“They Shoot from the Wall”
Text: 2 Samuel 11:14-27
14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. 23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. 24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
This is a portion of Scripture that faithfully records for us some of the darkest, most sinful acts of David. This record is open and honest as only God's Word can be! As we know the account, it was a time when kings go forth to war, and King David was negligent in his duty (2 Samuel 11:1). He send forth his servants to the fight, but he himself tarried at home! The Devil took full advantage of David's misstep! After his grievous adulterous affair with Bathsheba, he further plotted to cover his sin. When this failed in the light of the faithfulness of her husband Uriah, he turned to an even more vile plan to have him murdered with the sword of the Ammonites (2 Samuel 12:9)!
The principles I wish to focus on tonight are military principles. You may ask why we as a church should be concerned about military principles and tactics and I answer you by way of a reminder...
May I remind you that tonight we are embroiled in a battle!
– May I remind you that tonight we live in “enemy occupied territory”!
...In a physical sense as we live in this “present evil world” (Gal. 1:4).
...In a mental sense in that we still have present minds of flesh (Rom. 7:18, II Cor. 10:3-5).
...In a spiritual sense as we wrestle not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:11-12).
– May I remind you tonight that the church is on the OFFENSIVE!
Just as Joab and the army of Israel were on the offensive, so is the church of Jesus Christ!
Since her founding, she has relentlessly and victoriously engaged in battle the very gates of Hell!
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
It is not the gates of hell that are assailing the church, but rather the church assailing the gates of hell, and the gates of hell shall not, they cannot prevail! Yet dear brother and sister, let us not kid ourselves. The devil and his hordes will give up a FIGHT!
When the news from the battlefield would reach the king's ears, Joab the commander of the kings army, in an attempt to assuage the possible displeasure of the king at the loss of lives, makes sure the king knows that among the casualties was Uriah the Hittite husband of Bathsheba. What this seasoned and battle-hardened commander relays to his king tells us much of the nature of warfare!
Principles of the Battle
1 Timothy 6:11-12 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
2 Timothy 2:1-4 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
I. The Fortress:~ The city was the stronghold of the enemy
Understand the fervency of the resistance increases the closer to the stronghold one gets!
Matthew 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Understand the ferocity of the fight increases the closer we approach to VICTORY!
II. The Forefront:~ The “hottest” part is the part closest to the Battle.
2 Samuel 11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle...
This is the place where the battle is actually fought!!!!
This is where blows are dealt and blows are deflected between combatants!
“The Order of the Battle”
*Command ~>
*Supply/Support ~>
*Forefront (the field of battle)...
III. The Forsaking:~The absolute danger of being alone and “solo” in the fight!
2 Samuel 11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
A Few thoughts about Uriah the Hittite: The Hero of the Battle!
Uriah would have been described in our modern day as a stooge. A man “thrown under the bus” by his beloved king. We must be mindful of a few things:
1. Uriah was a MIGHTY man! *II Samuel 23:39 and I Chronicles 11:41
*Interestingly enough, it seems he was mightier than even Joab, who is NOT named!
2. Uriah was a FAITHFUL man!*II Samuel 11:6-11;14
-Faithful to his king
-Faithful to his brethren
-Faithful to his God!!!
3. Uriah died a VALIANT man!*II Samuel 11:16-17
Would God that he would raise up more men like Uriah the Hittite!!!!
IV. The Fellows:~The “valiant men”
2 Samuel 11:16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
2 Samuel 24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
*Valiant men are men that are skilled with the sword! ~ Eph. 6:17
1 Chronicles 5:18-19 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. 19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.
*Valiant men are men able to bear their armor and are skillful in war! Eph. 6:
1 Chronicles 10:11-12 And when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
*Valiant men hazard their lives for the cause of Christ! - I Samuel 17:29 “...is there not a cause?” Acts 15:25-26
V. The Undeniable Fact:~One must be in range of the shooters to overthrow the Fortress!!!!!
2 Samuel 11:25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, forthe sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
Ecclesiastes 10:9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
Just as there is inherent danger in the moving of heavy stones and cleaving wood, so there is danger in the battle! As the saying goes “War is Hell!” Christian friend, why would we think that the war between God and the Devil, the War between the forces of heaven and hell, the war for the souls of men, women, boys and girls would be a bloodless, casualty-less war????
John 15:18-19 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.