David and Bathsheba (1)
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 2 Samuel 11:2
Read 2 Samuel 11:1-5
The Lord had blessed David immensely. Both materially and politically, everything was going well. At the end of 2 Samuel 10, we read how David was able to gain a great victory over the Syrians so that they became the nation’s servants. Their king, Hadarezer, had offended David by seeking to ally with the Ammonites, but David was nevertheless given a glorious victory over the enemy. Wintertime settled in, and the kings no longer went out to war; the battle against the Ammonites would have to wait. When spring arrived, the nations prepared for war, ready to defend themselves, to roam, and to plunder enemies. But David, we read, tarried still at Jerusalem.
Was David perhaps sick or too busy with internal affairs? No. Instead, he did not feel like going out to battle. While his army marched to Rabbah and besieged the capital city of the Ammonites, David lounged lazily on his bed. He neglected his duty. Was it not the responsibility of the king to lead his army into battle? It was, but David had no desire to do so. Joab, his general, would have to take care of it.
However, because of this, things began to unravel. David had become overconfident and no longer sought to know God’s will. At this juncture, he thought he did not need the Lord; he relied upon his general and his army. The previous year things had gone well, and why shouldn’t they now? Prosperity alone rarely brings us to the Lord and keeps us dependent on Him. Only when we live close to the Lord and walk in His ways will we be kept safe. Often this requires going against our own inclinations.
Thought: Slothfulness is the devil’s advocate.
Psalter 2:1,2,5 (based on Psalm 1) Blest is he who loves God’s precepts, Who from sin restrains his feet, He who will not stand with sinners, He who shuns the scorners’ seat. Blest is he who makes the statutes, Of the Lord his chief delight, In God’s law, divinely perfect, Meditating day and night. Well the Lord will guard the righteous, For their way to Him is known; But the way of evil doers Shall by Him be overthrown.