2 Samuel 11:1 – That Dirty Rotten Sin – Bible study

2Samuel 11:1-5 That Dirty Rotten Sin I know it is my title; but if I were to ask you what the dirty rotten sin was, what would you say? Just by the reference you would probably say, "Adultery;" and youd be right. I call adultery the dirty rotten sin not because it is the most common sin and not because it has the most destructive consequences, but because I think it is the most common sin with the most destructive consequences. No doubt there is more lying that adultery, but the consequences are not as high. Murder has greater consequences, but it is not as common. Adultery is the dirty rotten sin because it is the most common sin with the highest destructive consequence. We read in our text that David committed adultery. I experience a full range of emotions when I come to this part of Davids life. 1. I feel remorse. David is one of my Bible heroes. It is always disheartening when your hero falls. David wasnt perfect. No human, but its still heartbreaking to see a godly servant fall. 2. I feel fear. David was a better man than I. He knew the Person, the Presence, and the Power of God more than I will ever know. If someone like David could fall, there appears to be no sure inoculation for it. 3. But I also feel some comfort. As grieved as I may be for what David did, he was forgiven and finished his race for God. In that, i find comfort. Lets spend some time to see if we can learn something that will help us. I. \#2Sam 11:1\ David was out of place. 2Sam 11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. A. The events of the last chapter have relevance on this chapter. 1. Ammon and Israel had bad blood for centuries but of late, things had been good between David and Ammons king, Nahash. a. But Nahash died. b. David wanted to honor Nahash so he send some ambassadors to Ammon. c. Nahashs son them and then hired an army of mercenaries to fight against Israel. 2. When that happened, David dispatched Joab to teach them some manners. 2Samuel 10:7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 3. Unfortunately, they did not get finished with the lesson in time so in chapter 11, Israel prepares to go back. B. But David was not in his place. 2Sam 11:1 at the time when KINGS go forth to battle But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 1. The verse does not say at the time when "armies" go forth into battle but at the time when "kings" go forth to battle. 2. I do not know all that makes it the time to go into battle (probably weather), but David did not go to the fight. 3. I do not know why David did not go; but the way God wrote that verse it seems obvious that is where David should have been. C. I dont want to make too big a deal out of this because all of us have gotten tired, weary, or just plain lazy in our duties from time to time. 1. Just because we did, it didnt mean we were headed for adultery or murder. 2. However, we need to note that no one starts on the pathway of sin by starting the doorway of big sin. 3. We all start the pathway of sin at the small sin doorway. a. A little bit of laziness, b. a little lie, c. a little looking at the wrong things, d. a little thinking wrong things e. These are the seeds that grow into a major sinful meltdown. Song of Solomon 2:15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. D. \#2\ Tells us that in the evening (probably a hot evening), David went out on to the roof of his palace home. 1. What David was doing was not uncommon. a. It was hot. b. There was no air conditioningnot even electric fans. c. The homes in Israel and that region of the world, were and are designed so that you could go on the roof to cool. 2. \#2Sam 5:6-9\ tells that David built his palace on MOUNT Zion, which at the time, was higher than the city of Jerusalem. 3. That meant his roof literally had a view of all the city. 4. While on his roof, David saw something that stirred him. II. \#2Sam 11:2\ Bathsheba was out of place. A. In no way do I want to excuse men in general or David in particular; however, one must note that David is not the only out of place here. 2Sam 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the kings house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. B. Bathshebas morals are out of place. 1. A roof was a perfectly normal place for people to go to cool off, but it was not an acceptable place for people to go to bathe. 2. And even if it was, any modest person would know to put up some kind of partitions to keep others who were on their roofs from seeing you. 3. Ladies, God has blessed you with a beauty and a body that men desire, but with that gift comes some commands. 1Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. a. You are to keep your beauty and body for your husband, even if he doesnt appreciate it. (1) For most ladies present tonight, I am neither your father nor your husband, but no woman ought to show anything she does not want a strange man to touch. (2) I am not saying a strange man has a right to touch what you show; but I am saying you should not show what you dont want to be touched. (3) God has given to you a very special gift and a command so that you and your husband can delight (4) My job is to deliver to you that message. You decision is to decide whether you want to or not. b. Men, you need to stay away from a woman who doesnt know she needs to do that. (1) You are man with desires. They are natural desires given to you by God to make you want to find a wife and have a family. (2) And there are some girls in every age group that will fling themselves to men like bait is cast in front of a fish. (3) Some men, men who dont care very much about God or the Bible, will use women willing to be used. (a) I hope no one here would do that. (b) And if you would have yesterday, I hope God will deal with your heart by the time you leave here so that you wont ever again. (4) But like the ladies have a choice to make concerning their bodies, you have some choices to make concerning yours. (5) What a man needs to do is find a woman who has loved you since before she knew your name and kept herself for you. (6) Find that woman as quickly as you can, love her as much as you can, and you keep yourself for her just like she is keeping herself for you. 4. So Bathsheba was out of place bathing on that roof, but is that all? C. I believe Bathsheba may have been out of place in her heart. There are several things I see that just dont strike me as right. 1. I have mentioned Bathshebas immodesty by bathing on the roof. 2. But then, I cant help but to wonder why she would go to the kings palace without an escort? 2Sam 11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. a. I know that I am an ignorant man, but I find it strange that a woman would want to be along with a man not her husbandand vice-versa. b. The king might have commanded her appearance. (1) The text says "David sent and took her." (2) The word means to fetch, to bring, to carry, but it can also mean to seize or take away. (3) David was a king and he could have forcibly removed Bathsheba from her house. (4) He had that kind of authority. c. But there are differences in the behavior of a woman being forced to go someplace and wanting to go. d. This woman seemed willing to go. 3. \#4\ That belief is further fostered by the fact that Bathsheba didnt tell anyone what had happened. a. I understand that silence does not mean a woman was not forced, but the further into this story we go, the more things just dont add up. b. So bear with me for a while. (1) We know that Uriah, her husband, was one of Davids mighty men, one of his valiant 30. (2) Being so meant a certain level of authority and fame in the kings court. (3) Bathsheba would have been able to reach her husband if she had a mind to do so. (4) (Jesse, Davids father, was able to reach his sons when he wanted to do so.) c. \#3\ In addition, Bathshebas grandfather was named Ahithophel \#2Sam 23:34\. (1) Ahithophel was one of Davids counsellors \#2Sam 15:12\. (2) If Bathsheba couldnt reach Uriah, she could have reached her own family. d. But it appears that she told no one of the incident. e. This woman was most likely neither unlearned or helpless in the political events of Jerusalem. (1) I believe that even if she had been forced by the king himself, she would have been able to make a fuss about it to someone. (2) She did not. (3) That by itself does not bring us to a conclusion, but with the other oddities, it does suggest something is amiss. 4. \#5\ It was David Bathsheba turned to when she discovered that she was pregnant, not her husband, her father, or her grandfather. 2Sam 11:5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. a. I accept that a woman who has been attacked and forced might not want to tell anyone of it. b. However, I cannot accept the fact that a woman who is attacked would return to her attacker to fix her pregnancy! 5. \#5\ I also notice that she had a way to get a sensitive, secret message to the king! This is either a woman who knew the political system of Jerusalem very well, or else she and David put a plan into effect for some communications and probably for some return visits. 6. \#2Sam 11:14-18 27\ I notice that this woman allowed her husband to be killed. a. Maybe she did not know what David would do. b. It really does not appear that David knew what he was going to do. c. But after the deed was done, it would be very hard not to at least suspect what David had done. 7. And once Uriah was dead, Bathsheba married the king. a. By the way, all of this was done in haste. b. They were married quick enough that Bathsheba could pretend the child was Davids. D. I am not a math whiz but these facts just do not add up. 1. Could I suggest to you that Bathsheba and David were not strangers but had met before? a. Uriah was one of Davids chief soldiers. b. Ahithophel was his chief counselor. c. It is very likely that David had met Bathsheba before. 