The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is studying God's providence or divine providence in the lives of David and Joseph and how we can apply His providence in their lives to our lives today.
The providence of God or divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. Divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe. He is in control of the physical world. He is in control of the affairs of nations. He is in control of human destiny. He is in control of human successes and failures. He protects His people.
In Session 15 we will talk briefly about an outstanding example of grace that David extended to someone just because….
Then after extending this amazing grace David's weakness for beautiful women causes him to sin and then cover it up. The cover up becomes much worse than the original sin.
For our study we will be using Great Lives: David: A Man of Passion and Destiny, by Charles R. Swindoll, and The Hand of God by Alistair Begg. To study along with us you can purchase the books by clicking the Links here or the images after the notes.
Last week we looked at God’s providence when He says no. We talked about David’s desire to construct a temple to house the ark of the covenant in Jerusalem. From the time that the Israelites were in the wilderness God’s presence was symbolized as being above the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant.
David had subdued Israel's enemies the nation was at peace and was flourishing. David had moved the tabernacle and the ark to Jerusalem so now was the perfect time to build a permanent place for God's presence. David announced his decision to Nathan his prophet friend who told him to go for it.
2 Samuel 7:1-3 NIV After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
That night God told Nathan to go back and tell David no.
2 Samuel 7:5-7 NIV “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’
What we learned is that although we have a great idea for the kingdom of God it may not be God’s will that we be the person to accomplish it.
David had a great idea but it was God’s plan for his son Soloman to accomplish it .
It’s just not His plan for us to do this. He may have something more in mind for us. He told David thought the Nathan that He had more in mind for David than him just building a temple. He was going to bless David beyond what he could even imagine.
2 Samuel 7:8-16 NIV “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
2 Chronicles 6:3-11 NIV While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. Then he said: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said, ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’ “My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’ “The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”
God says to him, “I commend you for that thought. I commend you for having a heart that is so sensitive to Me that you would want to construct a house of worship for My glory. It is well that it was in your heart. It’s not My plan for you to do that, but I commend you for such a thought.”
When God says “no” it is not necessarily discipline or rejection. It may simply be redirection.
The thing we have to do in our walk with God is to listen carefully from day to day. Don’t worry about what people, that you shared your idea with, when God says no to you.
Lord, is this Your arrangement? Is this Your plan? If it is not, make sensitive to it
God does not call everybody to build temples.
That is the role of spiritual gifts in the church. God has different people do different things. They are in different roles but God’s purpose is to edify the church which is us.
What we should be seeking is God’s long term plan for us not get stuck on that one no to what we thought was a great idea. Thank God for showing us His final plan for us which is eternal life in His presence.
To some, He says, “yes.” To others, “no.” In either case, the answer is best. Why? Because God’s answers, while surprising, are never wrong.
Help and support the one that God chooses.
Extending Grace
This week we will talk briefly about an outstanding example of grace that David extended to someone just because….
Dictionary definition. (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. (dictionary.com)
2 Samuel 9:1-10 NIV David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “At your service,” he replied. The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.” “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied. “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
Before we move on let’s talk a little about where Mephibosheth was when David found him through Ziba. He was in Lo Debar. Lo-debar, interestingly, in Hebrew means “a barren place.” In English, the name of the place could be translated “no pastureland.” It’s as if the servant is saying that Jonathan’s son is living in a place of stark barrenness— a place where there are no crops, a wilderness . . . a wasteland.
What a scene! What grace! From that time on he was welcome at the king’s table of continual nourishment and uninterrupted provisions. Undeserving . . . yet unconditionally loved. Mephibosheth’s head must have swirled for days as he forced himself to believe his new situation wasn’t a dream.
Why did David want to show Mephibosheth lovingkindness? It wasn’t because of his relationship with the young man. In fact, he had no knowledge of Mephibosheth’s existence before Ziba told him of the man. David wanted to show grace to Mephibosheth for Jonathan’s sake. The crippled son did nothing to merit David’s notice. But David stooped in grace, offered him a place at the royal table, and restored to him all the riches he had lost.
David offering Mephibosheth a seat at his family table reminds us of our being accepted by God into His family.
As we look around the table, we’ll see so many faces Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Deborah, Peter, Mary, Martha,
Paul, “Mrs. Gray-Haired Prayer Warrior,” “Mr. Missionary,” “Mr. Businessman,” “Mrs. Mother of Three,” “Miss Kindergarten Teacher”—the list will go on. But we will all come to the table by the same invitation—grace. It’s not what we did or didn’t do,
but what He gave. We’ll all sit at His table in awesome wonder that the King sent his beloved Son to rescue us from our “Lo-debar.” Together, the children of God who once felt so unworthy will spend eternity praising the One who made them worthy.
As we are gathered with the people of God at that great marriage feast of the Lamb, the tablecloth of His grace will cover all our disabilities and limitations.
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The Big Coverup
The Bible never flatters its heroes. All the men and women of Scripture have feet of clay, and when the Holy Spirit paints a portrait of their lives, He’s a very realistic artist. He doesn’t ignore, deny, or overlook the dark side.
We are going to be talking about a very dark time of David’s life. One in which he was completely guilty but he, in my opinion had two willing accomplices. It is also an example of a major weakness of David we identified earlier.
David was a passionate man and that included a passion for women. This was actually a weakness in David’s character which affected his reign and his legacy.
2 Samuel 3:2-5 NIV Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
This is six children by six different wives. Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah. And that’s not counting Michal, daughter of Saul, who was his first wife who he had to, leave to stay alive. That in itself is unbelievable to me. It’s now so much the number of children it is the number of wives. WHEW!!
That was just in Hebron David had more children and wives when he later went into Jerusalem and king over the entire nation. The only wives named in scripture are the six mentioned earlier and Bathsheba who we will talk about today. We know from scripture that he had more wives and also a number of concubines who also had children.
2 Samuel 5:13-16 NIV After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
David had a total of twenty sons and one daughter, Tamar.
So let’s get to what we want to talk about today.
David was now about fifty years old, perhaps a few years older. He had been on the throne approximately twenty years. He had distinguished himself as a man of God, as a valiant warrior on the battlefield, and as a leader of his people. We just talked about the fact that he was the one who took in Mephibosheth, keeping his promise to Jonathan and to Saul, demonstrating grace and showing honor.
However, David, as we all do, had some flaws and he sinned and the sin we are going to talk about today had devastating
consequences for his family, his reign, and his nation. Sin always bears consequences. That’s why we’re to take heed lest we fall, no matter our age. You never get too old to fall.
David didn’t fall suddenly; some chinks had already begun to form in his spiritual armor.
We talked about David having all these wives and concubines. That in itself was a violation of God’s commandments for the king.
God said there were at least three things the king of Israel must not do: he must not multiply horses for himself or allow his people to return to Egypt to multiply horses; he must not multiply wives for himself; and he must not greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
Deuteronomy 17:14-17 NIV When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
David was faithful in the first and the third; but being a man of passion, he failed in the second.
So what did this erosion of David’s integrity cause?
It turned the heart of the king from the Lord. That’s what the Lord was warning about in Deuteronomy. Second, because it made him vulnerable.
Our most difficult times are not when things are going hard. Hard times create dependent people. You don’t get proud when you’re dependent on God.
Survival keeps you humble. Pride happens when everything is swinging in your direction, when you’re growing in prestige and fame and significance, that’s the time to watch out . . . especially if you’re unaccountable.
David was unaccountable, he was the king. Who was going to oppose him? The same thing happens to us when we feel that we can do whatever we want because of our position is a family or and organization.
So, here’s what happens. First thing is that David is in the wrong place. His troops are out in battle and usually, in those days if a king was healthy, he was out with the troops, but David decided to sit this one out.
Perhaps he’s bored, maybe tired from writing some psalms, maybe he just can’t sleep. It’s nighttime, we don’t know what time. It’s springtime in Israel so David decides to go out on his patio.
2 Samuel 11:2 NIV 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,
I like the way Chuck puts it;
He walked around on the roof of the king’s house. This is a large home, and he’s enjoying the scenes and sights. Then, in the distance, he hears some splashing and perhaps the humming on the lips of this very beautiful woman living just beyond the palace, just within clear sight of his own backyard.
The Bible says that she was very beautiful and when the bible says very it means very. So she was a knockout.
When David saw her, we already know that he likes women, the lust arouse in him and he acted.
2 Samuel 11:3-4 NIV 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.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.
Let’s not put all the blame on David. We’ve often heard that “it takes two to tango”, and the Bible, which is not afraid to call it like it is never said that Bathsheba resisted, and it doesn’t say she was raped.
We need to be very careful when we lust, it doesn’t have to the a sexual encounter like this was.
Lust is an intense craving or longing. It could be for money, a house, a car, power, recognition, any number of things. In David’s case he wanted this woman even though he was told that she was married.
The point is be wary of an intense longing for anything because getting it may bring with it problems or issues you did not consider. In David’s case the woman got pregnant. Here come the consequences of our action. We may have enjoyed it but now we must pay the cost.
Now comes the coverup.
David panics. He could come clean, confess and deal with the consequences, or try to cover it up. We know that if we confess God will forgive and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Doesn’t mean there are no consequences but it’s best to let God determine the consequences early on. We’ve heard the phrase keep short accounts meaning when you are convicted of sin deal with it immediately.
1 John 1:9-10 NIV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
David decides not to do that. He trys to cover it up so nobody other than he Bathsheba and some servants really know the truth. He forgot that God knew.
When we panic and don’t seek God we make very poor decisions.
The first thing that he does is summon Bathsheba’s husband who has been to war and so he figures that Uriah would relish this time back home with his wife. They would sleep together and walla she’s pregnant and it must be Uriah’s problem solved.
2 Samuel 11:6-8 NIV So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him.
Uriah has other ideas. Uriah is a faithful soldier whose heart is with the men in the field. And if his men are out in the field, then he is not going to seek the comfort of his own wife and home.
Now David has a problem
2 Samuel 11:9-13 NIV But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house. David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my Lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.
His coverup plans are not working because Uriah is not cooperating. The king can’t just take another man’s wife because it looks too bad so the next best thing, in David’s mind is to get rid of the husband. The coverup is not in full force.
2 Samuel 11:14-15 NIV 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.”
2 Samuel 11:14-20, 22-25 NIV 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? 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.”
Now there is somebody else involved who also knows what you have done about Uriah. Joab now knows and could use that against David. David’s coverup not only cost Uriah’s life but also other lives.
Problem solved. Uriah’s dead bring in the beautiful lady. She marrys the king they have a son everything is peach right?
2 Samuel 11:26-27 NIV 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.
That’s the bottom line “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.”
Are you keeping count of David’s sins? Lust, adultery, hypocrisy, murder. How could man—a man after God’s own heart—fall to such a level? If you are honest about your own heart, it’s not hard to understand.
If you are playing with sins of the flesh, you’re living on borrowed time as a child of God. There is nothing as stinging, there’s nothing as damning to life, than hidden sins of the flesh. The guilt is always there even if no other human knows.
David describes his guilt
Psalms 32:3-4 NIV When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Psalms 51:3-4 NIV For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
Even though he is dealing with guilt David thinks he has gotten away with it but that’s not the end of the story and we will talk about that next week.
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