinnacle he has fallen! Dear friends in Christ, we need not have to commit adultery for our hearts to move away from God; but what about any thing else in our lives which would make us self-absorbed in our selfishness? It could be the money, power, authority, pride, surfing the internet, friends, even ministry or anything else which takes our heart away from God and we may be worshipping it if unchecked! It is important for us to make sure whom we worship; self or God?

“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Cori 10” 11-12.

References:

1.The Matthew Henry Study Bible, ‘King James version’ The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994, Iowa Falls, U.S.A.

2. David Seeking A Heart Like His, ‘Beth Moore’ Life Way Christian resources, Nashville, Tennessee, 2010, pgs: 149-157.

3. Jay E. Adams, ‘Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling’ Finishing Well, Breaking Through, Getting Started, (New Jersey: Zondervan, 2002, p.6-7)

4. Jay E. Adams, ‘How to Help People Change’ The Four-step Biblical Process, (Grand rapids: Zondervan, 1986, p. 20-28)

5. John F. MacArthur, JR. Wayne A. Mack & The Master’s College Faculty, ‘Introduction To Biblical Counseling’, “A Basic Guide To The Principles And Practice Of Counseling”(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1994, P. 76-77)

6. Jay E. Adams, ‘The Christian Counselor’s Manual, The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973, p. 15-16, 21-23; 92-97)

7. Jay E. Adams, ‘Lectures on Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978, p.192-203)

8.The Holy Bible, New King James version, Women of Destiny Bible, “Women Mentoring women Through the Scriptures” A Spirit Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, Copyright 1982.

9. HCSB Study Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible, ‘God’s Word for Life’ Nashville, Tennessee, 2010.