Read: 2 Samuel 11:14-27
The thing that David had done displeased the LORD. (v. 27)
Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire,” James warns us in the New Testament. “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). Sin, ultimately, leads to both spiritual and physical death. As David attempted to cover one sin, he went down a path that led to more sin and to the death of an innocent man.
When Saul had desired to get rid of David, he tried to arrange circumstances so that David would be killed in battle. In an eerie parallel, David now did the same thing by asking his commander, Joab, to order Uriah to the heat of the battle, where he would surely be killed. The plan worked, and Uriah was no longer a problem for David and Bathsheba. David moved quickly; as soon as Bathsheba’s period for mourning was over (probably about seven days), David married her so that the baby’s birth wouldn’t expose their adultery. But while the couple may have escaped any official accusations, God knew about the murderous act, and he was displeased by what David had done.
Did Bathsheba mourn for her husband Uriah? Did she have any remorse for her own actions? If she wasn’t mourning his death, she would be mourning soon. There were still more consequences of their sin yet to come.
As you pray, ask God to show you any ungodly desires that could lead you into sin.
About the Author
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian schoolteacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
