The Life Of David
Pt. 20 When You Choose Adultery
2 Samuel 11:1-27

David hides his ACTIONS
After leading his troops to victory over the Arameans in the fall, David waited until the spring to attack Rabbah, the Ammonite capital (2 Sam. 10:17). But he does not join the siege but sends the troops and stays home. One of David’s best fighters, Uriah, had a house near the palace. One evening, David saw Bathsheba bathing on her roof. After inquiring and finding out she is married to Uriah, David abuses his power and calls for her anyway. Then, after she arrives, they sleep together. Don’t let your eyes open the door to capture your soul (1 Cor. 10:12, 13). David was lured by her beauty, trapped by his lust, and ruined by his sin. David got lazy, then bored, then tempted, then snared. At this time, David was in his 50’s and had seven wives and many concubines (1 Chron. 3:1-9). After years of polygamy, military success, and no accountability, David left his heart unguarded (Prov. 4:23). A man is only as strong as his ability to say “no” (Prov. 6:20-35; 7:1-27). Because of his lack of self-control, David opened a door he couldn’t close. It’s not the first look or listen that kills, it’s the second and third. Spiritual death is a slow process—when men of God fall, they don’t fall far.

God exposes his HEART
Hearing Bathsheba is pregnant, David makes a plan to have it look like Uriah’s. Calling him from the battle, he sends him home with a gift to be with his wife. Not wanting to dishonor men serving at war, Uriah denies himself and sleeps with the king’s guards by the palace. People of honor act honorable in dishonorable situations. The next night, David tries to get him drunk to break down his will, but Uriah stays by the palace. Seeing he’s an unbreakable man of honor, David sends him to the battlefield with a note to put him near the city wall to let him die. After he dies and Bathsheba mourns for him, David marries her, but God is angry (Prov. 6:16-19). Though actions of the hand might look right, God judges the wrong motives of the heart! In one incident, he breaks 4 commandments—murder, adultery, lying, and coveting. David descends into the darkness of deceit and delivers destruction to everyone. The fire David started will affect his family and burn for generations. Sin will take you further than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you wanted to pay (James 1:15).