Inside Front Cover

TRANSLATOR’S FILE

INSIDE FRONT COVER

The Changed Life

King David’s Family Troubles

With Bible Readings

2 Samuel chapters 11–24

by Peter Skinner

PAGE TWO

Published by & Distributed by:

Quail books,

15 Fishers Lane

Pensby,

Wirral, L61 9NT

March 2015

Acknowledgements

© 2015, P. Skinner, Quail books.

Scripture quotations in this book are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s version, copyright 1996,1998. by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, a member of the Hodder Headline Group.

Scanned pictures used in the publication are from <freebibleimages.org> and are freely available on the internet or are from copyright expired material. The picture of the Israelites gathering quail from the Ultimate Bible Picture Collection has been used with permission of S.M.Davis.

In writing this commentary I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to Fred Morris’ Manna Publications which I studied and promoted internationally for 12 years. I have used a similar layout and presentation. Michael Eaton’s “Preaching through the Bible 2 Samuel” has been a valuable resource and I have shared some insights from “A man of Passion and Destiny – David”, by Charles Swindoll. I thank editor Donald Banks and my wife Peggy for persevering with her proof reading skills and for the help of local Christian friends. I have included short testimonies to illustrate certain studies from different sources including the SOON paper.

PAGE THREE 3

Foreword

David, a man after God’s own heart

I was deeply affected by Peter Skinner’s exposition. This was his third book in his series on the life of King David. The obvious question is, how could God call David “a man after His heart” when David was such a terrible sinner, having committed adultery and murder? Yes, he repented and God forgave him. But as the author points out he made some terrible errors of judgment throughout the rest of his life. This had equally terrible consequences for David himself as well as the rest of his family. What was happening here, and how can this help us in our own walk with God? What lessons can we learn?

As Peter points out, David was a man of great affection; it was one of his major strengths. Yet it also became one of his greatest weaknesses and prevented him making the correct decisions when dealing with his sons and daughters, with his army generals, and with others with whom he had close contact throughout his reign.

David was a man of faith (cf. Hebrews 11:32), a man who loved God’s law deep down in his heart. This is shown in his Psalms. David is accredited for writing about half of the 150 psalms in our Bible. He was a man who was truly thankful for all that God was doing in his life (cf. Psalm 26:6-7) and was truly repentant after his sins of adultery and murder (cf. Psalm 51). Nevertheless, he was a man who could not make the proper godly decisions in his own life or the lives of others closely associated with him. So, God needed to discipline him as His son (Hebrews 12: 5-11). This also is brought out clearly in Peter’s treatment of David’s later life.

I realized, how the Apostle Paul must have also felt. Despite having God’s Spirit so that “through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2), nevertheless we all “fall short of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23). We continually need to repent for we know that the only one who “will deliver us from this body of death” (Romans 7:24) is Christ Himself. Although David could not express himself in this way, there must have been many times – as his writing in the psalms demonstrate – that he must have felt a deep sadness because of his bad decisions and wrong judgment.

This is a book well worth reading, meditating upon, and returning to from time to time as we struggle in our Christian walk. It is historically accurate, a factually “good story” more exciting than fiction, inspiring and devotional.

Rev John White

PAGE FOUR 4

Introduction

David was a man of faith. He was not rejected by God as King Saul had been. This is the third book about the life of King David. In the first book, “Preparation for Leadership”, we looked at a difficult period in David’s life, which included exile from his home and country. In the second book, “King David Reigns”, we noted the blessing of God during a successful period of his reign as King of Israel.

This book is a Bible Study guide based on readings from 2 Samuel Chapters 10-24. David is established as King of Israel. From the roof of his palace he sees a beautiful woman bathing. He enquires after her, and she comes to him. Even though the woman is married he has relations with her. Later he sends her husband to the battle front where he is killed. David hides his sin from the nation. But God sees and He is not pleased. God sends the prophet Nathan to him who speaks in such a way that David pours out his heart to God in a prayer of deep repentance.

Temptation comes to all of us and sometimes like David we do wrong. Repentance is hard, but it is essential. Psalm 51 is the greatest prayer of repentance found in the Bible.

Sin brings consequences. David suffered much heart ache and pain from his rebellious, grown up sons. This culminated in Absalom’s rebellion when King David is forced to flee from Jerusalem. We learn in this book why God allows this discipline in David's life. But even in the discipline, God is there, hearing and answering his prayer. God can hear our prayer too in difficult times.

