David - Part 2

God rejected Saul as king because of his disobedience (1 Samuel 15). The Biblical record says that the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit tormented him. His attendants suggested that some harp music might help. In part 1, I wrote about how God prepares the people that He is going to use to do great things. Remember how David was the youngest and therefore sent out to mind the sheep? He spent his time practicing his slingshot skills and playing the harp. The slingshot skills came in handy in the last episode, and now all those hours spent serenading the sheep earned him a place in the king's service.

David also became one of Saul's armor-bearers. David so distinguished himself in battle that before long, the people were singing "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." Saul's son Jonathan became David's best friend. Saul's daughter Michal fell in love with David (they married but did not live happily ever after - but that's another story).

Saul grew increasingly jealous of David. Scripture does not tell us if Saul knew that the prophet Samuel had already anointed David as king of Israel, but we do read that Saul spent the rest of his life trying to kill David. Twice, David has opportunities to kill Saul: 1 Samuel 24 tells of the time David chances upon Saul entering a cave to "cover his feet." Saul was concentrating so hard that he didn't notice David creep up behind him to cut off a corner of his robe. Then in 1 Samuel 26 David snuck up on Saul while the whole camp was asleep. David took Saul's spear and his water jug to show that he could have killed Saul, but did not because of his respect for the life of God's anointed.

After the death of King Saul on the battlefield, David is crowned King of Israel. Fast forward a few years. David is living in a palace, life is good, but he is restless. Unable to sleep one night, he wanders up to the roof. From there he sees a beautiful woman bathing. He asks his attendants who she is. He is told that she is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Uriah was one of David's "Mighty Men," thirty loyal chiefs of David's army. Uriah was away from home, camping with the other soldiers. Consumed with lust, David makes the choice to send servants to bring the woman to the palace. The Scripture does not tell us if Bathsheba went willingly to King David's bed. He sent her home the next day, but she soon sent the king a message with those three little words every cheating husband dreads: "I am pregnant."

David had bravely faced a lion, a bear, and a giant. He survived the murderous rampage of a jealous king. He was a mighty warrior. But now he faced a much more formidable foe. His own guilt.

First, David tried to cover up his sin. He sent for Uriah and asked him how the war was going. He tells Uriah to spend the night at home, and sends a gift. But the next day David's attendants inform him that Uriah did not go home. He had spent the night on the Palace steps where the servants slept. David sent for Uriah again and asked him why he did not go home.

Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"

David tried again. He invited Uriah to come back to the palace to eat and drink with him. David made sure that Uriah drank enough wine to get drunk, and told him to go home, but once again Uriah spent the night with the palace servants. The Scripture doesn't say, but I think that possibly Uriah suspected what his King was trying to cover up.

David became desperate. He sent Uriah back to the battle. He also sent a letter to the commander. In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

David committed adultery, fathered a child with someone else's wife, and tried to cover his sin. When that didn't work, he had her husband killed. After her time of mourning was over, David took Bathsheba to the palace and she became his wife.

And yet, David was honoured by God. He is promised that the Messiah will be born from his lineage. In fact, Jesus Christ is often called the "Son of David."

David made some very bad decisions and knowingly sinned big. So why is God pleased with him? It is because of his repentance. He was deeply grieved by what he had done.

Jesus said that "He who is forgiven much, loves much." Are you thinking something along the lines of "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" God anticipated this reaction. Romans 6:2 says quite definitively "By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

David lived passionately; he was a man whose emotions ran deeply. He loved God with all his might, and he was indeed a man after God's own heart.