Repenting

Repent Before The Lord

Psalms 51


There can be no doubt the purpose of this Psalm.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

This Psalm is about King David begging for mercy because of his sin with Bathsheba.

What was David's sin? He despised the commandment of the Lord.

2Sa 12:9  "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight"? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

God said "there is a way that seems right to man, but the end there of are the ways of death".

What is personal accountability?

We simply do not want to own our own sin.

We will try our best to make excuses for our sin.

We will try our best to blame our sin on some other thing or on some other person.

But sin is a choice!

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; "but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened".

The Bible relates sin in at least three different ways.

1) Sin means missing the mark.

Our standard is our sinless Lord Jesus Christ. God expects us to come as close as we can to this standard. When we sin we miss the mark but we are not alone.

Jesus Christ is the glory of our Father in Heaven but God says this about all humans.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

2) Sin is described as a transgression.

Transgression is human rebelliousness. We know what God's commandments require of us, yet we choose to disobey.

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

3) Sin is described as iniquity.

Iniquity points out disobedience but iniquity also points out the guilt that comes from that iniquity.

Psa 31:10  For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

And what are the consequences of sin?

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let's begin:

*****Psa 51:1  Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

We know from this story of David that for over a year David had carried this sin in secret. It had eating away at him to the point of causing him physical and emotional problems.

When Nathan, the prophet of God confronted David with his sin, David quickly realized there are no secrets that can be kept from God and it was by God's "Grace" that He had sent Nathan to confront David.

God was allowing David space to repent but he had not repented!

David quickly understood his failure and immediately appealed to the mercy of God.

David ask for mercy before he mentioned his sin.

It is important for us to tell God what sin we have committed, God expects us to realize what He considers sin but like David we may first want to ask for mercy.

God already knows about our sin but God wants us to be sure that we know His Word and what His Word teaches us about sin.

The sight of mercy is good to see after a strained relationship with the Lord!

The "pardon" of our sin is a pure act of mercy on the part of Our Lord!

We must remember what to be pardoned means. To pardon means to reverse a sentence of guilty.

To be pardoned is like that sin never even happened!

Thank goodness we have a God that is merciful!

Mic 7:18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

We are the foolish ones when we do not use the opportunity to repent to get back in God's favor!

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

It is embarrassing to fall into the traps of Satan but it is refreshing to be restored to our Father!

That embarrassment ends when we realize that that sin has been blotted out of God record book!

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Act 3:20  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

*****Psa 51:2  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

We must remember it is not enough to just blot out our sin, our soul is housed in defiled flesh and that flesh contains the sin nature of Adam.

We need a good cleansing!

That washing must be thorough.

That washing must be repeated over and over again until we get home to the Lord's house.

Chastisement must be looked upon as God removing our defective parts!

We need at least a daily washing to stay as clean as we possibly can be until the Lord comes to take us home.

***Sin is like pollution that has polluted our entire nature.

We own our sin!

Sin is that debt that we owe ourselves!

No one else owns our sin and no one else can pay our sin debt!

Sin is a deviation from the straight path of God!

Jas 4:16  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

How are we washed clean of our sin?

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

***Sin is lawlessness and it becomes rebellion and leads to a bad attitude before a Holy God!

We must acknowledge our transgressions.

Remember transgressions mean we know what the Word of God says but we refuse to obey it.

And to sin means we have come short of the standard set by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 15:22  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

When David sinned, he sinned against Uriah, he sinned against Bathsheba, he sinned against his wife and he sinned against his entire family but most important he sinned against the Lord and we must acknowledge all these things to Him.

*****Psa 51:4  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

When we realize how our sin has affected the life of others we will have that increased feeling that we have sinned against God.

When we cause injury to those around us it is because we have gone against the Word of God!

***To sin is a choice we make and in doing so we have placed our own selves higher than anyone in this world and before our Savior from the glory world.

I find it truly embarrassing to face my Father in Heaven knowing I have done wrong and knowing He has witnessed me doing that wrong thing!

We must realize we have no excuse and no means of argument against the truth of God.

We must also realize that God has every right to chastise us when we have gone against His Word.

Our God is a righteous God and He gets no pleasure out of seeing our sin and He also gets no pleasure in His chastisement but that chastisement must come because of God's righteousness.