Peter Skinner

PAGE FIVE 5 MAIN TEXT

Study 1

Temptation

Read: 2 Samuel 11:1-29

It was spring. It was the time when kings go off to war. So David sent Joab out with the king’s special troops and the whole army of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites. They marched to the city of Rabbah. They surrounded it and got ready to attack it. But David remained in Jerusalem.

One evening David got up from his bed. He walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman taking a bath. She was very beautiful. David sent a messenger to find out who she was. The messenger returned and said, “She is Bathsheba. She’s the daughter of Eliam. She’s the wife of Uriah. He’s a Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him. And he slept with her. Then she went back home. All of that took place after she had already made herself “clean” from her monthly period. Later, Bathsheba found out she was pregnant. She sent a message to David. She said, “I’m pregnant.”

So David sent a message to Joab. David said, “Send me Uriah, the Hittite.” Joab sent him to David. Uriah came to David. David asked him how Joab and the soldiers were doing. He also asked him how the war was going. David said to Uriah, “Go home and enjoy some time with your wife.” So Uriah left the palace. Then the king sent him a gift. But Uriah didn’t go home. Instead, he slept at the entrance to the palace. He stayed there with all his master’s servants.

It was spring-time and the weather warm. It was the time when Kings went to war. This time King David did not go to war. He sent Joab and the whole Israelite army to battle against the Ammonites, while he stayed at home. David’s kingship was doing well. He had won many battles and subdued his enemies. David had successfully fought the Arameans (Syrians) and Hadadezer’s army (2 Samuel 10:15-19), so it would have been easy for him to justify his need for rest. But he was careless. Even great men of God can fall. We must be careful in times when we are off duty.

Jesus told his disciples: “Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Jesus did not fail when He was tempted. He did not sin. Peter, denied he knew Jesus. Even though he had said he would go with Him to prison and to death (Matthew 26:74-75). He failed because he did not “watch and pray”.

David was walking on the roof of the palace, when he saw the beautiful Bathsheba bathing in a walled court-yard (11:2). He asked his servants who she was and sent messengers to get her. He slept with her and she became pregnant. It seems like a repeat of the sin of Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6). When Eve saw, she took, she ate of the fruit God had told them not to eat and gave to her husband. Temptation and sin can come to us suddenly. As a result of his sin David’s fellowship with God was spoilt and his reputation was damaged. There were consequences that affected future generations of his family.

The Big Question

How is it that a good man or woman, who delights in God’s Word, can so quickly fall? David had several wives but little companionship. He was lonely and had time to spare. He told his servant that he wanted to talk to Bathsheba. As soon as Bathsheba was with David he switched on all his charm and affection. He knew how to make someone do what they did not want to do. David easily attracted women and did not say any harsh words to them. David was highly affectionate and warm-hearted. It is true, that Bathsheba should not have taken her bath in the open courtyard. But when in the presence of the King, it was hard to resist him. He committed adultery with the wife of one of his best soldiers. All his knowledge of the ways of God, all his years of seeing God answer his prayers, was forgotten. It can happen to us also. What we want can overpower the teaching we had as a child, overpower the preacher’s sermons and we can forget even our wedding promises to be faithful to our spouse throughout our lives. When we are driven by unstoppable passion, we hardly think about the spouse who will be hurt, disappointed, distressed and even driven to suicide.

What David lost

David got what he wanted, but he lost something more important – God’s blessing and favour. In the book of Genesis we read of Joseph, who was working as a slave in Potiphar’s house. He was tempted by Potiphar’s wife to go to bed with her (Genesis 39:11-12). He ran out of the house. Flee from sexual immorality, wrote the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 6:18). Joseph refused sex with a lovely woman. He wanted God’s blessing and favour in his life. The woman falsely accused him and her husband threw Joseph into prison. But, the Lord was with him. Joseph was promoted to be Prime Minister under Pharaoh. This was God’s blessing and favour.

Big problem

Some weeks passed. David probably thought nobody knew of his sin. Then a message was sent by Bathsheba, “I am pregnant”. David had a plan. He sent a message to Joab telling him to send Uriah to him. When Uriah arrived he chatted to him and sent him home to his wife with a gift. If Uriah slept with his wife, then no one would know that the baby was David’s. Uriah did not go home, but slept at the entrance to the palace with the servants. When questioned later he said that he could not go home to his wife while Joab and the army were camped in open fields. So David, anxious to cover up his folly, got Uriah drunk, but he still did not go home to his wife.

