2 Samuel 11 (Part 2) Bible Study | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

What a couple weeks has been a couple weeks since we met here

on a Friday night. Feels like two years.

Well, we're still in second Samuel.

Nothing has changed. We're still in that Infamous

chapter of second Samuel. So let's go there together and

second Samuel in Chapter 11. Second Samuel, 11.

And Lord, we do ask that you would bless this time in your

word and that there would be a sense of your nearness and our

hearts would come alive a fresh in you.

Oh Lord. We are in continual need of your

Restorative mercies and we pray that you would restore our

passion for you. And that you would take it to

new heights. Lord, you would open up our

appetite again, for righteousness, for wisdom, for

the knowledge of our God. And so Lord, may this be a time

where we sense the leading of the Holy Spirit?

Even now, as we come to this word, we pray that you would

speak. So specifically into each of our

lives. And so Lord, we just pray that

you would shatter all distraction.

All unbelief, anything that would be an obstacle to your

word, having its way in our very lives.

We trust in you Lord, we thank you for a house on a Friday

night that is eager to be in your presence.

We bless you for that in Jesus name.

Amen. The final words of our last

Bible study, which was about three weeks ago, Were the

dramatic heart-stopping words of a woman named Bathsheba who

declared very simply. I am pregnant.

Now, usually, that news is a company by joy and excitement,

but not in this case. This woman who gave this report,

gave it to not her husband, but to another man, and we know from

our study in the beginning of second, Samuel, 11 to that man

was King David. The nation's leader, the nation

psalmist, the man after God's heart.

And why is David receiving the news of uriah's wife's

pregnancy? And the answer is very simple

because he is the father Undeniably he is the father of

this child. And when you think about that

alone, you realize that the evolvement of these events is

really a picture of house in evolves in our lives.

You see, this was just a secret night of passion between two

people and now it is morphed into a scandal that could easily

make national news and put so many people to shame.

And sin, the DNA of our iniquity.

When it is conceived, does not stay in that embryo stage, it

will grow, it will continue to grow and the direction of its

growth is domination. It wants to dominate your life.

It does not just want to stay in a nice little corner where you

can visit it from time to time. It wants to own the house and

from there it also wants to bring as much destruction as

possible in your life. James tells us that When sin is

Sieve, that doesn't stay there. It wants to bring forth death.

And if it's not dealt with early on, you would be amazed to know

what once in can do to a life, what it can do to a marriage,

what it can do to your finances, what it can do to your body, how

we can prematurely bring death and Untold measures this is why

God put this in our Bible. So that what we see in David's

life at this point, would burn in our memory so that we would

never ever, ever for a moment. Think that we are impervious to.

^ sin, scripture warns us if anyone thinks he stands.

Now pause, if you're in this place sitting excited because

you realize you have a desire to be here on a Friday night, look

how holy you are. Look how look all close.

You are to the Lord. The Bible says, if you think you

stand, let that person take heed.

Lest he falls in other words, when you're doing just right,

that's when you should be the most cautious and David, Really

did not take heed and we're going to see what he's going to

do with this news because you and I heard a few Bible studies

ago that there are only only only two options when any of us

are caught in any transgression. Do you remember those two

options? To they both start with the

letter c that helps. Confess it confess it.

Yes. What's the other one conceal it

very good. Those are really the only two

options that you and I have, when we are in a pit, we either

confess and along confess, repent of that sin or we conceal

and oftentimes continue. In that sin.

David has those two choices when this report comes to his front

step. And unfortunately, he will

choose the latter. He will choose to conceal it.

And because he will conceal it. The rest of this chapter is

going to explain what will happen.

Here's the thing, the reason why we are so tempted to be

magnetized towards concealing, our sin is because the path of

concealment seems to promise the least pain.

Right. The least pain of Shame of

hurting others of hurting our ministries of hurting our

reputation. That's why we concealed, there

is a false promise of an easier way of Escape.

When we choose to hide and put our sin in the dark instead of

coming clean before the Lord and before people that need to know

about that sin and say I need to, I need to turn, I need the

Lord to help me. Can you help me?

David's not going to do that. And what we're going to see is

the outcome of his concealment, it's going to really be a study

of the devastation that comes when you and I choose to not do

it God's way when it comes even to our failures.

And again, let me say this, I hope that the imagery that will

be brought before you today will be something that you will hold

on to. So that you would never ever

ever trust in human wisdom when it comes to your sanctification.

I thought we were going to finish this chapter, there's

just no way unless we just really do an injustice to this

text. So here's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to read from verse 6, down to verse 13, you're going

to follow with me in your Bible and then I'm going to ask you

what stands out to you in our part. 2 of second, Samuel 11.

And let's see, where the spirit leads us.

Remember the last three words? That drop the curtain on our

last Bible. Study was I am pregnant.

Now we come to verse 6. So David sent word to joab.

Send me Uriah the hittite and job sent Uriah to David and

Uriah caned. Him?

David asked how job was doing, and how the people were doing

and how the war was going. Then David said, to her I ago

down to your house and wash your feet.

Uriah went out of the King's house and there followed him a

present from the King. But Uriah slept at the door of

the King's house, with all the Servants of his Lord, and did

not go down to his house. When they told David, Uriah did

not go down to his house, David said, to Uriah, have you not

come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your

house? Your eyes said to David, The

Arc, and Israel, and Judah, dwell in booths, and my Lord

Zhao have in the Servants of my Lord are camping in the open

field, shall I then? Go to my house to eat and to

drink and to lie with my wife, as you live and as your soul

lives, I will not do this thing. Then David said to Uriah remain

here today also. And tomorrow, I'll send you back

So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next and David

invited him and he ate in his presence and drank so that he

made him drunk. And in the evening, he went out

to lie on his couch with the Servants of his Lord.

But he did not go down to his house.

Whoever says, the Bible is boring.

Shame on you. How can you say that this is

riveting. I've always said, if had the

budget, I would totally make either a movie or a series on

some kind of channel of the life of David.

This is, this is fascinating. Well, what sticks out to you

from these verses that we read today, anything?

What a contrasting character this menu Riya has to David.

He will not budge. I'm committed to the mission

that God has called me to you. I'm committed to my God, he he

just can't move from that place. Absolutely.

Yes. David

Again, that's a great observation, the contrast

between David and Uriah David stayed home during the war,

Uriah would not go home because of that same War.

Not amazing. Interesting.

Yes. Anything else.

Deception. Very good observation.

There is deception a lot of it and it is unfortunate.

Yes, John got him drunk. It's a very nasty strategy but

it's a very common one. Yes.

Anything else? He made him get comfortable as

much as possible. And comfort did not make him

waiver. Yes.

Exactly. So David's influence is to bring

him to the same level of where he was at at this point in his

life. Yes.

Yeah, that could be true or is David wanting Uriah to go home

to cover his tracks? Oh yeah, interesting.

Yes. Very good reputation and Status

does not equal character. Absolutely, Very good.

Well, shall we continue? Let's look at verse 6.

So David sent word to joab. Send me Uriah.

The hittite strange request and jobs sent Uriah to David.

Now, right there in that verse you, and I have an idea of the

great power and the great Authority.

That David possess this man, by one word can tell somebody to go

tell somebody to come, No questions asked, and no reasons

to give any answers to his commands.

This is the jurisdiction. This is the kind of position

that David possess and it was granted by God.

In fact, you're going to realize very soon that David had such

overwhelming Authority that by the word of his mouth.

He can determine whether a man lived or died.

And again this is an awesome thing that the Lord permitted

and you know the the well-known saying with great power comes

what great responsibility. Let me add to that.

With great power comes great temptation.

Great Temptation the temptation of those who hold any kind of

position of influence is to abuse that power in order to

satisfy selfish feets. Even at the expense of those who

trust that you are operating in integrity.

And so David here, he's done much good as a king but you're

seeing something in him here that you don't really see on

this level when he was a servant.

When he was a servant, he was very cautious.

He had a very soft conscience here.

Now, as a king, I believe a great part in What tempted him

was his ability to remove or Escape or to get rid of things

that might make him look bad. And so I want to just say this

right off the gate, if your person who craves position,

craves titles, crave status, you have no idea what you're getting

yourself into. I actually believe that the Lord

concerning his children doesn't bless them.

This might take a shot at the Prosperity Gospel, but good

doesn't give the same amount even of success.

In terms of monetary gain, because he knows as a father

that this will destroy this person.

God gives Grace to callings, right?

And if you don't have that Grace and you can actually be destroys

enough trouble. Even operating and what God's

called you to do, even if he's giving you the grace, never

mind. Trying to explore something that

doesn't belong to you or that you can't handle.

And so we see here that David is operating with a power and

that's giving us a set up to what he's going to do with that

power. Now, here's what's fascinating.

What I thought about when I came to?

This was Moses was told when he was the only only really judge

of Israel to hire or to raise up more judges to be able to lead

the nation of Israel and his father-in-law comes on the scene

and gives him. Gives him a list of qualities

can to consider for the future Prospect of Israel's leaders.

Does anybody remember one of the main features that Moses should

look for concerning a man who would judge the nation?

If you want to reference its Exodus 18:21, I'll read it to

Exodus 18:21

you and you can mark it if you want.

But listen to these words when Moses was advised, here's the

type of people that you want in different spheres of power who

overlooked the responsibility of shepherding people.

Here's what I want you to find in people, he says in Exodus

Exodus 18:21

18:21. Moreover, look for able men, so

there's ability from all the people men who fear God, Men who

fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe.

And place such men over the people, as Chiefs of thousands,

that's one sphere of hundreds, that's another of 50s and of

tens. So, whether it's 10 or 1000,

what you need to find, Moses is men who fear God.

Now, listen, this is not a very exhaustive list for a resume and

I think that's by Divine Design. Here's why.

Because if you can find somebody who fears God, you don't need to

really look for much else. If you can find a person who

fears the Lord, you don't really have to look for anything else.

Because a man who fears, God Is So preoccupied with their

behavior with their decisions, both public and secret, doing

everything before the Divine much more, much more of a

concern than their reputation before mere mortals.

A man who fears, God has a sense that he is accountable.

And he is responsible for the almighty before.

Anything else. He realizes that God is the one

who dictates his own life and his motivation to please.

God is so strong. Listen, he says those who are

trustworthy and hate a bribe, I believe those are the byproducts

of fearing. God, when you fear God, you are

trustworthy when you're when you fear, God no amount of threat or

no amount of invitation. No matter of Temptation will

sway you, your rock solid because You live before God, you

don't live before a price tag. You don't live before the

threats of men who are dependent upon every breath, granted by

the very God, that you fear. And so, we see here that men who

fear God woman, who fear God is a wonderful quality you have and

you don't need much else to ensure.

Listen to this humility and Justice in high ranks.

Now, if that is true, and I thought about that in my study,

I asked this question. Well isn't David a man who

fears? God When we all agree, that

David was a man who feared God. Absolutely.

So if that is the case, if the great antidote is to fear the

lord, then how do we explain David's Behavior at this point?

How do we explain his conflicting convictions and all

God is good. A verse that I've read in the

Book of Proverbs shot into my mind and I didn't remember the

reference not to pull out of my Bible, not to look into the

pages and I found it but you glad I found it.

It will really help if you have the ESV, if you don't, I'll

explain but it's in Proverbs 2814.

And that's a verse that I'm going to invite you to turn to

and Proverbs 28 14. We read something very

insightful in light of the fear of God, the application of the

fear of God. Proverbs 28 verse 14.

Proverbs 28:14

Reads blessed is the one who fears the Lord.

When always But whoever hardens his heart will fall into

Calamity. Now, the Hebrew does not include

who fears the Lord. It just has who fears or who is

always reverent. And I believe the translators of

the ESV included the Lord. Because when you consider the

entire consensus of the Bible, there is no fear that the Bible

encourages you. And I to have unless it's a fear

towards God. And unless it's a fear towards

the authority that God has appointed.

And so, I think that's okay. Your to understand.

This verse says, blessed is the man who fears the lord always,

and the key word in this verse is what always adult time in all

circumstances, in all contexts fear, God always, which tells me

it's possible to fear God sometimes In some places before

some people wink, wink pastures. In some areas, wink week, like

in a place where we're at tonight.

If you think that this verse is hard to understand, it's very,

very simple. I'll prove it to you.

How easy is it for us to switch on?

Reverence, for God, when we walk into a sacred place like this,

but when we switch to write off, when we go into a place, like

our living room, we know how to switch on and off the fear of

the Lord. I've seen heathens do it.

I've seen heathens cuss and do all these things, and once they

come to an ancient Church in some historical site, then

realize we're going into a church building.

Oh, let's just be quiet. People know how to turn this

thing on and off, huh? And the Bible says, no fear.

God always when you're alone, when with your friends.

When you're with your spouse, when you're not with your

spouse, when you're on the business trip, when you're on

the family trip, fear God all the time.

And that will ensure you great protection and Grace at all

times. And David unfortunately did not

take heat to this proverb, and you would reap the Sorrows of

it. So you, and I have to make a

conscious decision. There has to be a discipline

where we live in light of the presence of the All-Seeing

all-knowing. God everywhere everywhere.

So, when you go on vacation right in the summertime, when

you go on vacation, this winter, you're not taking a vacation

from God. See what I'm saying.

You're not not spiritual there and then you come back and you

get spiritual again. That doesn't work.

That's not going to get you blessing.

That's going to get you in trouble.

It's gonna get you in trouble. Wherever I go, God, is with me.

Hey, you're gonna invite me over to house, Guess who's coming?

Jesus? I'm not going to be somebody

different from the pulp and off the public.

Jesus is coming with me. So if you want me to come, Jesus

is coming along, I hope you have an extra seat.

I hope every believer has that caliber of faith that that's

what's going to make us holy and strong and bear consistency for

the glory of Jesus Christ. So we see that.

David then if you're God here, he let it go.

He brought it down and it would cost them much.

Now we read in verse 7, when you ride came to him, David asks how

job was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was

going. This verse infuriates me, It

infuriates me. I don't know about you because

we heard it from our sister. Here's a man who summons a

faithful servant into his presence who organizes this

meeting disappointment. And he pretends to be concerned

about this war and he makes inquiries for clarification.

Listen, David. If you were so concerned about

the war, why aren't you there? So here's a man who just coats

his his words and his heart by pretending to make this about

some kind of evaluation of a war.

When in reality it was a scheme. It was a scheme to make you

write unsuspicious of an Allure meant to bring him into his home

after a journey being away from his wife and to hopefully see

his wife and him come together and to enjoy their rights.

Rights within the confines of marriage.

And cover the tracks of adultery.

That's what this man is doing. And when I looked at this, how

he has Joe, how's job doing it. How are the people doing?

And this is deception. And here's the point that I want

to make in light of our theme tonight that when you and I

choose to conceal our sin when we choose to hide it and not

repent of it and not confess it to those who need to know about

it. The adoption of deception is

guaranteed. You will become a liar, you will

you lie to yourself, you lie to your friends, you'll lie to your

parents, you'll lie to your pastors, and here's what happens

when a person conceals their sin.

When there's something going on, that people are not aware of,

you learn to play pretend And you pretend like everything is

okay. When in fact, it's not and

that's exactly what this man is doing.

And it's a sad single thing to see because it only adds to the

pain when it will be exposed notice.

I said, when not, if it will be exposed, God loves his children,

too much to leave us in our sin and to think that we can succeed

in concealing it. In love God exposes so that we

can receive the healing and the grace and the restoration that

we need, and he will not be mocked additionally.

Its, this is very painful to see because when we refuse to

confess our sin, what we also do is Rob ourselves of the grace

and the guidance that we can receive from those who will are

willing to embrace us in our sin, And say, look I admire your

humility look, we got to learn to be a people.

God forbid, that we would be caught in sin, but we need to be

a people who learn how to confess before were caught.

Don't wait till it's exposed and then you, you confess.

Again, God forbid, I want to Echo the words of John.

If anyone is in any transgression, if not, when if

Just deal with it, immediately deal with that as soon as

possible come to the lightest quickly as you can because it's

going to happen, you're going to see that, no matter how clever

you and I are God knows how to pull the sheets.

And they were you are right? And we only add to the problem.

You only add to the issues when we do things like lie and sadly.

The deception only continues in verse 8 because now he

encourages Uriah you can says hey why don't you go down to

your house and wash your feet and other while in other words,

Stay Awhile. Wash your feet.

Relax, kick back, hang out. I'm giving you a leave of

absence. I'm letting you be removed from

the war so that you can spend time at your house and then, you

know what he does, he gives him a gift, the king sends Uriah

with a gift. So that when you ride comes with

this great honor from the King, it would put him and his wife in

good spirits. Right.

And make them just feel honored and excited.

And we just only add to the possibility of them.

Embracing embracing one another. And that's, that's quite

insightful. Because when those who are in

sin, when those who are concealing sin in their lives,

they don't just don't just apply the facade, that all is well.

They do more than that. Sometimes they add to that.

A layer of a presentation of Charity and goodness and

kindness to try to fool others. Right.

And so what happens is you put on another level of a show

especially to those who you really don't want to know about

what is going on. And it's a false sense of

fruitfulness. And so, We do what we're told

and we serve in our Ministries and we even sometimes go the

extra mile and be and be extra nice and what we're trying to do

is the same thing we've been trying to do in the beginning.

Just fig leaves covering our shame and think that we can

mislead God and mislead others so that they don't see our

nakedness. They just see what we are able

to produce when in fact we're trying to bury ourselves Under

some kind of form of distraction.

Even if that distraction is some kind of public display of

righteousness, People do I did you see how I love the Bible?

I love the Bible because I can't think of any other book in the

world that has surgical Precision in determining and

explaining human behavior. It's incredible.

No other book can expose the depths of the evil of the human

heart. I mean, this is an ancient story

from hundreds and thousands of years ago and yet we still see

the same patterns being repeated and 2023.

Because we're all infected with Adam, sinned curse and fall.

So he does that it's go, here's a gift, enjoy yourself.

And the sad verse that, we just read is now juxtaposed with an

inspiring one. We just saw it when we read it

together verse 9, but Uriah slept at the door of the King's

house, with all the Servants of his Lord and did not go down to

his house. You've been away from home for

so long. Even been, given a green light

from your boss that you can now go home and you can see your

wife and you can go into your comfortable room.

And this man. Refuses.

You're going to see why in a couple of verses, but right from

here, we realize that he upheld righteous conviction, even

listen above comfort and gratification.

That's what makes a real Soldier and you and I are called to be

soldiers in the faith. According to second Timothy, The

sense of Duty and Mission taking primary place above, what can

satisfy you. That's what makes Christians

effective here. We see this man, who exemplifies

that? And you would think you would

think that this level of character this level of

character from Uriah one of David's, boys.

One of the guys that he's raised up and use and worked with.

You would think that would move the heart of the man after God's

heart, but it doesn't. Now only does it not move him?

You ready for this? It bothers him.

It bothers him to the point of verbal criticism.

So he hears you Ryan didn't go home.

So he brings you right in again, and then he says something to

him in verse 10. He says Have you not come from a

journey? Why did you not go down to your

house? He was disturbed by this.

Why, here's why you ready for this?

Because those who choose to walk in the flesh.

Cannot tolerate. Those who walk in the spirit.

They can't those who choose to walk in the flesh.

Cannot tolerate those who walk in the spirit.

And this is a reminder and an example that the presence of men

and women, who have principal, who really have principal, who

really walk with this level of Devotion to God.

Irritate people who want to send comfortably.

They do. And the reason is because their

very presence and their habits and their convictions expose

those who like, David want to play both roles and they do it

unintentionally, like, Uriah is not trying to expose David your

eyes, just Uriah and here's David just agitated by the fact

that Uriah will not succumb to the very same level of

compromise that he gave himself to And so he's disturb, you know

what he's going to do then we're going to see in a very real way.

He's going to push Uriah away and want nothing to do with him.

Instead of praising somebody for for displaying such an example

of righteousness you know, that's why some people don't go

don't go to a Bible preaching Church, understand that that's

why some people will not come to a Bible preaching church because

the words that are being spoken, even though that person doesn't

know what's going on, that person's life for the people in

that church. Don't know what's going on.

That person life, they have a tendency not just their words

but their life to make that person uncomfortable.

Because they want to be comfortable and their sin and so

they avoid it, they avoid it. And I'm sure the news of Uriah

sleeping outside instead of going into his home into his own

bed. Struck, David Soul.

Because as you heard here is a king, you ready for this, a king

who refused to go to war so that he can stay at home.

And now, here is an inferior who refuses to go home because of

that war This man is just shook. And this is not just speaking

about unbeliever to the believer.

I'm talking about those who profess godliness, but they want

to embrace worldliness at the same time.

They can't stand people who live for the glory of God or concert,

they can't do it. In fact, sometimes they will go

to the extent of joining, the disapproval of the world, and

criticize, those who are truly, holy, David David, David?

So, what happens? Unlike the king who gave in to

Temptation your eye doesn't, and that's quite remarkable.

You know why? Because David was not just a

leader, David was an Israelite. How are we introduced to Uriah

in verse 3 of this chapter? Go back and see it just right

there, Uriah the hittite. And then in verse 6, The Holy

Spirit repeats it, Uriah, the hittite, where Hittites Jews,

they were not native born Jews. They were a part of that

Collective group, who occupied the promised land?

Before Joshua's Conquest, you know what the holy spirit is

trying to tell us about Uriah. He was once a pagan worshipper

and now he converted and now is worshipping the true Living God.

Think about that. Now that just adds to the sting

of this whole thing here, is a man who worshipped false gods,

became a proselyte who changed and repented and joined himself

to the true and living God. And he is towering and

comparison to David in terms of his ambition, to glorify the

Lord. despite his background, we see that this man is in

comparison outshining to a person who was and Israelite and

we see here that Uriah gives his explanation to why he would not

go home. You read it, but let's see it

again in verse 11, your eyes said to David, The Ark in Israel

and Judah dwell in booths. My Lord job in the service of my

Lord, I camping in the open field.

Here's translation. How is it that the Ark of God,

which dwells in a tent? And my people, my fellow

warriors were out in the fields, dwelling in their tents and War.

How is it that these Things. And these people exposed to

danger and threats, Well, I would entertain comfort and

gratification may it never be, may it never be and what I love

is you ride the first thing that comes to his mouth as what they

are. God God that's the first thing.

The Forefront of his mind is explanation is the Lord.

This man had God in his mind. First God in his explanation.

First God it's centered around the Lord.

And second to that was the mission that he was called to.

This is a mission that I'm called to and there's something

deeper here, right? Do you remember what David said

to a? He Malik the priest when he was

initially running from Saul and he was asking for some food.

What did I? Hey, Malik asked if him and his

men were. What were you guys are U, guys.

Holy, are you guys consecrated? And you remember, David's

response, go to First. Samuel quickly.

I want you to see this in verse 5 of chapter 21.

Look at David's. Explanation.

I believe it helps explain uriah's decision and first

1 Samuel 21:5

Samuel 21 verse 5. First Samuel 21:5.

1 Samuel 21:5

And David answered the priest truly woman have been kept from

us. As always, when I go on an

expedition, the vessels of the young men are wholly even when

it is an ordinary Journey. How much more today whether

vessels are. Holy, here's what I see from

this apparently in David's Squad, when it came to his

military, there was a code of conduct.

And one of the code of conducts was that when they were on a

military Expedition that they were to keep themselves from

engaging in relations with women, what's wrong with

engaging with women? Well, I think what helps is and

you don't have to turn there when you go to Leviticus right,

you see in chapter 15 that there are instructions, given to those

who give themselves a sexual relations and it, and it, it

provides ceremonial obstacles that can bring a hindrance to

the effectiveness of their expeditions as they are serving

in war. Does that make sense?

They're all these things that you have to observe and do if

you do engage in relations in such a way.

So it's just a, it's just better, not sinful, just more

helpful to refrain from such things so that you can be more

focused and alert and given to the task at hand.

All Uriah is doing is practicing the protocol that I believe he

was discipled into having David as a leader.

Perhaps that's the reason why Uriah comes so strong with his

answer. Maybe it was shocked by the fact

that David even question him not going home, this is your thing,

this is what we do. And what I love here is that

Uriah and some sense gives us another illustration of a

Christian principle. One that Paul the Apostle taught

to the church and teaches us today from First Corinthians,

you don't have to turn there and First Corinthians in a very

well-known passage in chapter 6, verse 12, he says all things are

lawful for me, but what not all. Things are helpful.

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful.

That's the standard of Christianity that Paul wants to

bring us to by the spirit. It's not just to look at

something and say, is this inherently illegitimate is this

evil? Is this out of bounds?

Is this wrong? Paul wants you to ask another

question, is it helpful? Is it helpful?

Is it helpful to the season of life that I'm in?

Is it helpful and me becoming more fervent and passion for the

Lord. Is it helpful?

When you begin to ask those questions, I assure you, you

will put a stress on the muscles of the spirit in a way where you

will see growth like you've never seen before.

Is it helpful not just? Is it sinful?

Does it help me run faster longer or does it create wait in

my life that hinders me from being all that I can be in Jesus

Christ? I want to tell you something,

personally in the seasons and I hope that God would keep me

asking these questions, but in the seasons where I've been most

intentional about, is it helpful?

Alive scene. The most I've experienced the

most in God, and here's the thing, that's the reward of

answering that question is that there is more in him, is more in

him and he Syria doing it. There's nothing wrong with being

with his wife, there's nothing wrong.

Suspect, the king even gave you permission and yet he's so

focused on the assignment that he's been called to.

He's so caught up in fulfilling the call that he has been called

to that. He goes, yeah, it's fine.

But at this time, I'm not going to engage in that.

What a soldier, what a soldier. So much of our devotion is

determined by whether it's comfortable, whether it's nice,

what, go beyond that and watch what God can do through your

life. You're right here is really,

really putting David to shame. And what is David going to do?

Once he hears This, I Believe In This Moment.

You know what's happening? Providence is happening?

I believe that this is a very providential moment for David

because, you know, what happens, the initial plan didn't work, it

didn't come to fruition. He wanted to bring Uriah into

that house, Uriah wouldn't. And on top of that, look at you

riyaz words. He's so clear in his explanation

to why he won't go in the second part of verse 11.

Shall I then go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with

my wife? You would think you would think

that, after saying to lie with my way, he didn't have to say

that, but he does unknowingly. Now, you have some people that

believe you ready for this? That Uriah was suspicious, I'm

not in that camp, but you have some people who believe that you

write actually is figuring things out.

He's look, you know, when somebody is acting very weird

and you're putting the pieces together, I'm away.

Why did you want me to go home so badly?

Some believe that Uriah is sniffing something.

Now, if you believe that, that's fine, I don't hold to that.

I just believe that this man is just brimming with conviction

and it's just shooting out of him like arrows.

And here's David, he hears it right to lie with my wife.

And you would think that the alarm would go off.

You would think in light of the failure of his attempt and the

reminder, the reminder that here is a man, you ready for this?

Here's a man who would not engage in his rights as a

husband. As someone who entertain

something that was not my right. Do you think that would stop him

in his tracks? You would think that he would

put the charade down and come clean.

This is God's Providence. This is God.

I believe getting David to stop and confess before he sends a

prophet to say you are the man. And I believe, when we are in

sin, when any man of God, woman of God isn't sin, God will do so

much before he exposes them. He'll he'll send warnings in

different ways and, you know, some of these big-name guys that

if they're that they fall and becomes a scandal, you think

that just God does that right away.

I believe there's so many warnings beforehand and then he

exposes them. Here's this man.

He has an opportunity, but the the example of his stubbornness

is really a commentary on our own because how many of us

rarely are able to detect when God is inviting us, or warning

us when we are in sin, How many of us are able to detect that

God is able to communicate more than just a supernatural

Revelation, being given to somebody say, you're in sin, get

up. You do, you have to see beyond

that? He gives, gentle nudges.

He pulls on you in different ways and here it is.

And here's the scary part, some fail to detect it.

Others who are able to see, you know, this is something for me.

God is trying to get my attention and they brush it off.

They brush it off as just coincidental, they ignore it,

and they dig their heels in the ground, and they make a greater

bolt towards the Rebellion. It's scary.

Scary. God will give you a sermon

before he exposes God will have somebody call you go.

I'll have somebody text you saying brother.

I don't know what's going on in your life, but I'm, I'm just

praying for you. Listen, this is not just a point

inside of there. I've seen it.

I've seen it. It's scary.

God is real. God is very, very real.

And if there is, there is a list of evidences of the realness of

God in my own life, as I observed throughout Ministry,

it's how God is able to get someone's attention, while

they're in sin. It's incredible.

It's incredible. That's how much love he has for

his children. David doesn't take heed.

He doesn't listen to the shepherd, is trying to rescue

him. And pull him out of this pit.

So what does he do? Verse 12, then David said to

your I remain here today also in tomorrow and I'll send you back

It's sad for me to say this, but what David is doing here?

Is just an example of what the tempter does to us.

What's Happening Here? Stay in the premises.

He just finished saying, I want to be there.

I want to be at the war where I'm supposed to be, and you

know, what? David says, just stay a little

bit longer, stay a little bit longer and here's the strategy.

Perhaps if you stay long enough, you'll change your mind.

Perhaps if you stay in close proximity to your house which

isn't far from the palace. How do we know that?

Because you're right because David was on the roof and he saw

Bathsheba bathing. So I mean it doesn't have

binocular vision. Must be very close, Uriah

obviously knows that just a few steps away from that Palace.

So, David tells Uriah just stay a little bit longer and here's

the plan, maybe you'll crack. And maybe you'll give in, and

maybe you'll change your mind and maybe you can cover the

tracks. So just stay You know, the

temperature of our souls. Does not give up easily to

entice us. He has many tricks in his bag.

He'll try one thing, and when it doesn't work, he'll try another.

He'll come at one angle. When that doesn't succeed, he'll

come at another angle, and then he'll revisit that initial angle

that didn't work. He's very, very tricky.

We see it with the master in the wilderness.

First thing that Satan does is point to some rocks and bring

attention to Jesus hunger. That didn't work.

So he takes a verse out of context and he tries to tempted

to do something silly. Try to get the 10 God and that

doesn't work. So he then he shows him the

world and he tries to get him to worship Him.

And then when that didn't work, he says that he left for another

opportune time, until another opportune time here, David in a

very human way, is exemplifying how Satan operates in our own

lives. The thing that you said, no to a

few weeks ago, he'll reintroduce into your life today.

Even years ago, even years ago, that thing hasn't been in your

life for years. You haven't watched it in years,

you haven't tasted it in so long and an offer.

A sudden here he comes, especially when you're at your

weakest. You remember this?

Remember what this felt like. Remember how this made you

escape your troubles and your pain?

Here it is. And even the fact that David was

as willing to have Uriah, wait shows even the Relentless

patience of the enemy, the Relentless patience.

He he has no problem waiting. You know what's so amazing about

the world, the world has no problem being persistent and

inviting you to sin. Some of you have friends like

that. They once it comes to Friday

afternoon. You can almost prophesied.

Here comes the text message. What are you doing tonight, huh?

And they're just evangelist for worldliness.

So don't be ashamed. If you're consistent with people

to bring them to church, the world has no problem inviting

you into their scum. So here's David saying, why

don't you just wait a little longer and Uriah doesn't budge

again, you ride this in budget and so he to attempts and they

failed When are you gonna get it?

He's not, his heart has become so hardened.

Because remember that verse, right?

That if you don't feel the lord, always, you make yourself

available to a hardening of the heart.

And David here is just hardening it more and more.

And so he comes to another strategy.

He takes it up a notch, he has some kind of a feast and you

read it. He sees Uriah is like this

Great. Oak Tree deeply planted in the

convictions of God. He can't move it.

So he says, let's get him intoxicated.

Let's weakened his ability to reason and to make clear

judgments. and so he brings this man, and somehow just keeps

feeding him, keeps feeding him keeps feeding him, and this man

may be trying to be polite just indulges indulges indulges, and

to the point, where he loses sobriety, He loses sobriety.

And unfortunately David continues to illustrate how

Satan works and people's lives to get him into deeper sin, the

enemy knows the absolute value and strength that comes from

being sober minded. Being Sober.

Minded, you know why the Bible Absolutely discourages and

commands against any substance or behavior that would that

would tamper with clear-headedness.

Because God Champions self-control, he Champions

self-control and he wants you. And I to be a control at all

times, over our Behavior, our actions, our reactions,

everything. Because we are his ambassadors,

we represent him and there's an interesting verse and Hosea.

411, I've quoted this many times to explain some particular

behaviors in the Old Testament. And here I come again to Hosea

411. Here's what the prophet says you

guys doing, alright. That's not what the prophets

are. That's what I'm asking.

Hosea 4:11, you ready for this whoredom?

Hosea 4:11

Wine and new wine. Which does what take it away

understanding. Horton.

Wine wine. Here's what Hosea is saying,

alcohol among other things. Rob's you one of the things that

robs you of, Is Judgment your ability to make precise and

clear actions. And that is a, that is an

indictment. That is a whoa for us to be

controlled by anything apart from the holy spirit of God.

He is the alternative. That's why Paul makes that

command and Ephesians 5. Right, you know what I find.

So interesting. The spirit of God Partners wine

with what whoredom. Whoredom promiscuity sensuality.

Isn't that interesting? I mean, not all the things that

you could put together, you include whoredom with wine and

there's a reason for that. The reason for that is because

lust itself has an intoxicating Factor That also like wine is

able to Cloud our judgment and make us make stupid decisions

lust. You know what's so amazing?

Here's a man who's trying to intoxicate his friend to make

him do something. Whereas he was Intoxicated by

lust just a few verses earlier and did what he was not supposed

to do. And so we talked about.

Yeah be sober with alcohol, a beast.

Don't do that. Don't smoke that don't take

those pills. Fine, that's wonderful.

But how often do we talk about being drunk with lust?

And what's one of the dangers of unbridled passions?

One of the dangers, is that you don't think clearly, you don't

think clearly. and so the proverb there and Proverbs 632

makes sense and Proverbs 6:32, we are told he who commits

Proverbs 6:32

adultery lacks sense. Lack sense.

In other words, they do not calculate or consider.

The effects of this decision. They don't consider the damage

that can be done and that's really what follows Proverbs

Proverbs 6:32

6:32. The consequences of such actions

and so, You and I have to be able to learn not to be Mastered

by these impulses that come and visit us no matter how strong

they are. You know what the world parrots.

Well, it's an instinct, it's human nature, when you feel it,

you should do it to relieve yourself and they equate.

That passion that desire on the same level as food and drink you

can survive without sex, you can't survive without food,

long-term or water. And so we have to understand

here, that there is a clear call to be warned about how when we

allow our imaginations to run rampant, you can actually come

to such a place you can cross a line just like having one extra

glass that takes you over where you now begin.

Lose your reasoning and you begin to make plans and schemes

and decisions and rendevouz that are absolutely dangerous.

Just like a car wreck. It's like a DUI.

Be careful, be careful and allow the Holy Spirit to bring control

in your life. And here is a man who tries to

get another man to come under a very similar influence that he

was under guess what? It doesn't work.

I need to see David's face as you write as stumbles.

He's like there it is. There it is.

Yeah. Go go go.

Go there go. There and just makes a U-turn

and goes right back to where he slept a couple nights before,

huh? What does it say about a man

that even when you're intoxicated?

Not that saying try it. God forbid that your convictions

are so solid soul. I can just like as iron anchor

that even when substances are pumped into your subconscious

tells you to stay committed. Fascinating to me.

And so this man doesn't move. Strike 3, David.

What are you going to do? Providence is knocking on your

door. Your cleverness is not working.

Do you think David slept that night?

That's what I wondered when I was thinking about this passage.

Do you think he, you think you just went to bed in just closed

his eyes? I don't think he slept a wink.

I think he tossed and turned. I think he tossed and turned.

Because you read something here in verse 14, in the morning,

David wrote a letter to joab and sent it by the end of Uriah.

whether he slept or not, we're not told but what we do know is

that he woke up early in the morning, Wrote a letter meaning.

Some kind of plan was conjured up as he was laying in that bed

and lows of midnight hours. And he did not hesitate to make

his move time was against him. and so he writes a letter and in

that letter was uriah's death, warrant, do you think David

thought about murder when he was scaling and walking on that

rooftop earlier in this chapter? You think murder came to mind.

Think, you know what? I'm going to sleep with

Bathsheba and if it goes wrong, I'm going to kill her husband.

No. Piece by piece.

That's how it works. One more Soul, another morsel

and another morsel, that's exactly what is happening here.

And it happened so fast. There was so much included in

his thinking that he didn't even consider where he was going.

And you read here in verse 15. What the letter said.

In the letter, he wrote Set Uriah in the Forefront of the

hardest fighting. And draw back from him that he

may be struck down and die. Looked, as I said is this the

same guy? Who went a man was hunting him

down, like an animal. Felt a prick in his heart when

he cut a piece of his robe. Is this the same guy?

Now he that same guy. Is taking one of his most

Faithful Men. and his signing a death sentence, puts it in his

hand, you ready for this and so trust in the Integrity of Uriah

That he would not open that letter between then and his

destination. Only for him to be killed.

Such is the potential of sin. When it is not dealt with early

on, it has the ability to warp that which was created in the

image of God and to make it into a hideous Beast.

That is worthy of great scorn. Sin can flip your world upside

down. Ken.

Jesus can for the good but sin for the worst and David sunk at

the such depths. That even took advantage of

uriah's. Sensitive conscience and

commitment. Again if I had the budget, I

think, if I had the budget and I could direct it, the scene would

be for a long time. Uriah, they're walking back to

the ranks with a smile on his face.

Holding his very death, warrant. And David scaling back to that

scene of David, just his feet on some desk, unmoved, twiddling,

his thumbs? Hoping that job would say yes to

that. Unbelievable.

But it's real. And here's what rushed through

my mind when I thought about Uriah walking back.

To his post integrity. Integrity.

It might get you killed. But it's better to die with

Integrity than to live without it.

Integrity. It might get you killed it,

might get you fired. You might lose that promotion.

You might not be invited to the biggest and best conferences.

Because you have conviction to the word of God.

You're not be liked or loved by people, you might be invited to

the events integrity. Might kill you.

But it's better to die with it. That's a live without it.

I pray that we would be men like Uriah.

And here's the thing, God can do such a work in you.

No matter your background, like Uriah, the hittite of all

people. To be a man of God, a woman of

God. I guess we're gonna have to wait

till next week to see what happens next.

You see? There's so much content left.

But we have enough meat to chew on tonight at the digest by the

grace of God. Shall we pray before we conclude

tonight? And as the worship team

positions himself, I don't want to pray while they're walking up

there. But just in your own Hearts,

whatever it was that touch your heart.

Maybe maybe. Maybe maybe.

Maybe tonight was even a providential push from the Lord

to get your attention in love. I say this, maybe you are

concealing sin or you're trying to continue in sin.

And the Lord is trying to get your attention before you head

towards decisions and situations that are unfathomable, just hear

the voice of the Lord through this Bible study and and Trust

the wisdom of God to end it. Now, to come before him and

people that you trust that you know won't judge you to say,

here I am, I'm broken here I am, I've been foolish.

Can you help me and trust that the Lord will help you trust

that God's people will help you If you are in this place and you

examine your heart racing by the grace of God, I can rejoice in

the season that I'm in. Oh praise God, for that and ask

God to keep you and to not let you be puffed up with pride and

to be low independent even more dependent than if you were

failing or if you felt yourself slipping.

Lord, we come before you tonight at this time, rejoicing in the

richness of your word, we thank you that it is surely alive and

it makes us come alive. And we do ask oh God that You

would help us in whatever season that we may be in for those who

are feeling the pull because they're on a rooftop somewhere.

And they're not supposed to be where they are.

And they sensed the strength of an invitation to go somewhere

where they never thought they would go Lord, let your voice be

louder than my voice on this microphone.

And for those who are strong and steady, we pray that you would

only reinforce that strength and that we would be all the more

serious about making sure that we do not fall.

Lord. Help us also believe, help us

also believe that you've given us everything we need.

According to Peter's words to never fall, you can keep us from

Scandal and betrayal. And pain, Lord.

You have given us what we need to be in Victory and we praise

you for that. And what we just praise you

through song. Now as we Rejoice over your

word, giving you glory and thanks that, you were the God

who cares for us. And you give us stories like

this to help us avoid crisis. We bless your name now and this

Friday evening in Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Shall We Stand?

Let's Stand Together. Worship God.

Shall We Stand? Let's Stand Together.

Worship God.