BUT, God takes great pleasure in forgiving sin because He is faithful to the work of His Son on Calvary's cross!

*****Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

There is no sin in the act of conception when it is carried out in the bond of marriage.

We are not sinners because we sin, "we sin because have a sin nature"!

This is the sin nature passed down from Adam.

Adam yielded to the assaults of temptation and all mankind since that time have to face the temptations of this world and we all fail.

This is not an excuse to sin, it is a reality of who we are!

We cannot be saved until we know are sinners in need of our Savior.

We cannot be forgiven until we realize the sinful things we do and ask for forgiveness and that forgiveness is promised.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

The reality of these things is we must desire the truth!

God's Word Is True!

*****Psa 51:6  Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

To behold is to give this matter of sin great consideration!

God not only requires us to be obedient to His Word but God also requires us to know the truth of how far we come up short of His ideals.

We must not ever forget our example in this life is Jesus Christ who was sinless!

What are God's demands for us? God demands sanctification!

Sanctification is the process of being made holy. It is only the work of Jesus Christ on that cross that makes it possible for us to move from being in sin to being holy in the eyes of God!

God says:

Lev 20:7  Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
Lev 20:8  And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.

*****Psa 51:7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Hyssop was a small shrub that was used to sprinkle blood and water over the cleansed leper, symbolizing his purification and cleansing.

It was also the hyssop that was used to in the sprinkling of blood on the door post of the Israelites on that first Passover.

Lev 14:6  As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
Lev 14:7  And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

We must realize it is only by the blood of Jesus that the stain of sin can be removed!

Who are the ones who will make it to God's Heavenly Home?

Wash me Lord, make me clean!

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

*****Psa 51:8  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

When we are in distress because of our sin, the only thing that will bring joy is forgiveness!

The salvation by the Lord Jesus is a certain and permanent thing but when we carry sin in our heart we will lose the joy of our salvation until we repent and return to the Lord.

God's voice of peace is the sweetest music we can hear!

When we carry the weight of sin, it will become a burden that we cannot over come.

The Lord Jesus Christ has already carried that burden of sin to the cross, we are foolish to try to carry any burden of sin during our life time.

It took the death of Jesus to pay our sin debt. Sin will break your bones as it breaks your life!

Psa 55:22  Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

We need to cast that burden upon the Lord.

*****Psa 51:9  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

***What is the one main thing that comes between us and God in our relationship? It is sin!

Here David is saying "Lord do not look upon my sin". "Do not allow my foolishness to come between us".

Nothing but a complete pardon will ever satisfy this request!

And how loving is our God?

Mic 7:18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Mic 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

We should all pray, please God don't just blot out my transgression of today but blot out all my iniquities, the sin I know I have done all my life.

And how loving is our God?

Col 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

For only then can we be "Born Again"!

*****Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Jesus had these words for Nicodemus:

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Only God can create in the sense of making something out of nothing. This is exactly what happened when God created our world!

Heb 11:3  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

When we pray the sinners prayer we are asking the Lord to create something new that is not within us.

When we come into this earth we do not have a clean heart.

When we come into this world we do not have the right spirit.

We must be "Born Again" and our spirit must be renewed!

Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

*****Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

In the time of Adam, his son Cain was banished from the presence of his family.

Being "Born Again" by the blood of Jesus, we will never be banished, we will always have access to our new family and to all our own family that have gone on before us, when we all gather together in Heaven.

This is a great privilege that God has allowed us.

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Besides the supreme privilege of seeing the Lord Jesus Christ, there is great joy in salvation knowing that we will once again see our loved ones who have gone on before us!

Our salvation is eternal! If God has the power and ability to save us, then He certainly has the power and the ability to hold onto us!

Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Once "Born Again", having been justified, we begin that time of sanctification and when the Lord calls us up to meet Him in the clouds we will all be glorified!

No one will be left behind, except those that belong to Belial!

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

What are we to be doing today?

*****Psa 51:13  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

David knew that even though he was King of Israel, he had another more important job to do also.

David was also a prophet of God.

Act 2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Act 2:30  Therefore "being a prophet", and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

We sometimes forget that we are also sinners, saved by the "Grace" of God.

