1Saumel 28:20 – 2Samuel 12:10

Overview

Day 22 of reading the Bible in 90 days brings us to David, who is making plans to march against Saul with the Philistines. We see that the Amalekites attack Ziklag where David was living.  While David was not there, both of his wives were taken along with all of the plunder.  David chases after them and takes vengeance and recovers everything including his family.  Later in 1 Samuel, we learn that Saul is defeated in battle.  His sons die (including Jonathan) and he takes his own life.  David respects that Saul was placed as king by God and he sings a song for Saul and Jonathan.  David is then made king of Judah.  After more battles, David becomes king over all of Israel.  Now that David is King, David defeats the Philistines.  With peace in the land, David fetches the Ark of the Covenant from Kirjath and places it in the Tabernacle with great joy and dancing.  David wants to build a house for God since he has a palace being built for him but God says no through Nathan the prophet.  David continues to fight for God and the people and subdues the Moabites and the Philistines.  David brings Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s only remaining son) to the palace and repays him his inheritance.  At the end or our reading for the day, we learn that David commits adultery with Bathsheba and has her husband Uriah killed in battle.  He then marries Bathsheba and she has a child.  Nathan the prophet confronts David with his sin.

Scripture – 2Samuel 11:2-4

2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.  Then she went back home.

 

 

David & Bathsheba

Observation

David had just been anointed King of all Israel.  The Ark of God was back in the Tabernacle and everything was going great.  Then one innocent evening David saw a woman bathing in the near distance.  He thought about her, watched her and asked about her to others.  The then sent for her and committed adultery with her.  Later, Nathan the prophet confronted David of this terrible sin.

Application

Even a man after God’s own heart is not perfect and will fail God.  David was tempted when he first saw Bathsheba bathing.  He could have turned away but instead he looked long enough to notice she was beautiful and allowed his mind think over the possibilities of her.  His temptation turned into lust and he inquired about her.  He did not turn away from his desires and he sent for her to come to him and he fulfilled his desires and sinned against God.  Most sin begins with our eyes.  We observe something and let our minds begin to dwell on what we saw.  Unless we turn away from what we see and try to distract our minds from the temptation it will quickly turn into sin.  We need to guard our eyes and thoughts from worldly desires.  Instead, we need to fill our minds with the things of God.  Once we see or think of something that would lead us quickly to sin we must turn away from it immediately and ask God he help us clear our minds.

Prayer

Lord keep us from temptation.  When we are tempted to follow our own desires and sin against you, protect us and help us to fill our minds with you and your presence.  Thank you that when we do sin, we can confess it, turn away from it and you will forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteousness.