David, Bathsheba and Uriah

There are consequences to sin.  This is the first time that it is recorded anywhere that David, a man after God's own heart, displeased God. 

 It happened in the spring of the year, when kings go out to battle.  David, however, decided not to go out to war, but rather stayed home.  One night David had trouble sleeping and woke up.  He walked on the roof of his mansion and saw a beautiful young woman bathing.  A woman so beautiful that he was willing to do whatever it took to see her.  He sent his servants to go and get her and bring her back.  She was so beautiful that he had to have her.  Forget the months of courtship.  David wanted her now and David had sex with her knowing full well that she was a married woman. 
Later on, she informed David she was pregnant.  

Now David has a king size problem.  What are you going to do now?  David decides the only solution is to get rid of Bathsheba's husband.  His name is Uriah and he is one of David's "37 mighty men."  Uriah was a mighty soldier and was currently fighting in the battle that David was supposed to be commanding.  David sent a message to General Joab requesting that Uriah be sent back home.  When Uriah got back, David had dinner with him.  The next morning, David wrote a letter to General Joab.  In the letter, David tells the general to put Uriah in the front line and then pull the troops back so that Uriah will be killed.  David than gives the letter to Uriah to deliver to the general.  Uriah goes to Joab and gives him the letter that will be his death sentence.  General Joab opens the letter and then did as directed and Uriah died.

When Bathsheba heard that her husband died in battle, she mourned him.  Afterwards, she went to King David and they were married shortly afterwards and bore him a son.  However, what David did was evil in the eyes of God.  

Later, the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to visit David.  Nathan told David the story of a rich man who had many sheep and a poor man who only had one.  The rich man took the poor man's little lamb.  David became very angry and asked Nathan to tell him the rich man's name and he would have him killed.  Nathan than said, "You are the man!  Thus saith the Lord, 'I anointed you king over Israel and you have sinned.  The sword will never leave your house for 400 years!"  David immediately recognized his sin and said, "I have sinned against the Lord."  Nathan told David that God was not going to kill him but the child who is born will surely die."  

The Lord struck the child that Bathsheba bore to David and it became ill.  David prayed and fasted for seven days.  The servants were worried that David would kill himself as he was so upset and would not eat.  On the 7th day, the child died.  David then got up and ate.  When the servants asked why he was no longer sad, David said, "While he was alive I fasted and wept.  But now he is dead.  Why should I fast?  I will go to him but he will not return to me."  What David is saying, is that he will meet him again in the after life.  David writes Psalm 51, which is the greatest example of repentance ever written.  

David than comforted Bathsheba and "lay with her."  She bore her second son which they named Solomon.  The story does not end here.  David had a close friend.  When David became king he made this friend counselor to the king.  His name was Ahithophel. David trusted him more than anyone else on earth.  He told him everything about his life and about his military strategy. Ahithophel knew everything about David.  What David didn't know was that Ahithophel's granddaughter was Bathsheba.  Bathsheba's reputation was dragged through the mud because of what David did and Ahithophel hated David for doing that.  Ahithophel bided his time, waiting for the moment he would get even with David.  

The moment came when David's own son, Absalom, wanted to kill his father and become king.  He joined forces with Ahithophel and the conspiracy was on.  Absalom wanted to kill his father because he wanted to be king.  Ahithophel was not interested in ambition.  He wanted revenge.  Ahitihophel stated he would kill David himself if he could have 12,000 troops.  When David became aware of a coup, he fled for his life.  Later, when spies told him that it was his own son, Absalom, and his counselor, his best friend, Ahithophel, who were behind all of this, David fell apart.  He suspected his son would betray him.  However, never in a million years would he suspect that his best friend, his counselor, the man he told all of his secrets to, his ambitions, his military strategy - Ahithophel - could possibly betray him. 

The story ends with the coup being destroyed.  David's son, Absalom, is killed.  Ahithophel knows his days are now numbered.  He cannot face the king because he knows that as soon as David finds out the truth that he will be killed.  Ahithophel knows there is no other way out.  David will track him down wherever he goes.  Ahithophel decides to hang himself and he is successful.

Now David is stuck with incredible anger toward his "friend."  What can he do now?  How do you clear the air with a dead man?   David than writes Psalm 109.  He is angry.  By verse 21 he has calmed down and now is right again.  The question than becomes, "What do you do with your anger?"  The Psalms are full of people who are angry and than it resolves itself. 

One suggestion is to write Psalm 151 (there are only 150 psalms).  Write it to the person who has offended you.  Write it in great detail but don't mail it.  Instead, pray over it and then burn the letter.  (These suggestions are for those who have offended you but are no longer alive or available to talk with.)

Another suggestion is to pray that something good will happen to the person who has offended you.  You do this right before you go to sleep at night.  Simply pray that something good will happen to the person who you are angry with.  You will be surprised that you may wake up feeling very good.  The purpose is to release yourself from anger.  This very act, even though you are not really concerned about the person, will actually free you.  Unresolved anger can result in depression.  You may never be the person you were meant to be until you have resolved this internal conflict.  Also, as David did, reveal all of your feelings to God.  May God bless you in your journey.