1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

It is our own salvation experience that can be used as an example and a testimony to others who are still doing what we have been saved from doing.

And God says:

Jas 5:19  Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Pro 11:30  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

This is the same job we all have after we are saved!

*****Psa 51:14  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

As we know from our other studies, David was guilty of the death of Uriah, a true national hero of the Jews.

David is confessing that fact.

David also knew that committing the sin of adultery was a capitol offense under Jewish law.

David knew he deserved death!

David knew that God hates these actions from any man! David had also written Psalms 6.

Psa 5:6  Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

To be hated of God is an awful thing and no human being can escape the law of God!

But Nathan had also given David a warning.

2Sa 12:10  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

Our sin will almost always affect our families!

David was seeking to be free from the guilt and the condemnation of this sin.

***We must realize just how terrible sin is and how it can affect our lives just to realize just how wretched we are!

The Apostle Paul also realized these same things:

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

SO, What does true confession bring about?

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

This is our greatest reason to praise the Lord!

*****Psa 51:15  O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

When we face the Lord with our sin, there can be no excuses. To sin is a choice that we make. We must confess our sin before the Lord and then we must remain quiet until we hear the judgment of the Lord.

***Our God is faithful to be obedient to His own Word!

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If God opens our mouths by removing our sense of guilt then He expects something in return!

How can we not praise Him!

*****Psa 51:16  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

The praise from our mouths is far better than any sacrifice we could offer.

To praise the Lord shows our faith that we have been forgiven.

To praise the Lord shows our love for Him and glorifies Him.

If God required anything else, we would be foolish to not get it for Him for such a forgiveness.

This would then be a works doctrine and God is not about works, God is all about "Faith"!

To offer up a burnt offering, meant that some animal was taken to a priest and that priest would offer up the animal in your name.

That animal already belonged to God!

It is foolish to believe that we could offer any other sacrifice "than ourselves" that would be pleasing to the Lord!

The sacrifice that God requires are a "broken spirit" because of our sin!

Psa 34:18  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

The broken and the contrite heart because of sin are not despised by the Lord!

They are accepted as a suitable sacrifices through the Lord Jesus Christ and will bring an everlasting salvation!

The Word of God delivered by the Holy Spirit will break the heart of a sinner and only then will God save them!

Once we have repented and are back in favor with God we can then be a blessing to others.

*****Psa 51:18  Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

It was on the hill called Zion where David had determined to build the Temple that Solomon did build after the death of his father, King David.

David requested that God not allow his personal sin to interfere with the construction of the Temple.

As Christians we should pray that God not allow our sin to hinder the Church in any way.

When we fall into the snares of the devil, our own actions can become a stumbling block to those around us, especially to our own families.

Salvation is our wall between us and this evil world we live in.

And we must offer up ourselves as spiritual sacrifices!

1Pe 2:4  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

These are the sacrifices that please God!

*****Psa 51:19  Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

As the saved children of God we expect for our prayers to be answered but God is only pleased with us when we bring our best.

The Lord Jesus Christ paid our sin debt. There are no more sacrifices that can be offered for our sin!

Eph 5:1  Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Eph 5:2  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Just like David we must follow the proper way of confession of our sins and we must then repent.

Sometimes it is the preaching of God's Word that will wake us up to confession of our sin.

Sometimes it is God's Heavenly Hickory that will wake us up to confession of our sin.

Sometimes it is Holy Ghost conviction that will wake us up to confess our sin.

God will always provide a means of and a method of confession and that will lead us to repentance because this is the only reason God came to this earth to begin with!

Mat 9:12  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Mat 9:13  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus did not die just so He could heal the sick.

Jesus died on that cross to save all of us that know we are sinners in need of a Savior!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

King David's Sins

David's Sins

2 Samuel 10; 11; 1 Chronicles 19

When we left David last, he had found the grandson of Jonathan, his one time best friend and kept the covenant he had made with him many years earlier.

Today will see that David was still only a human and as we humans do, we allow our own lust to take over our flesh and ignore the Word of God.

We can feed our flesh with worldly things or we can feed our soul with godly things whichever we feed the most will show up in our actions.

Before this takes place let's highlight chapter 10.

After King David had rescued and adopted Mephibosheth he was in a good spirit and upon hearing of the death of Nahash the king of the Ammonites, David tried to show kindness to his son Hanun.