Murder

David then planned something even worse - murder. Once we choose sinful ways they get a hold on us. We get worse and worse. David’s conscience was now hardened. He followed the path of sin regardless of the consequence. He sent a message to Joab about Uriah. In it he requested that Joab put Uriah in the front line where fighting was fiercest and then leave him. Joab sent Uriah to a place near the wall where he knew the strongest defenders were (2 Samuel 11:16). Uriah obeyed orders and was killed along with other soldiers. This news was taken by a messenger from Joab to David (2 Samuel 11:25). David had got away with adultery and murder. Few people knew about it. The nation was deceived. Bathsheba mourned for her husband. Afterwards, David took her as his wife and she bore him a son.

Even though David could deceive people he could not deceive God. “The thing that David had done displeased the Lord” (2 Samuel 11:27).

Our desires or lust for what we want can take many forms – sexual desire, ambition, a desire for fame or power, greed for money, or revenge. By persistence and manipulation, we may get what we want, with few people knowing. But God knows and He is not pleased.

Discuss:

1.David’s sin illustrates that godliness does not protect us from temptation. What could David have done to protect himself from doing wrong?

2.What steps should we take to avoid situations of temptation where our desires may overwhelm our reason and commonsense?

3.Is it possible to set “boundaries” for our children to keep them away from bad situations? If so, how?

4.We tell lies to cover up when we have done wrong and are likely to be punished. Is it possible to be honest and admit we have done wrong? Discuss.

5.David thought he had got away with adultery and murder. Is the person who lives at ease, enjoying the fruit of his sin, in danger of God’s judgement? (Read: Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 21:8). What should a person do, who has committed sins like these, to avoid the judgement of God (Read 1 John 1:9)?

Prayer:

“Lord, you know about those times when my desires were so strong that I got what I wanted but hurt other people. I am sorry for my sin. Please forgive me.”

For the next study read: 2 Samuel 11:25-27

Study 2

The Big Cover-up

Read: 2 Samuel 11:25-27

David told the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t get upset over what happened. Swords kill one person as well as another. So keep on attacking the city. Destroy it.’ Tell that to Joab. It will cheer him up.”

Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead. She mourned over him. When her time of sadness was over, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife. And she had a son by him. But the Lord wasn’t pleased with what David had done.

OPEN BOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXWerner Oder, an Austrian by birth, was brought up in Germany during the second world-war. In his family no one spoke about what was happening. His father was a Nazi war criminal who took part in the mass murder of the Jews. He wrote, “My life was surrounded by silence that kept quiet about the horror of the killing of the Jews. As a boy I had nightmares every night. Demons tried to kill me. But I was determined to break free from this dark cloud”. Werner did break free when in his teens he met some German missionaries who told him about Jesus, the Son of God who died for him. They told him that if he put his trust in Jesus he would be set free. He did so and the demons could no longer touch him. Today he is a Pastor in Southern England and a friend of the Jewish people.

(see:

END BOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 11 records David’s sin and “cover up”. In verse 25 David gives a hypocritical answer to Joab on hearing the news of Uriah’s death. “Don’t get upset about what has happened. Swords kill one person as well as another”. Chapter 12 begins with the words, “The Lord sent the Prophet Nathan to David”. David had kept quiet about his sin (Psalm 32:3). He had remained silent. He had refused to talk about his deed. He thought it had been successfully covered up. Some people knew because Bathsheba’s pregnancy was showing more and more each day. More importantly God knew and He sent Nathan the prophet to him.

Individual cover up

Whenever people commit a crime or do something wrong they want to cover it up. This started with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden who hid from the presence of the Lord (Genesis 3:8). Today, the child who has done wrong hides from his parents, the thief hides from the policeman, the adulterer hides the truth from their spouse, and the murderer hides the body of the person he has killed. Some people get away with their deception and are never found out and never brought to justice.

Excuses

When Nathan spoke to David, David could have been angry and put Nathan in prison. David could also have made excuses about his behaviour. In his book, “A man of Passion and Destiny – David”, Charles Swindoll lists some excuses that we might use if we were exposed as David was: