Thursday, March 31, 2016

40 Old Testament Story: David & Bathsheba

This story is an illustration that God can use flawed human beings to do great things.

David has become King of Israel.  He has been anointed by God.  He will go on to become the father of the nation of Israel.  He basically spies into his neighbors backyard and sees his neighbors wife.

He decides that he has to have her and so he calls her to him and pressures her into having sex with him.  Today we would say that his behavior fell somewhere between the definitions of sexual exploitation and date rape.  It certainly was adultery.  David has broken 2 of the 10 commandments - he has coveted his neighbor's wife and has committed adultery.

Bathsheba becomes pregnant.  David first tries to get her husband to come home and sleep with her and when that fails he orders that her husband, a general, be put in the forefront of the battle in order that he be killed.  David basically orders the murder of Bathsheba's husband.

David is called out by a prophet and repents.  God goes on to make David the greatest king in the history of Israel.

God continually uses sinners - and David is a great sinner.  At least one of the points of this story is that it doesn't matter how bad a sinner we have been, if we are willing, God can use us for his glory.

No comments:

Post a Comment