David had already been told by God Himself, that he was a man of war and could not build a Temple for the Jews to worship.

David was trying to change his image to a man of peace but God already knew the enemies of Israel and that they are never seeking peace with Israel.

*****2Sa 10:2  Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father.
And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

When David was persecuted by King Saul, the Ammonite king had sent aid to David and his men and had even invited David into his country for his own protection.

He did this not so much for David but more because of his hatred for King Saul.

But this son of Nahash, was misled by his advisers because of their hate for Israel.

*****2Sa 10:3  And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
2Sa 10:4  Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

There was no law that said every Jew had to grow a beard but if they grew a beard they would come under the Levitical Laws and to tamper with a man's beard was a great insult.

In this day, the priests of false religions that were around Israel, would do many things to their beards in honor of their idols and false gods.

God would not allow the Jews to get caught up in any part of false religion.

Lev 19:27  Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

Lev 21:5  They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Deu 14:1  Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

Why did God insist on these things?

Deu 14:2  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

When you are saved and some one tells you, you are peculiar, just give God the praise!

God's people are never to look as the world looks. The fads of the world are never to be brought into the church!

As far as those garments, we must realize that the men of that day wore robes. Only the priest wore breeches, so to cut off those robes at the buttocks exposed those parts of a man that should always be concealed.

By those same laws of God, Jewish men were always to dress modestly.

The Jews did not just have the 10 Commandments, there were 613 laws written in those first 5 books of the Bible.

These men felt felt great shame and would not return to Jerusalem.

These men would have been ambassadors from Israel and this act showed a lack of respect for the government of Israel and for King David.

David responded in the way that God had said. David was a man of war!

This young king of Ammon was not prepared to go to war with Israel who had already faced many battles and had much experience in the ways of war.

So, He hired mercenaries from Syria, who also hated the nation of Israel.

*****2Sa 10:6  And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

That word "stank" meant that this incident was morally offensive to King David!

BUT, Hiring this paid army was not going to stop the revenge of King David and he was not going to send other ambassadors seeking peace.

The mighty men of David's army and King David's head general would be the next thing this young inexperienced ruler would see.

*****2Sa 10:7  And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

When Israel responded with it's best forces that hired army from Syria fled and when they fled, the armies of Ammon also fled.

*****2Sa 10:13  And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
2Sa 10:14  And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

Without firing a shot this day of warfare was over!

But there was also another king of Syria, Hadarezer, who thought to save the face of the Syrian forces that had fled from the army of Israel.

*****2Sa 10:16  And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

When King David knew of this he came himself to lead the armies of Israel against this new threat to Israel.

*****2Sa 10:17  And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

Shobach was also a ruthless commander but no match for King David.

With this defeat the Syrians decided it was just too costly to try to help Ammon and then again, their was peace.

*****2Sa 10:19  And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

We already know that there will never be true peace for Israel until the "Prince of Peace", the Lord Jesus Christ, returns to this world and the government rest on His shoulders!

The Bible still says:

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and "the government shall be upon his shoulder": and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, "The Prince of Peace".
Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government "and peace there shall be no end", upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

But at this time, King David was growing weary of war and was losing interest in his own army and their welfare.

When King David should have been the leader of his nation, he became a lax politician and placed them in the hands of Joab, who was a mighty general but Joab was not an honorable man and King David knew this.

*****2Sa 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.

We should first realize that sin always has a beginning!

Sin does not just spring into our lives full grown!

The Bible says:

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Being drawn away represents the sin nature of mankind passed down from Adam.

We may first get lax in our prayer life. Or we may get lax in our Bible study. Or we may begin to skip church when we could have made it. Or like David along with all these things we have reached the top of the mountain and allow pride and success to control what we do.

King David's first problem was that for nearly half his years as King of Israel he had become rich and was admired by all of Israel and much of the world. David began to think he was a somebody who had great authority.

2Sa 7:9  And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

King David's second problem was that he was in direct violation of the laws of Moses.

Deu 17:17  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Deu 17:20  That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

King David's third problem was that he was neglecting his purpose given to him by God.

1Ch 17:7  Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

King David was to be a "type" of Christ, "The Shepherd/King".

