Read 2 Samuel 11
Questions from the Scripture text: What time of the year was it (2 Samuel 11:1)? What were kings supposed to do? What did David do? Whom did he send instead? Where did David remain? From what did David arise at what time in 2 Samuel 11:2? What did he see? What did he do about this (2 Samuel 11:3)? What relevant data did he discover? How did he respond to this data (2 Samuel 11:4)? What did he do with her? What was the result of this sin (2 Samuel 11:5)? Whom did she tell? To whom does David respond, and how (2 Samuel 11:6)? Who arrives in 2 Samuel 11:7? What does David ask him about? What does David tell Uriah to do in 2 Samuel 11:8 (cf. 2 Samuel 11:2, same verb as bathing)? What follows Uriah when he goes? But when it comes time to sleep, where does Uriah go (2 Samuel 11:9)? What does David ask in 2 Samuel 11:10? What is the first thing Uriah mentions in 2 Samuel 11:11? What does he point out about whom? So what three things does Uriah refuse to do? What kind of statement does he make at the end of verse 11? What does David want Uriah to do in 2 Samuel 11:12? What does David do to Uriah in 2 Samuel 11:13? But what doesn’t Uriah do? What does David send by whose hand in 2 Samuel 11:14? What did the letter say to do (2 Samuel 11:15)? What does Joab do, in response to the letter (2 Samuel 11:16)? What else had to happen to whom else for this to be done (2 Samuel 11:17)? What does Joab do when it is completed (2 Samuel 11:18)? What does he expect David to think of the strategy (2 Samuel 11:19-21)? How does Joab counsel to respond if David is angry (verse 21)? When does the messenger decide to include this vital information (2 Samuel 11:22-24)? How does David respond to the message that is delivered this way (2 Samuel 11:25)? How does Bathsheba respond to this news (2 Samuel 11:26)? What does this verse call her (cf. Matthew 1:6)? What does David do when she is done mourning (2 Samuel 11:27)? Who is finally mentioned at the end of this verse? What does the verse say about Him?
In the last three chapters, we have seen David as a prototype of Christ, but alas how greatly God’s people need the real deal!
It was the time that kings go out to battle, and Israel’s king was at home (2 Samuel 11:1). Getting out of bed in the late afternoon in fact (2 Samuel 11:2). But he’d be back in bed a few verses and a minute later with another man’s wife (2 Samuel 11:4), having let eyes and mind wander (2 Samuel 11:2-3).
This is the man after God’s heart? We’ll get to the difference that grace makes in chapter 12, but for now we see how it’s not good enough to have David as your king. He can’t even be his own righteousness. He (and we) must have Christ’s blood atone for our so-called “righteousness.” And he and we must have Christ as our forever-king.
The adultery is what tends to stand out to us, but it’s over very abruptly. The bulk of the chapter is spent on David trying to use Uriah to wipe out the evidence of his sin (2 Samuel 11:6-13) and then using Uriah to wipe out Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-15).
Oh what great (and even greatly wicked) effort we may put into trying to appear righteous!
But it doesn’t work and can’t work. The chapter doesn’t mention Yahweh until the very last word (in the Hebrew, as well as our English translation), which subtly drives home the point. David (and we) may do our level best to hide Him out of our sight when we are sinning, but we can never succeed in hiding our sin from His holy sight.
Even the best of us believers (and the Scripture has worked hard to highlight David as among the best of believers) can fall into the worst of sin. And our slouch into it can begin even by something as seemingly innocuous as skipping work and taking lazy naps. So, let us rejoice that Christ Himself alone is our righteousness. And, let us keep clinging to Him as those who know that we could fall at any moment. And, let us put confidence in no prince but in Christ our King.
By what activities has Christ granted to you to keep clinging to Him? In what leaders do you need to guard against placing your trust?
Suggested songs: ARP119W “Lord, Let My Cry before You Come” or TPH429 “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
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