2 Samuel 11:4
Verse 4 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.
David decided the sins of thoughts were not enough for him, he had to have that woman! So he sent messengers get her. He had involved the servant with him and now his messengers in this sin. And though they were just following orders, they were aiding the king in his wrongful deed. Though they may not have fully understood what was going on, it would not have been common for a man, even the king, to request the presence of a woman in the evening for anything other than inappropriate reasons.
That brings us to Bathsheba. She had to know his reasoning as well and we don’t see any resistance on her part. While many are ready to give her a pass because of the position of women in those days, a woman would not have been brought up with the idea that she had to give herself to any man anytime it was asked of her. A married woman would have especially understood her right to say no to a man that wasn’t her husband. But Bathsheba didn’t.
She had further reason to object as she was still in her days of impurity which would defile the king if she allowed this to happen (Leviticus 15:19-30). She didn’t object, showing a lack of concern for the king’s purity before the God of Heaven. While it is true that kings would have thought they had ultimate authority, her sending word to him that she wouldn’t be coming because of her being unclean may have been just the wakeup call David needed help him see the truth of his sinful thoughts.
There was no concern on either of their minds and they let the sin of lust and selfishness control them as they both gave into the pleasure of their sin. And when they were done with their sinful deed, she went home as if nothing had happened. No one needed to know what had happened besides those servants and messengers who had been involved in the process of identifying and retrieving the woman and maybe anyone else that happened to witness the coming and going of the woman from the palace. They may have thought they had gotten away with their evening of sin.
Sadly we have times in our lives when we allow ourselves to indulge in sins and may even think we are getting away with them, but God sees all and knows all and we are only fooling ourselves and hurting those who may get wrapped up in our schemes.
Making It Personal
What sin do you think is hidden in your life? Who else has gotten caught up in your sin because of your actions or words? Why is that sin so important to you?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you try to hide when you are doing something you know isn’t right? Why do you hide it? Does Jesus still see it?
Closing Prayer
Father, we confess that we don’t take our sin as seriously as we should. Convict us promptly and often through the Holy Spirit so our sins become distasteful to us. In Jesus’ name, amen.