There is a lie that says my sin only affects me and not others. Any sin that we commit affects the way we think and behave; as a result, it affects the way we relate to others, and this is what happened with David. David was so consumed with his lust that he destroyed the family of Uriah and Bathsheba with his lustful sin. David used his position and influence to get Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 11:4-5, "Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, 'I'm pregnant.'" David was a powerful man, and Bathsheba was a powerless woman. During this time, women had no rights. What could she do when the king took her to his palace? Could she scream? Or could someone believe in her? David was not in love with Bathsheba, but he was only lustfully attracted to her. David could have made this event secret, but when Bathsheba got pregnant, he had to do something to hide his sin. Bathsheba was trapped during this time. Alone and desperate for someone to save her. Today, there is a term for this terrible sin that David committed. It's called "power rape." It happens in sports a lot when a coach takes advantage of the innocence of the players. One of the reasons the #metoo movement came about was that too many women have been victimized by powerful and wealthy people in the workplace.
God saw the suffering that Bathsheba was going through, and God exposed David's sin to rescue Bathsheba. God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him. God said through Nathan, "Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites." Because of David's sin, Bathsheba lost her husband and her baby. However, God restored Bathsheba to a royal position to become David's wife and became the mother of King Solomon. David could have chosen any other sons that he had that were older than Solomon, but God specifically chose Solomon to become the next king after him. Bathsheba was one of the women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:6. When we understand the sin of David, we can realize how much God had forgiven him. It shows that no matter what we have done, there is always forgiveness in God for those who repent and humble their hearts before Him. When we understand Bathsheba's suffering, we realize that we have a God who can rescue us and restore our lives.
God hates sin because it destroys what is good in us. In Psalm 51, David is broken because of his sin, pleading for God's mercy and grace to wash away all his sins and purify his heart. With Bathsheba, he became the great-grandmother of our Lord Jesus.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through carefully, meditate on the questions while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Why does God hate sin? What can I learn from David's sin and forgiveness? What can I learn from Bathsheba's suffering and restoration?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you that you are the God of forgiveness and restoration. Please forgive me for all the sins that I have done. Thank you that you see the suffering that I am going through. Please rescue and restore me. In your name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.