BUT, King David had become "idle" in his duties as king and more certainly as a shepherd to Israel.

It would have been much better for King David if he had gone forth with his army, but David had tarried still at Jerusalem.

David later wrote this Psalm:

Psa 101:2  I will behave myself "wisely" in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

At this point in his life King David was not very "wise".

How many of us have been at this same point in our own lives?

Every believer is to walk according to the Word of God!

When we do not follow the Word of God we are not very wise and sin has it's beginning!

And when we do not right before the Lord God, He has these words for us:

Num 32:23  But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and "be sure your sin will find you out".

We can never hide our sin from Our Righteous God!

King David had not been perfect and none of us can be, but from this point forward we will see how this time period in the life of King David affected all his remaining years, which would be nearly 20 years.

One evening just before dark while the armies of Israel were in a foreign land, defending Israel from her enemies, this king decided to go walking upon the roof of his palace.

We have already studied where the Jew would build flat roofs that could be used for many things.

The palace of King David was  much higher than a normal home.

*****2Sa 11:2  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.

Now Bathsheba was not just openly exposing herself to whoever wanted to see her. Most all Jews homes were surrounded by fences high enough for privacy.

That tub would be outside so the sun could warm the water and these tubs were designed for ritual cleansing.

This was probably the same type of vessel that was used by Jesus in Cana when He change the water into wine.

It would have been much better for David to have taken this time to pray rather than ogle his domain!

Satan also took the Lord Jesus upon a high mountain to show off his sinful domain. The higher the view of this world the more we can see of this sinful world!

God gives us a great warning.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

David had begun to love the things of the world and just as the Serpent had deceived Eve, David came in eyesight of the forbidden fruit.

Gen 3:6  And when "the woman saw" that the tree was good for food, and "that it was pleasant to the eyes", and "a tree to be desired" to make one wise, "she took" of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

We can see that what Eve saw, she desired and what she desired, she took of the fruit of sin.

Watch as King David, sees, desires, and then takes of the fruit of sin.

Now it is certain that we will see things in this world that will expose us to temptation, but it is what we do next that brings forth sin!

To see something or someone that is beautiful, is not a sin in itself!

The Hebrew word used for this phrase "very beautiful" did not just mean Bathsheba had a pretty face.
This lady, this wife of Uriah was beautiful in her entire body.

We can see that the first thing David did was to see her.

King David should have stopped at this point and this sin could not have fostered, but he did not.

King David desired and then he took.

*****2Sa 11:3  And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
2Sa 11:4  And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

As we go through these passages we will see that God places the full burden of this sin on David and not Bathsheba.

If we remember the next step that Eve took under the influence of Satan was she had desire and here we see that King David sent and enquired after this woman.

David desired this beautiful creation of God!

It is obvious that he wanted to find that she was unmarried.

We should also remember that King David was the "Judge", the final human authority over all of Israel.

King David was to be an example of the "Truth" to the nation of Israel!

But now in a real sense King David who up to this time was much like Joshua, now becomes much more like Samson!

Once King David found that this woman was married, again he should have stopped with any desire he might have but even with this information King David proceeded did not not give it a second thought.

Again finding out that she was the married wife of Uriah should have also been considered and this sin would have ceased.

Uriah was one of the band of David's mighty men and had probably been with David all the time since the days he had hidden from King Saul.

1Ch 11:10  These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

1Ch 11:41  "Uriah" the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

But knowing all these things King David still sent for Bathsheba.

"And when lust has conceived it bringeth forth sin"

King David "took" this beautiful woman from her own home, more by force than choice.

In those days it was not a good thing to reject the king!

So, King David also "took" this beautiful woman to his bed.

King David was filled with overwhelming lust for this woman and would not be denied at any cost!

David a man after God's own heart had yielded to sin!

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13  There hath 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 ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

There had been many places for King David to escape this sin but he had chosen none of them!

We cannot imagine how Bathsheba felt but it was not beyond her power to at least say no!

The phrase "she was purified from her "uncleanness" tells us that Bathsheba was probably a practicing Jew familiar with the 613 laws of Moses.

She knew the laws of clean and unclean and would also have known the penalty for committing adultery.

Lev 15:19  And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.