2. Could I go further and suggest that one or both of these had flirted with the other before? a. Why else would the king of Israel have felt he could send for another mans wife, the wife of one of his most loyal and devoted soldiers and the granddaughter of his trusted advisor, and not have her scream to the highest heaven?! b. It is even possible that Bathsheba was purposely bathing on the roof top for David? c. Is it possible that David encouraged her? d. I do not know but I do know that both David and Bathsheba were out of place. III. Two people being out of place lead to the dirty rotten sin. A. I do not mean to impugn a pure womans reputation. 1. Perhaps Bathsheba was dumbmaybe she was the dumbest woman that has ever walked on Gods green earthbut I dont think so. 2. I think she had her eye on David and perhaps David had his eye on her. 3. I think she was one of the woman that David will later warn his son to avoid. Proverbs 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; 17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. 18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. 19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. 20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 4. Ladies, do not become that kind of woman. a. Not for any man. b. Not for any passion. c. Not for the "old maid" complex. d. Not to fit in. e. Not because everyone else is doing it. B. Regardless of what kind of woman Bathsheba was, David should have resisted. 1. I said at the beginning that nothing Bathsheba might have done could excuse Davidand it cannot. 2. David knew God and David knew better. 3. A man of God and a man of character must be strong enough to withstand no matter what kind of woman comes across his path. C. Even saying all of that, let me point out that the Scriptures record only one time in the lives of David and Bathsheba that they turned themselves over to this sin. 1. I do not say that to praise them but to make a point. 2. We sometimes think that people who commit this sin, or any kind of sin, must have some kind of defect in their character. a. It is possibleI dont think it is very probable, but it is possiblethat everything that happened was innocent and out of ignorance. b. Looking at the whole of their lives, they were more faithful than frivolous in character. c. Yet, they fell so far!! 3. But that just makes the danger all the worse. a. Sexual lust and neglect can make monsters out of otherwise good and godly people. b. We know that David was a good and godly man and since David married and cared for Bathsheba the rest of their lives, we may assume she was not a woman for hire, but what awfulness came out of them both. D. As Christians, my recommendation is that we allboth men and womenput up walls between us and every other opposite. 1. If you dont allow yourself any opportunities to be tested, you will not fall. 2. There are places faithful and moral should not be, things we should not see, thoughts we should not think, and situations we should not be in. 3. Let us make our walls of purity long, and wide, and high so that even if we later want to climb over them, we will not be able to do so. 4. If we do not, I believe our lives will end in regret. I like westerns. A few years ago, I came across a series with Steve McQueen that I had never heard of, entitled, "Wanted: Dead or Alive." The series aired when I was between 1 and 4, which is why I never watched it; but I had never really known much about Steve McQueen so I took the opportunity to read about his life. It was a life that started out hard. 1. His father abandoned the family when Steve was 6 months old. 2. His mother, an alcoholic, couldnt provide for him so she gave him to a family member. 3. Things happened and he ended up a kid in the big city running a street gang. His run-ins with the law ended him up in a correctional home for boys. 4. He eventually landed up in the Marines, straightened up some, and used the VA bill to get into acting. 5. He always lived like a lost man but he had what he and everyone else said was a good relationship with a his wife, yet he got the lust bug after more than 14 years and lost his family. 6. Here was a man who had riches and fame, in his mid-30s he was the best-known actor in the world; but as I read about his life, I felt sorry for him! 7. Steve McQueen died at 50 of cancer and was with his third wife. 8. I was reading secular sources but some said that Steve McQueen trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior three months BEFORE he was diagnosed with cancer. https://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display _art.html?ID=8277 9. He went back to some of those in his life he had hurt and tried to make things right before he died. 10. It was obvious by those who recorded his life that he had many regrets. Dont let the lust bug fill your life with regret. Make it your lifes goal not to fall into this dirty rotten sin.