How far can sin take us?

How far will sin really take us? I think this question can be graphically answered through the life of King David.  God cherished David, and in Acts 13, God Himself gives testimony of David, that he was a man after His own heart. Can you imagine that? We think of our testimonies of God, but think of God giving testimony of a man. That is incredible.  But, there was a time in David’s life where he found himself roped by sin, and it landed him in a very dark place.  The reference here begins in 2 Samuel 10. 

The story begins with David winning a great victory for Israel. This is explained in 2 Samuel 10:17-19.  David slew a great number of the Ammonites.  Afterward, we see a shift, perhaps in time, because the bible then says (2 Samuel 11:1) that in the spring of the yr when kings go out to battle that David remained in Jerusalem, but he sent Joab, his servants, and all Israel into battle with the Ammonites, but David did not go. There are points of great significance in this scripture. First, it was at the time when kings go out to battle, (David was in the wrong place at the wrong time). Two, David sent others to do a job that he himself should have been engaged in as well (noting a sense of pride or sluggishness).  Three, Israel was still in battle with the Ammonites of which David had gained a great victory over (again noting a sense of pride in his victory which may have resulted in complacency). 

That long explanation just set the stage for what happened next—David’s downfall.  David did not just “fall” into sin. He progressed into sin.  No one wakes up one day and just decides to have an affair (well, for those who are trying to be faithful to God or their conscience, that is). By examining what happens next, we find David to be the perpetrator.  David sees Bathsheba bathing. The bible does not spell everything out word for word, so given these circumstances, it is safe to assume that David did not turn his eyes away from this woman. He most likely lingered and enjoyed his peep show. Bam! Sin committed! Right there! He has looked upon this woman, lusted after her, and he intends to have her. 

David inquires about the woman, finds out she is married, and still he sends for her with intention to sleep with her anyway. Not only is she married, but she is married to one of the servants in David’s army. There is so much mining (as my friend Christianne puts it) to be done in these few scriptures. It is amazing.  The story progresses. David finds out that Bathsheba is pregnant and now he has a huge sin to cover up. So, in attempts to make Uriah believe the child was his own; David plots to have Uriah go lie with Bathsheba. Incidentally, this was not customary for a warrior to do during a battle. So, David invites Uriah to his house………the king’s house. David shows him special attention (THE MAN WHOSE WIFE HE JUST COMMITTED ADULTRY WITH!!). Not only does he show him favor by the invitation, but David dismisses Uriah to his own house (during a battle), tells him to relax, and SENDS A GIFT OF FOOD BY THE MAN WHOSE WIFE HE JUST COMMITTED ADULTRY WITH! This is the point where we see sin begin to harden David conscience. He has lost conscience of hurting this man and God. 

The story progresses. David becomes more hardened. Not only did Uriah refuse to go home to his wife, he remained at the door of the king the whole night.  When David found that Uriah did not go home to his wife, he questions Uriah. Uriah replies, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”  There was demand for this scripture to be written word for word because it is just shocking how this man held to his faithfulness to God, Israel, and David. But, still this man’s innocence and loyalty did not deter David from covering his sin. Not  only is Uriah’s reactions astounding, David’s actions are appalling and astonishing!! 

David does not turn. He only gets worse. Now, David must find a new tactic. He cajoles Uriah to stay in the palace and the next day David eats and drinks with him with the intent to get him drunk enough to go lie with his wife. Uriah, being drunk, still maintained his integrity. He refused to go to his wife. Does this deter David? NO! It does not! David becomes more hardened. He stoops to more maliciousness. He then sends a letter BY URIAH’S OWN HAND, to Joab, the leader of David’s army. The letter was David’s instructions to Joab to put Uriah on the front line of an intense battle and have him killed. 

As this event unfolds, it only gets worse. Uriah is eventually killed in the war that Israel lost; however, David sends a messenger to comfort Joab over it when he finds out that his plan for Uriah had been carried out. Incidentally, after Joab's letter concerning Uriah's death, we still see no remorse or feeling from David in this matter. Actually, his response was completely callous, David says to Joab: "Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another." OH MY GOSH! David is completely nonchalant about what he has just done. The lights are home, but no one is home........this is how far sin can take us. At this point, in David's mind, Uriah is not even a person, he simply a slain soldier of war. This is absolutely horrid.  I am not judging David. Later, when Nathan the prophet confronts David about this sin, David passes judgment upon himself. Nathan’s prophetic analogy became an epiphany for David. He was forced to stare at his own image in the mirror and hear the words, “You are the man.” 

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? This is a man who loves God committing these heinous acts.  HE JUST SENT URIAH’S DEATH SENTENCE BY HIS OWN HAND—A COMPLETELY LOYAL AND INNOCENT MAN.  Uriah had done nothing to David. He blindly, trustingly put his life in the hands of David and David betrayed him in the worse possible way. What makes this even more astounding is the fact that this is the same David that wrote Psalm after Psalm about God’s justice, mercy, and hatred for evil. David had an intimacy with God that set him apart from others. Not every man had the privileged access to God that David experienced. The more I write, the more I meditate deeper and deeper on this story, the heavier the weight of my words become. 

One may wonder, as I do, why God allowed David to get to this point before He intervened. I don’t have the answer to that. I do have a thought on that. Just a theory, but I am not sure how accurate or inaccurate it is. Maybe when we become bit by the “sin bug” it releases its poison in us and the only cure is for God to wait it out until he sees on the inside of us a sense of guilt that has reached a pinnacle. He finds a certain contrition in our spirit that He can work with and it is at that point He can rescue us……..I am not sure about that. It is just a theory.  

Sermons have been preached and taught on the lives of David and Samson and how God can use us in spite of ourselves. That is very true. But, we must not forget that God can also use Jackasses, as He did with Balaam. I know that sentence was piercing and harsh, but it is still true. There were grave consequences to Samson’s sin and David’s sin. In David’s case, an innocent man lost his life, a marriage was completely destroyed, and a baby died despite David’s pleading with God for its life.  In Samson’s case, he was captured by the enemy; he lost his eyesight; and finally his life.  


I read a church bill board the other day that stated: "Forbidden fruit brings many jams."  Just seemed fitting  here.