Sunday: David, Goliath and Bathsheba
Life is complicated, and that’s because, as humans, we are complicated. Imagine-creatures made in the image of God, the Creator of the universe, who then corrupt themselves. No wonder that our potential both for good and for evil can reach remarkable levels.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
And it isn’t just that some people attain great levels of “goodness” while others, unfortunately, drop to the extremes of depravity. Instead, both extremes can be manifested in the same person! The great news is that some who, at one time, were at the lowest have, by God’s grace, done great things for Him and for humanity. Of course, the opposite can happen, as well: those at the heights can fall to the depths. Satan is real, the great controversy is real, and unless connected to the Lord, even the best of us can fall prey to our foe (1 Pet. 5:8) .
Read 1 Samuel 17:43-51. What words came out of David’s mouth that are so crucial to understanding his victory? In contrast, read 2 Samuel 11:1-17. What stark contrast do we see here in the same man? What made the difference?
The same David who defeated the giant Goliath is the David who was defeated by his own lust and arrogance. How many women did the man already have? And he sees one more, a married woman, and suddenly where is all the talk about “the battle is the LORD’S” (1 Sam. 17:47) or “that there is a God in Israel” (1 Sam. 17:46) ? If there were a time when David needed not only to know that the “battle is the LORD’S” but also to fight that battle in God’s armor, it wasn’t on the war zone in the Valley of Elah but in the recess of his own heart, where in each of us the great controversy rages.
Upon coming to his senses after this terrible fall with Bathsheba, David had enough grief and guilt to last a lifetime. His sorrow led him to write Psalms 51 in which he pleads for a clean heart (Psalms 51:10) and the restoration of his fellowship with God (Psalms 51:11-12) . In the great cosmic struggle, mighty men are just as vulnerable as the person of the lowest rank; yet, God is willing to work with all who truly repent.
Think about yourself, right now-the triumphs, the disappointments, the victories, the failures. How can you apply lessons from either of these stories for whatever situation you face, right now?
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When reading the second paragraph, the apostle Paul came to mind. He confessed himself to be the "chief" of sinners. (1Tim 1:15) And yes, as the most active anti-Christian of the day, in many ways he WAS! He saw himself as "the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, BECAUSE I PERSECUTED THE CHURCH OF GOD." (1Cor 15:9)
Paul had been the Devil's "chief" agent in his efforts to overthrow the new church. But Paul became the most influential/prominent of all the apostles.
"Those to whom He has forgiven most, will love Him most, and will stand nearest to His throne..." (Steps To Christ p.36, GC p.665) People that have once lived at one extreme, and are drawn from the pit of degradation, are the very ones that will stand at the other extreme in the realms of glory. I am reluctant to talk in terms of "rankings", but when Jesus speaks of those that are given authority over "10 cities", or "5 cities" (Lk 19:17-19), He seems to indicate rewards relative to depth/extent of the relationship with Him. Everyone will be more than satisfied with their reward in heaven, but some will be closer to Him than will others. Those that are forgiven most with love Him most.
Not a very commonly spoken about idea, but the Bible clearly teaches this principle. We see it also in the message to the 7 churches in Revelation. The churches with the biggest problems receives the greatest rewards.
We should always pray because some of the things we may desire for can lead us to sin, and upon all our sins God is ever ready to forgive us if we truly repent. As David wrote in psalm 51 the HOLY SPIRIT can renew our spirit.
The great controversy rages in my own heart too and i just realized that the greatest battle you can ever fight is from within.If you conquer self, then you are a true hero /heroin.
It's a fact that this life is full battles to be won or lost depending on our preparedness,If we depend on men or self like the Philistines then we are cursed Jer 17:5 and will definately loose,but If we put on the whole armor of God Eph 6:12-18 success is certain.
Qn.I know God is love no doubt,but I cannot explain why the loyal Uriah had to go through what he went through?
I had asked that question many times before the only answer that made sense to me was Uriah's salvation. Had he been allowed to live and the truth be revealed of how his beloved king betrayed him, he would have more than likely sinned and turn away from God. I believe God allowed his death to save his soul.
I must confess, Adriel, that I had never thought about that angle, but you may have a point. Personally, I'm not at all sure that Uriah would have lost his soul had he lived long enough to learn what David had done to him. However, I am quite sure that it would have been an extremely distressing experience for him, and I am also thankful that he was spared going through it.
As it was, Uriah didn't actually have to go through anything. One moment, he's fighting a battle all unawares, and the next conscious moment he's coming up in the resurrection of the just. When the time comes that he must learn the facts, it will be in such a context of glory as to render him unconcerned about the evils of the past. He will also be in a position to simultaneously learn of David's long years of suffering and repentance.
