There is no doubt that some of the best-known stories in the bible surround the life of none other than King David. From his life as a shepherd boy in the wilderness, victories as a mighty warrior and the intrique of his royal court, David's life is chronicled in more detail than any other personality. These stories are so commonly known that you need only mention a name and King David immediately comes to mind. Goliath. Anyone who spent more than 15-minutes in Sunday school knows the story of David and Goliath. Bathsheba. This surely stands out as one of the most salacious adultery slash murder stories to have ever been told.
There are few things that fascinate me more than understanding how the LORD God could have called David "a man after His own heart", when by modern comparisons such a man, be he king, president, prime minister or another of renowned celebrity, would be charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit murder and a host of other complaints that, if convicted, would mean the death penalty, or in more liberal jurisdictions, life without the possibility of parole.
As we look back at the consequences of David's actions three-thousand years ago, we know that the child born from his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba died an infant of days. Other than Uriah, the Hittite, husband of Bathsheba, the only immediate casualty of David's transgressions was an innocent child. There is no mention of how Bathsheba dealt with the loss of her husband and her illicitly born child except to say that after the days of mourning were ended she was remarried to King David.
What can we learn from David's transgression? Well for one thing we know how he repented.
1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to they lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my trangressions. 2Wash me throroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalm 51:1-4 KJV)
It's a thousand years before Jesus will take his first breath as a human being; and another few years before He will die on the cross. Yet David is asking mercy for crimes that carried only one penalty under the Law of Moses; death by stoning.
Another fascinating aspect of this scripture is in verse four when David declares that his sin, and the evil that was done in the sight of the LORD God was wholly against God alone. No mention of the innocent child or Uriah, the victims of David's crimes. I do not pretend to understand that which the LORD God knows in His infinite wisdom from before the creation, but I know that Jesus confirmed this premise by His word.
Three of the gospel writers, Matthew, Mark and Luke, wrote the story of a man who had a palsy. You can find it in Matthew 9, Mark 2 and Luke 5. Each telling varies slightly providing more or less detail and context. What is in total agreement between versions is that before Jesus healed the man, He forgave his sins. The pharisaical crowd were shocked declaring that nobody could forgive sins but God alone. The moral of the story is that regardless who the human victims are, the LORD God is the chiefly offended party. The degree of the sin is not the point. Jesus died for all sins great an small. He has the unique and universal authority to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So now, here's the twist.
David's sin against Uriah and his adultery with Bathsheba was directly responsible for the death of two innocent human lives. We don't know how many lives were lost as an indirect result of the civil war started by his son, Absalom, who betrayed his father to further his own royal ambitions. We know the LORD's prophet prophesied of the child's death and Absalom's rebellion. We also know that David apparently did something worse than his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah.
I still remember the first time I read the account of David committing his worst sin. At the time, I had to stop. I didn't understand what I was reading. It was a real head scratcher. I was reading the account in II Samuel 24. Then, in I Chronicles 21 there it was again; like repeat this story to make sure its importance as living revelation is emphasized. I think I actually looked up and said, "Why LORD?".
I'll paraphrase, but the story is essentially this: David command the chief captain over the armies of Israel to go throughout the entire land of Israel and count the people. Specifically, the able-bodied men, trained for war and ready to muster should the king call on them. Joab, the chief captain was David's nephew. He protested to the king asking why the king required this census; even warning King David that this would be a cause of trespass to all Israel. Nevertheless, the king's command prevailed. Joab travels throughout all Israel counting well over a million men to stand behind King David if the need or occasion arose. After Joab delievered the number to King David he was sick at heart for what he had done in numbering Israel.
10And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. (II Samuel 24:10 KJV)
It is not long before the prophet Gad, David's seer shows up to give him a choice about God's coming judgment for David's worst sin. II Samuel 24:15-16 tells us that 70,000 men died in 3-days of pestilence and that the angel of the LORD was about to destory Jerusalem when the LORD brought an abrupt end to His judgment. Did you notice the similarity of the words David used as recorded in II Samuel as compared to Psalm 51? I have come to believe that the prayer in the Psalm was over this incident and not David's transgression concerning Uriah and Bathsheba.
I have to be honest when I say that after reading the story twice in Samuel and Chronicles that I really was in a quandry. I literally asked the LORD God why was this such a big deal. Americans take the census every 10-years. I just didn't get it. Then, the LORD revealed the truth of the matter to me. I have shared this with a few friends, but this is the first time I have ever revealed publicly what was revealed to me personally. If you have a better interpretation let me hear it.
The LORD reminded me of David, the shepherd boy. He's in the wilderness with his father's few sheep. He slays a lion. He kills the bear. Then, when his father sends him out to check on his brothers in the midst of war with the Phillistines, David willingly and adamantly confronts Goliath. This is a giant man, at least nine feet tall depending on how you measure cubits and a span. Goliath is a warrior from his youth. David is but a youth; probably no more than 16-years old. David goes into battle with a slingshot, five smooth stones and his faith that the Almighty GOD will enable him to defeat the undefeated. Although Saul's army is behind him, David has no reliance on that cowardly lot. His trust, his faith and his life are pledged so far past the point of no return, and into the hands of the LORD God, that ONLY the LORD God can save him.
The revelation is simply summed up like this: That shepherd boy had something the man-king had lost; King David committed HIS WORST SIN when he forgot that God was the source of his authority, his shield of protection and the seat of his power. He knew it was wrong when he did it and King David repented of it. But 70,000 of his people still paid the price.
The truth of this revelation compels us to place our faith and trust in the LORD, our God. We must pledge our lives past the point of no return. We must recognize the LORD as the One Who protects, the One Who heals, the One Who provides, the One Who delivers and the One who saves. He is our only hope.
11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:11 KJV)