Navigating Rough Seas - King David

Week 3 - "Sin is Blinding"

Introduction: King David committed adultery with Bathsheba while her husband Uriah was away in battle. Bathsheba conceived and sent word to David that she was with child. David attempts to cover his sin by getting Uriah drunk and making love to his wife, but he fails. His final attempt to cover his sin was to kill Uriah. 

Read 2 Samuel 11: 14-27

“In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.” So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. Joab sent David a full account of the battle. He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’” The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.” David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.” When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.”

I titled this study “Sin is Blinding” because almost always when we sin we are not thinking about the consequences we will face or how it might affect you and the people around you. David made the decision to sleep with Bathsheba. When he was in the act of committing adultery, he was not thinking of the likelihood a child would be conceived or a man killed in battle. As humans we do not like to think ahead. We are taught from a young age to “live in the moment” or “just roll with it”. But we see here with the story of David and Bathsheba, that if we live acting on our desires in the moment, consequences will follow. Some consequences are easy to sweep up or simply apologize for, but some result in heartache and death. 

As our sin builds and we face the consequences that come, it becomes a game of living a double, false life. On the outside we are put together, but on the inside we feel the weight of our actions. It is likely that Bathsheba did not know David killed her husband. David was living this double, false life. It is shown in Psalm 32: 1-5 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”

After David’s first attempt to cover his sin, he was not quick to ask for forgiveness. He continued to sin while trying to draw a veil over his actions. This resulted in the death of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah. When confession is most needed, there is often a delay in making it. Sin is blinding and it fogs our conscience. Bring your sin to God, He is listening. Find accountability in your godly community and turn to those you trust early and often! 

Discussion:

1. If King David was a man after God’s heart, what led him to try and cover his sin? 

2. Why did King David eventually repent and turn to God? 

3. As followers of Christ, how can we avoid temptation when it is presented to us? 

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for not abandoning us when we have fallen short of your glory. As King David prayed in Psalm 51, have mercy on us, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out our transgressions. Wash away all our iniquity and cleanse us from our sin. Create in us a pure heart  and renew a steadfast spirit within us. Do not cast us from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from us. We are so thankful for your love. Amen.