The contoversy continues. God had granted David victory over the Philistines and made him king of the Isralites after a long struggle of the King wanting to kill him. Satan marked him and it was defijite that he was going to be tempted. He was tempted with Bersheba in this case, he fell prey to the Devil's tricks. But David realised his mistakes and repnted Psalms 51. Therefore the liar and accuser of the saints the devil is defeated !!!!
Studying the lessons so far this quarter and in particular this one has taken on a new meaning for me. It has given me a more solid appreciation of the frailty of mankind, and particularly those in leadership. God uses us whether we are weak or strong, and as such can be a mouthpiece for Him. We can be anointed but still going through the sanctification process. It for us all to always have Christ and Christ alone as our example and not mankind otherwise we can become disappointed and disillusioned when they fall. They are allowed to fall, as they are human and make mistakes, but God can make them/us over, as we have seen in the life of David, Peter, Paul, Samson ,etc., and the list goes on ....
It is not uncommon that a man that is victorious when the battle is hottest is vanquished in a time of peace. David was a great soldier, but a bad "vacationer". If he was out to battle that day he would have won a victory instead of being defeated.
We see the same thing in Peter. He was ready to fight for Jesus, but couldn't bear shame for Him.
I'm always persuaded beyond doubt that our God and creator would always fight for me regardless of this this world that is full of sin....many a times satan,with his tricks initiates the controversy within us to defuse the truth. God would be with us to the end of the world if we humbly accept Him n surrender the battle to Him who defeated sat long ago! Amen!
The mercies of God still exists today. When we fall He is willing and able to forgive. What a mighty God we serve!
Without the vigilant watching of our soul, it is easy to fall prey to Satan's clever deceptions and temptations. Ps 16:8 & 119:11 must be our constant experience if we would allow God to “keep us from falling”(Jude 24). Wealth, power, abundance, these all are used by the adversary to break our focus on the Lord, making us capable of any transgression. We cannot forget that Lucifer and Adam & Eve, all fell from perfection. If we do not live every day by faith, we will fail through unbelief.
The Servant of the Lord has said in her writings that "doubt" and "discouragement" are target tools the enemy of our souls uses against us. In my own experience I have no doubt that this is true for when I am lowest and weakest in faith and courage I am more prone to try to "fix" my challenges and difficulties in my own strength rather than "submit to God" and praise Him for the overcoming victory He has promised to all who trust Him. We are just as guilty before the Holy One as was David for "all have sinned and come come short of the glory of God". Yet we have been given the amazing assurance that God will NEVER abandon us in our time of temptation, no matter how testing and trying that temptation, for hosts of heavenly angels are deployed to minister to us once we call on the name of Jesus. He has also promised complete forgiveness and cleansing of our sins if we confess. I say PRAISE THE LORD for that assurance!! My prayer today is: "Silently now I wait for Thee
Ready my God Thy will to see
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit Divine."
I hope this may be your prayer too.
Psalms 51 has been a favorite prayer of mind for a very long time. Particularly verses 9-11. The thing that really stuck me was with the first sin of lust or rather the coveting another man's wife, David broke, many more commandments! Bearing false witness,stealing,etc. The writing of Psalms 51 shows the level to which David had sunk to please himself for a small moment in time. All the people he involved in his deception.
I am confident that David and Bathsheba will meet together at the tree of life in heaven. I am hopeful too that URIAH will be there as well. (He was an honorable man that had a deep and ardent respect for the things of God.) But oh, can you imagine what such a meeting will be like?!
(Of course Stephen will meet his former persecutor Saul in heaven too. And many similar meetings will occur, I have no doubt.)
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Gayle mentions the fact that David coveted another man's wife. Something I find interesting with the relevant Commandment, is that two slightly different versions are given to us. The first (in Ex 20:17) says, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife," etc. The second version (which is no less correct of course,) changes the order somewhat; and instead of putting the neighbor's house first in the list, it is now the neighbor's wife! (Deut 5:21.) Perhaps the difference is only a jot or a tittle in the large picture, but to me it is quite significant. The second version was given about 40 years after the first, and the difference reflects [I would suggest,] a change in the mind-set of the people. It is basically a new generation that is now being addressed... not quite as hard-hearted as the original generation that were led out of Egypt.
Anyone/everyone in heaven will have the mind/heart of Jesus, and will be thrilled to meet everyone else who gains the victory over this world. None of those meetings in heaven will be anything less than filled with the utmost joy and praise to God for His amazing grace "given in Christ Jesus before the world began".
I agree with you Robert.
Glad for the lesson of David because he made no excuses for himself, no arrogance but he was humble in the end. He openly acknowledge that he had sinned against God and man. He was willing to do whatever needed to be done to be back walking and talking with his Lord and savior. reading psalm with all the plea you hear him crying out from the bottom of his heart. True repentance.Lesson from David "you can't hide from God" If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness...
David represents me, Goliath is what happens around me and Bathsheba represents what happens within me. Jus t like Goliath's we may be giants when comapared with the little battles that rage in our hearts... in 2 samuel 11:1-2 everything is ok for David but the 'small battle' starts in 2 samuel 11:3 and David must have dismissed it as just a small battle; after all he couldn't control what he saw...i can imagine that small voice whispering to him as the battle raged and as he initially struggled to take his gaze away "there's no harm in looking, just stare a little bit longer" and the more he stared, the more ground he lost.
We should always pray that God opens our eyes to see the enemy immediately he comes to us as just a thought because if we let him gain ground before calling in for God's help,then the battle is lost and we can as well start preparing to nurse our wounds.
even when we lose the battle and succumb to temptations, David's story also shows us that we can still defeat the same enemy when he wages another war by seeking God's help psalms 51:1. The war doesn't end with just one battle, there're many battles still ahead of us. We've already won or lost the battles depending on who we've entrusted the war to; us or God.
From a humble beginning, David feared God. He recognised that there can be no success without God. Infact the Bible talks of David as being a man after God's own heart.
Unless checked, success have often led to more pain than failure. More frustration than happiness. Yes, a number of world's successful leaders have been slain by the same giant that slew David, lust for women. However, David realised his mistakes and unreservedly repented. He sought God forgiveness. I love vs. 11 & 12 of Psalms 51.
We are not any different from David. We all have owm weaknesses. It profits you and I to sit and reflect upon our walk with God, and where we err, we ought to genuinely seek God.
By faith, David is the giant who slew Golliath. Sexual lust is giant that slew David. What giant is working on me a christian today? What giant is working on you as a christian today?
I like to spend time with Jesus every day so He can fight the battles for me. He is powerful and strong, I am weak. In fact I have a Jesus chair in my office to remind me that he is always with me. In my car I do not place anything on the passenger car seat (unless Kathy is with me) just my 31 year old NKJ Bible because Jesus, through the Holy Spirit goes with me, He promised it in Matt 28:18-20.
Jesus is my daily friend and He can be yours too.
Who in the bible fought many giants as David? Who in the bible among the kings of Israel and Judah did God protect like David? Despite all these, he still fell terribly for sin. I get encouraged by one fact, the fact that he was always able to recognize and cry out earnestly to God for forgiveness!
How many times have we sinned before God and failed even to apologize? I am truly challenged by this account!
It was when David was walking in the Counsel of GOD that he was called a Man after GOD'S own HEART. When he sinned,this ceased to be True of him until by Repentance he had returned to the LORD. Patriarchs and Prophets (Page 72).
It was when David was walking IN THE COUNSEL OF God that he was called a man after God own Heart.When he sinned,this ceased to be true of him until by repentance he had returned to the LORD. Patriarchs and Prophets(Page 723).
1 Sam 17:45, You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied: It like David is telling Goliath that- "Those are some pretty fancy weapons you've got there, mister. But I've got something far better than your weapons." To say, "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts" is to say, "I come as a representative of the LORD of hosts, the God who has heavenly armies at His command. I am a sent man, on a mission from God." David is bolder and bolder.
By this time David still had his heart and his attention where God had wanted it to be. But when he put it where God didn't want it, Satan sooner prevailed." He fulfilled the lust of the flesh Galatians 5:16 rings true: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. .
"As I think of what happened, of this I am sure, that it did not happen all at once. This matter of Bathsheba was simply the climax of something that had been going on in his life for twenty year. Always the devil do not just come our way like lightning but schemes, plans and strikes, if only we can remain where Gods wants us to be. Look at how staying home from the battle provided an opportunity for the long-standing lack of romantic restraint and indulgence of passion to display itself in David.
Its not any easy road, we just need to remain connected to the source-Jesus Christ
That the BATTLE IS NOT MINE but the LORDS. Whether i have or lack my heart should always be pure & out of trouble.
The Great Controversy is a war. A war between the seeds. A war which demands our presence on one side or the other. Joshua and Elisha both challenged the people "choose ye this day whom ye will serve...how long will ye halt between two opinions....". We are called to war.We are called to take on the armor of God and go to battle in the Lord's army.
David, at a time when 2 Samuel 11:1 ¶ And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
It is true as mentioned above that if David was with Joab, history would be very much different. (Can you imagine a Bible history without Solomon???) Amazing what God can accomplish despite our abject failures. Anyway, a lesson we may learn from David's self imposed holiday is that if we constantly commit to the battle and fulfill our part in sharing the truth of the gospel, praying for the lost and downtrodden, loving our neighbors and doing all we can to comfort and assist those in need, we will find very little time for sightseeing from rooftops.