David vs Uriah and Love Won

The story of David and Bathsheba has been told many ways and this is my Bible thoughts on what I think this story means to us.

I often wonder why God said David was a “man after His own heart” (Acts 13:22).  After all, David not only committed adultery with another mans wife he then sent the husband of Bathsheba to the front of a battle to be killed.

Ok, probably best to get some detail around this story so I can explain what I mean. If you want to read the chapter look up 2 Samuel 11.

So, David sees a beautiful woman on the roof top bathing. So the first thing he should have done was turn away. But he didn’t. This reminds me of the time in the Garden of Eden when Eve was attracted to the tree (yes the tree of good and evil) that she was told to stay away from. It appears she also, like David, was mesmerised by the tree but in David’s case it was Bathsheba. So David then asks who she is and then has his servants bring her to him. Again the similarities to Eve are striking because both Eve and David stood by the forbidden “fruit” and after some discussion they both took what they desired.

As we know David slept with Bathsheba and she fell pregnant. So now the problems start to pile up. After all, he is King and he just cant take another man’s wife and not expect issues. He would be disgraced if the kingdom knew what he did.

So David starts to think of how to cover this situation up. So when Uriah the husband of Bathsheba returns from the battle field David sees him sleeping outside the palace with the servants. But this not what David wants him to do. David wants him home to be with his wife so the baby appears to be Uriah’s. Despite David’s request the attempt to cover up his issue fails so he then tries to get him drunk and tries to get Uriah to go and see his wife but that doesn’t work either.

All of David’s plan had failed. In desperation he plots another plan to ensure Bathsheba becomes a widow and he can look like he is doing a good thing by taking her in to his palace to look after her. So David sends a message to the commander at the war front to send Uriah to the front and then retreat to ensure Uriah s killed. What a tragic event and what a shameful thing to do to cover up his own mistakes or sins.

Now I will explain my opening thoughts.

Post these events I believe David came to the realisation that what he did to Uriah was wrong and against moral laws. He tried to trick Uriah without success and then placed him in a battle to be killed and as we know that is what he got.

However, I think he eventually realised what he did to Uriah is the same as what he was doing to the Messiah (Jesus). David realised his sin will send Jesus to the His death to cover his sins. Just as much he sent Uriah to his death to cover his sin of adultery.

David also realises God knows all his sins and he can’t hide them from Him, like he tried to with Uriah, and that he knows his sin was going to put Jesus to death.

Maybe this was a turning point in David’s life. He personalised what he did to Uriah with what was required to cover his sins. That is, the death of the Lamb of God, the Messiah – Jesus.

As I stated I think this realisation by David and his subsequent absolute (100%) surrender to God is what  God saw and thus called him my beloved David a man after my own heart.

Interestingly, he still paid the price of the sin during his life because he wasn’t allowed to build the Temple. He was deeply disappointed because he wanted to do that for God and not for His own glory.

So when you read the story replace Uriah’s name with Jesus and the story will take a whole new meaning. Particular think about the part when Uriah did not sleep with his wife as he wanted to remain pure without any so called blemish.

Remember when Satan met Jesus in the desert and promised Him everything if He would do as Satan requested. There is such a parallel between this and David’s request to Uriah. theres something to contemplate.

So read this story and maybe you will find what David found. Yes we have put Jesus on the Cross because of our sins but importantly Jesus willing gave of Himself to save us. Such pure “unadulterated” love and grace for us.