Examining Sin and the Downfall of David

In our modern culture, we take sin extremely lightly. “It’s no big deal!” we proclaim! “It was just one time!”

But Biblically, sin isn’t something to trifle with, rather it is something that must be exposed and rooted from our lives.

Using the life of King David, looking specifically at his downfall into sin (recorded in 2 Samuel 11), this episode exposes the danger of sin and how quickly it is to cover it up (only leading to a greater tragedy and more sin).

David’s life is a great picture of a man of God who (even if it was only once) decided to live out of his flesh and his own perspective and do whatever he wanted to do. And David’s life is a reminder that we must not harden our hearts to God’s conviction in our lives, but rather turn in repentance toward the only One who can forgive sins and bring forth life.

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Show Notes / Additional Resources

• Download a PDF version of the notes from the episode

• 2 Samuel 8:6, 14 – “The Lord preserved David wherever he went.”
  • Preserved (Yasha): preserve, deliver, make victorious
• W.G. Blaikie – “How ardently would most, if not all readers of David’s life have wished that the first verse of this chapter [2 Samuel 11] had been — “And David died, and was gathered unto his fathers; and his son reigned in his stead.” The golden era of his life has passed away; his sun has begun to go down; and what remains of his life is chequered with records of crime and chastisement, of sin and sorrow. What we now encounter is not like a spot but an eclipse; it is not a mere pimple that slightly disfigures a comely face, but a tumour that distorts the countenance and drains the whole body; of its vigour.”
  
• 2 Samuel 21:17 – Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”
  
• 2 Samuel 11:1 – It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
  • In Assyrian annals, military campaigns considered spring the best time of war. The rainy reason in the Middle East ended around the Spring equinox, giving better roads for the troops and grass for their animals to eat.
  • Literally: “And at the return of the year, at the time of the marching forth of the kings…”
    
  • This was around the one year anniversary of the time when the Ammonites kings marched against Israel (10.6-19)
    
  • Spring: a time of war, a time of love

CONTRAST + IRONY

• 2 Samuel 11:1 has 4 verbs: sent, destroyed, besieged, remained
  1. David sends his men (to destroy and besiege) BUT he remains
     • Remain: dwell, remain, sit, abide, stay, have one’s abode (relax, kick your feet up, security, safety)
  2. Joab and his men are surrounding Rabbah to starve them before attacking WHILE David sits in luxury partaking of the best
     • David later tries to bring Uriah in on the “luxury” who refuses to do so (see 2 Samuel 11:11)
  3. David’s men go out to protect the nation whereas David destroys it from the inside

SENT

• 2 Samuel 11:4 – Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.
  
  • Sent: to take, seize, reach out and grab, capture, take up, hold onto, carry off
    
  • “sent” is used 23 times in chapters 10-12
    
  • David always uses the word to exert power, control, authority
    David sends for the sin and sends for the cover-up … God (12:1) sends Nathan and David repents
    
  • Interesting that 11:27 is the last time in Scripture it says that David “sent” … only used by God and Joab after (throughout life of David)

CONTRAST OF DAVID + URIAH

• Uriah: Fighting for King and Kingdom
  • David: Fighting Against (nation from inside) 
• Uriah: Places wife’s life and honor in the protection of King
  • David: Supposed to be the protector of all people 
• Uriah: Loyalty to King and to God
  • David: Loyalty to self 
• Uriah: Servant
  • David: Sovereign
• Uriah: Submits – responds, surrenders, sourced
  • David: Sends – control, power, authority 
• Uriah: Honest and honorable
  • David: Hypocritical
• Uriah: Man of Character
  • David: Man of Control (tries to manipulate Uriah)
• Uriah: David gives no grief for one of his best friends
  • David: Grieves for adversaries (Saul, Abner)

• Unknown – “A man (convert) of foreign ancestry is more righteous than the Israelite King (a man after God’s own heart)”
  
• Unknown– “Uriah drunk is more pious than David sober.”
  

DISPLEASED

• In David’s EYES, the sin has been concealed and covered – the matter now over.  But God says that evil must be confronted.
• 2 Samuel 11:27 – “And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.”
• Displeased: means to tremble or quiver (translated as: displeased, grieve, sad, ill, evil)
  • Used here as “was evil in the eyes of the Lord”
  • David uses this same word to tell Joab not to be displeased that Uriah died (11:25)
• Charles Spurgeon – “God does not let his children sin successfully.”
  

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About NRJohnson & the Deeper Christian Podcast

NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps other believers understand and apply the Bible as they grow and mature in their faith—desiring that they gain greater intimacy with Christ, experience the victorious Christian life, and transform the world through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Read more about him here.

The Deeper Christian Podcast is the podcast to help you study God’s Word, know Jesus intimately, and discover how you can build your life around Jesus Christ. This weekly audio program, hosted by NRJohnson, dives into Scripture and encourages Christians to keep their focus upon Jesus Christ—equipping believers in how to study the Bible and know God’s Word, grow in their spiritual lives, and change the world. Main discussion topics center around practical advice on Christian living, Bible study, prayer, the Gospel, freedom from sin, evangelism and how to share your faith, the Christian disciplines, and the lives and messages from the Christian heroes from yesteryear such as A.W. Tozer, Charles Spurgeon, Major Ian Thomas, Oswald Chambers, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Corrie Ten Boom, C.T. Studd, George Müller, Andrew Murray, Leonard Ravenhill, E.M. Bounds, and others. Learn more about the deeper Christian life.