I do not claim to know anything about women but from what I have learned is that one of the best times to conceive a child is 5-10 days after her blood cycle and Bathsheba was on her seventh day.

And Bathsheba conceived and King David began to scheme to hide his sin.

BUT, the sin of David could not be hidden!

When King David did not repent, the sin of David then progresses to another level!

David later wrote these words:

Psa 36:1  The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Psa 36:2  For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

*****2Sa 11:5  And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
2Sa 11:6  And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
2Sa 11:7  And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

King David had abused his authority with Bathsheba and now David would abuse his authority over the military of Israel.

We can see that Bathsheba would never have told her husband about her affair with King David but when she conceived, then this thing would not go unnoticed by her husband.

The sin of adultery was a serious thing to practicing Jews.

God said; "thou shalt not commit adultery", the 7th commandment.

God takes seriously the marriage vows even when they are ignored by husbands and wives.

Heb 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

King David quickly devised a plan to cover up this sin!

David later wrote these words:

Psa 36:3  The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
Psa 36:4  He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

King David had been treated this way by King Saul but was now treating God the way Saul had treated him.

Joab was a ruthless general of Israel's army but Uriah was a dedicated soldier not only to David but to his nation, Israel.

By bringing Uriah home from the battlefield David hoped he would spend some time with his wife and then the child that would be born could be claimed as his own.

David disguised his actions by demanding that Uriah tell him about Joab which could show a lack of distrust of his general.

David then demanded to know about the moral of the army, though their moral would have been much better had the King been leading his army as he had always done.

David then demanded to know if Uriah thought Israel was winning this war not a question to ask a dedicated soldier.

David then sent Uriah home to be with his own wife.

*****2Sa 11:8  And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
2Sa 11:9  But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

David had committed a terrible sin against this devoted man but Uriah had much more honor than King David.

Uriah refused to be with his wife while his comrades were in a war with the enemies of Israel.

You see, God was not about to allow David an easy way out of this mess he had created because of his lust!

It was one thing to have multiple wives and concubines but to take another man's wife using the authority given by God's own hand could not go unpunished!

And, God is giving us this example of how one sin will always lead to another unless that first sin is repented of!

King David could have stopped at this time and confessed but he refused and continued with yet another scheme to hide his sin.

But, Uriah slept in the place of the palace guards and some of them told David the next morning.

*****2Sa 11:10  And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
2Sa 11:11  And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

King David told Uriah that he could have rested better at home plus he could have spent some time with his wife.

Uriah explains why this would have been wrong for him.

1) Just as the Ark of God has no secure and permanent house, neither would Israel nor Judah until Israel was safe from her enemies.

2) Joab, his general was in a tent, not secure within walls of Jerusalem but in an open field.

3) That army that had provided King David with so many victories were also in open fields and not secure within the walls of Jerusalem.

Uriah confesses that because these things are true, he could not in clear conscience go home and act like Israel was not at war!

We need a multitude of Uriah's as state Senators and Congressmen in our government, who simply will not rest until America is secure, our soldiers are home, and our military is used to keep peace rather than start wars!

Uriah refused to do as the king said.

David has another opportunity to be as honorable as this man, but he continues to scheme and his sin progresses even further.

*****2Sa 11:12  And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
2Sa 11:13  And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

King David knew what normally would happen when men get drunk.

Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Pro 23:33  Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Uriah may have actually gotten drunk, we do not know, but Uriah still would not go to his own home or be with his wife.

And, David would still not repent of his sin and decided that there could be only one answer left.

Uriah must die and that death must be soon before Bathsheba was showing to be pregnant, then all Israel would know.

*****2Sa 11:15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

This is what we call premeditated murder and when Joab consented, even though David is king, he is just as guilty, especially being his commanding officer.

No General has to follow this type of order nor any other commanding officer!

We can be certain that Joab was not aware of why King David wanted Uriah murdered because
David was trying to hide the fact of his adultery.

King David had decided that if Uriah would not go home to his wife, then he could not allow Bathsheba to have his child without being married to him.

David remembered this Word of God:

Deu 23:2  A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

David was picking and choosing from the Word of God searching for a way to condone his sin but it was already too late for that.

How low had King David become?

1) Thou shalt not commit adultery.
2) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
3) Thou shalt not steal.
4) Thou shalt not kill.
5) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

What else had God said?

