Lesson 6 for the 6th of November, 2010Lesson 6 for the 6th of November, 2010
The war against the Ammonites ended with the siege of Rabbah.That involved an important change in David’s the people ofIsrael’s lives.
DAVID, BEFORE RABBAH WAS BESIEGED
How can we know David’scharacter studying histhoughts in the nextcircumstances?
Before Goliath
1 Samuel, 17
With Saul
1 Samuel, 24, 26
Moving the ark
2 Samuel, 6;
1 Chronicles, 13
Planning the temple
2 Samuel, 7;
1 Chronicles, 17
With Mephibosheth
2 Samuel, 9
Leading the army
1 Samuel, 18: 16;
2 Samuel, 5: 6-25
URIAH, BEFORE RABBAH WAS BESIEGED
•In that time, the name of a person was related to his character or towhat his parents wanted him to be in the future.
•What does “Uriah” mean? What does it show about his character?
HIS NAME
•“Hittite” –Uriah’s nickname– meant that he was from Anatolia. TheHittites ruled a great empire in current Turkey.
•Which were God’s orders in relation to foreigners (Isaiah, 56: 3-7)?
HIS NATIONALITY
•Uriah was an elite warrior in David’s army and was married to animportant Israelite woman. That meant that Uriah had completelyaccepted the religion of Israel.
•Do you remember any foreigner that accepted the Jewish religion andbecame a pillar in the people of Israel?
HIS RELIGION
“But it was God’s purpose that by the revelationof His character through Israel men should bedrawn unto Him. To all the world the gospelinvitation was to be given. Through the teachingof the sacrificial service Christ was to be upliftedbefore the nations, and all who would look untoHim should live. All who, like Rahab theCanaanite, and Ruth the Moabitess, turned fromidolatry to the worship of the true God, were tounite themselves with His chosen people. As thenumbers of Israel increased they were to enlargetheir borders, until their kingdom shouldembrace the world”
E.G.W. (Christ’s Object Lessons, cp. 23, page 290)
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David used to lead the army when there wasa battle. However, he preferred to staycomfortably at palace.
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When he went up to the terrace he sawBathsheba taking a bath. Instead of keepinghis eyes off her, he took pleasure in an illicitthing.
He insisted on sinning even when he foundout that she was married.
What options did Bathsheba havebefore the king’s request? How didother biblical characters like Joseph(Genesis, 39) or Tamar (2 Samuel, 13)react in that kind ofcircumstance?
David tried to hide his sin; he called Uriah to spend one night with hiswife. But he didn’t get him to do that, even making him drunk.
He decided to add murder to hisadultery sin. His conscience was soblinded in that moment that he sentUriah to a sure death in the battle.
David’s fall happened in several consecutive steps:
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“Uriah had just arrived from the battle front, where the conditions were verydifferent than in national land. The men of Israel camped outdoors beforeRabbah; they suffered hardship and the rigours of the war, subsisting withmilitary rations. He left his mates behind; they were living in those hardconditions, so Uriah didn’t want to take part of all the comfort and pleasuresof life while his compatriots were suffering and losing their life”(SDA Bible Commentary, on 2 Samuel, 11: 11)
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Patriotism.
Loyalty to his mates.
Loyalty to God.
He didn’t benefit from thecircumstances.
His values were strong.
DAVID, LATER CONSEQUENCES
“There was a great change in David himself.
He was broken in spirit by the consciousness of his sinand its far-reaching results.
He felt humbled in the eyes of his subjects.
His influence was weakened.
Hitherto his prosperity had been attributed to his conscientious obedience to thecommandments of the Lord. But now his subjects, having a knowledge of his sin,would be led to sin more freely.
His authority in his own household, his claim to respect and obedience from hissons, was weakened.
A sense of his guilt kept him silent when he should have condemned sin; it madehis arm feeble to execute justice in his house.
His evil example exerted its influence upon his sons, and God would not interposeto prevent the result.
He would permit things to take their natural course, and thus David was severelychastised”
E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 71, page 723)
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“Do not be afraid of what youare about to suffer… Befaithful until death, and I willgive you the crown of life”
Revelation 2:10
