Day 91- 2 Samuel 8-11 (David's Adultery and Murder)
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"Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her...it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die."...And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD." (2 Samuel 11:2-4, 14-15, 27)
Our Scripture reading for today is one of the saddest in the Bible and undoubtedly, the saddest and lowest point in the life of David, the greatest king of Israel. I say it is the lowest point of David's life because in a matter of a few weeks, David committed two of the greatest sins: adultery and murder.
I find it very hard to believe that David did the double sins of adultery and murder because of one woman. How could David, my greatest hero out of all heroes in the Bible, the one referred to in the Bible as the man after God's own heart, commit such a terrible thing?
Wasn't he the shepherd boy annointed by the prophet Samuel as the next king of Israel after Saul? Wasn't he Israel's hero of whom they sang about him, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?" Wasn't he the one person in all of history of whom God made an everlasting covenant with saying, "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever?" (2 Samuel 7:16)
The fact that David was able to commit such horrible sins despite being the most blessed person who ever lived proves that no one can say that he or she is strong enough to resist temptation. It is only by the grace of God as well as the believer's resistance that he or she is kept from falling into sin. James the apostle and half-brother of Jesus Christ taught this in his epistle bearing his name:
"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.... But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." (James 1:12-15)
When he should have been leading and encouraging his army that was fighting for him, David became complacent and Satan took advantage of the perfect conditions to lure David into temptation and his tragic fall into sin. Satan knows every weakness of even the strongest and most dedicated Christian and will not hesistate for a moment to take the first opportunity he senses to bring him down.
So, how can we avoid the mistake of David and spare ourselves from an impending disaster? James provides us the key in the passage quoted above. James said that in order for us to resist temptation, we must not be drawn away by our own desires. How then can we avoid being drawn away by our desires?
Below are several Scripture passages that provides help for us to resist temptations:
"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.... But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." (James 1:12-15)
When he should have been leading and encouraging his army that was fighting for him, David became complacent and Satan took advantage of the perfect conditions to lure David into temptation and his tragic fall into sin. Satan knows every weakness of even the strongest and most dedicated Christian and will not hesistate for a moment to take the first opportunity he senses to bring him down.
So, how can we avoid the mistake of David and spare ourselves from an impending disaster? James provides us the key in the passage quoted above. James said that in order for us to resist temptation, we must not be drawn away by our own desires. How then can we avoid being drawn away by our desires?
Below are several Scripture passages that provides help for us to resist temptations:
Psalms 119:11 Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept your word.
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man:
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
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