God said He would show mercy to those that keep His commandments!

Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

What had King David forgotten?

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

It is true that soldiers die in every war!

BUT when the Commander of the Armed Forces, (our President) and his Generals do not do everything they can to keep our military as safe as possible, they have committed murder in the highest degree.

This includes ambassadors or anyone else that represents our government.

We have just witnessed where this war with Ammon was first started because the King of Ammon abused the ambassadors of the government of Israel.

Joab did not have to obey the king in this instance!

He would have been justified by the Word of God!

But, Joab had already murdered Abner and Asahel and Joab obeyed this command of King David without question.

Joab knew he could use this act in his own defence someday to blackmail the king.

Even the general of David's army had little regard for the valiant men of Israel!

And, still today, in many cases, murder is an act that takes place after adultery has been committed.

How does Joab assist in this crime?

*****2Sa 11:16  And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
2Sa 11:17  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Joab had the city of Rabbah under siege. In other words this city was surrounded and had no access to the outside world. What ever food and water and other needs they had would have to be with them.

When their supplies ran out they would fight or they would die!

This was a normal tactic for walled cities!

Many times the city under siege would send out small groups of soldiers to entice the enemy to come closer where the archers or others could kill the enemy from safety.

Joab was in a position to observe all these things and as any good commander should, he knew where the strongest and the weakest positions were located.

And a valiant soldier name Uriah was murdered in this action.

Joab wasted no time informing the king but he had trained his messenger well.

*****2Sa 11:18  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
2Sa 11:19  And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
2Sa 11:20  And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
2Sa 11:21  Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou,
Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:22  So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

Joab knew that King David would normally not allow such actions as this that placed his army in harm's way unnecessarily.

King David would use a story from the Bible as his guideline in warfare.

Jdg 9:50  Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
Jdg 9:51  But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
Jdg 9:52  And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
Jdg 9:53  And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.

When a city was under siege it was better to wait them out than to senselessly waste your own army.

When King David said these things the messenger was to respond with "But thy servant Uriah is dead also".

And King David would know what Joab had done.

*****2Sa 11:23  And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
2Sa 11:24  And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:25  Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

King David had become so hard hearted in these actions he showed no remorse for what he had done.

I see this happening with our own government everyday!

There is no remorse for the actions of our government today.

Our government does not show a real concern for the American people!

David was celebrating the actions of the enemies of Israel, for killing the innocent soldiers of Israel, "just to see his agenda move forward"!

I believe this happened, when our own ambassador, was killed in Benghazi.

The agenda of our government moved forward at the expense of good men just trying to do their job but lacking the protection to do it safely!

King David tells Joab that soldiers die everyday and this day was no different than any other day!

They both were wrong.

They both were guilty!

It is not soldiers that start wars.

It is the true soldier that brings peace!

I am here to tell you that every true soldier that dies on the battlefield is a loss to his nation and deserves the remorse of his nation and it's commander in chief.

I do not see this in America today!

When we get tired of war then we must accept that there will be no peace!

Joab was instructed to continue with the siege of Rabbah.

King David still had other plans.

*****2Sa 11:26  And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
2Sa 11:27  And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Bathsheba may have never known this plot to kill her husband.

It was customary for at least 7 days be given to mourning, even though sometimes even more days were needed by some.

Gen 50:10  And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

The period of mourning could vary.

The mourning for Jacob went on for 70 days.
The mourning for Moses went on for 30 days.

David did not have that much time in order to hide his act of adultery and only allowed Bathsheba the seven days!

I believe we can see that Bathsheba may have looked like she was sincere in her mourning but it seems to me she lacked real sorrow for her husband and King David had no sorrow for Uriah.

So, David fetched Bathsheba to the palace and made her his wife.

To King David this episode in his life had finally been put to rest, but this thing that King David had done did not please the Lord!

This was a great turning point in the life of King David.

It is a fact that the world may have even seen this wedding of Bathsheba to King David as a good
thing.

Uriah had truly been one of the mighty men of Israel, valiant in battle, and a true war hero.

But God was not please with any of these things!

Next week we will see that God's judgment of human conduct can be more severe than any judgment of men!

Questions?

Let's Pray!