Sin's Unseen Consequences
2 Samuel 11:25–27 (ESV) David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” 26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
The passage above is David's response to the fact that Uriah has been killed during a battle where David's men first set him up to die and then proceeded to lose the fight. Rather than David getting upset with the tragedy suffered for his men, his response is one of casual indifference. In fact, he's relieved. His "problem" of Uriah is taken care of and he feels safe to hide in sin.
Such is the price one pays when sin takes root in their life.
First, consider David's lack of concern for the Ark. Remember back in 2 Samuel 7 when David considered the Ark's current placement to be ignoble for the nation?
2 Samuel 7:2 (ESV) the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.”
Now in this chapter, David's concern is to cover his sin while Uriah's heart cannot think of anything other than the Ark:
2 Samuel 11:11 (ESV) Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and 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.”
Consider also David's attitude in previous times when people were killed unjustly. He was enraged at the report of the Amalekite who told him of Saul's and Jonathan's death. He put the man to death in response! The same is true when Abner, his former enemy was slain. David pleads his innocence in the matter of Abner demanding retribution for Joab's violence.
2 Samuel 3:39 (ESV) And I was gentle today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”
This is what sin will do to us. It will distract us to life's most important realities. David has lost his sense of reverence for the Ark. He has gone from protector to bystander over Israel's demise. He has gone from peace-seeker to murderer. In the worst way possible too! For David SENT Uriah with his "death certificate" into the battle.
But there is more. His sole focus is on his personal battle to hide his failure. That takes his eyes off the kingdom, the land, and the purposes of God. The last part of the episode is perhaps the most disturbing. David's willingness to take Bathsheba for himself after Uriah's death.
2 Samuel 11:26–27 (ESV) When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
David acts as if it was no big deal. But notice the last line. The Lord was displeased. The literal translation reads it was "evil" in the Lord's eyes. To watch these events unfold could lead us to believe God was unconcerned with what is going on. But the Lord is concerned. AND the Lord has the final say. That's why His view is saved for the end. You can fool many people in life. You can fool yourself. But you cannot fool God.
Today we live in a generation disconnected from holy reverence for a God of justice. But in your life and mine, He still has the final say. That might be the worst consequence of sin we've yet discovered - that David's opinion of sin and God's view of his life were so far apart. Sin hurts people in ways we can not measure completely. The one bit of good news is, the Lord will not let it win. He will root it out like a good surgeon who cuts deep in order to heal.
The passage above is David's response to the fact that Uriah has been killed during a battle where David's men first set him up to die and then proceeded to lose the fight. Rather than David getting upset with the tragedy suffered for his men, his response is one of casual indifference. In fact, he's relieved. His "problem" of Uriah is taken care of and he feels safe to hide in sin.
Such is the price one pays when sin takes root in their life.
First, consider David's lack of concern for the Ark. Remember back in 2 Samuel 7 when David considered the Ark's current placement to be ignoble for the nation?
2 Samuel 7:2 (ESV) the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.”
Now in this chapter, David's concern is to cover his sin while Uriah's heart cannot think of anything other than the Ark:
2 Samuel 11:11 (ESV) Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and 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.”
2 Samuel 3:39 (ESV) And I was gentle today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”
This is what sin will do to us. It will distract us to life's most important realities. David has lost his sense of reverence for the Ark. He has gone from protector to bystander over Israel's demise. He has gone from peace-seeker to murderer. In the worst way possible too! For David SENT Uriah with his "death certificate" into the battle.
But there is more. His sole focus is on his personal battle to hide his failure. That takes his eyes off the kingdom, the land, and the purposes of God. The last part of the episode is perhaps the most disturbing. David's willingness to take Bathsheba for himself after Uriah's death.
2 Samuel 11:26–27 (ESV) When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
David acts as if it was no big deal. But notice the last line. The Lord was displeased. The literal translation reads it was "evil" in the Lord's eyes. To watch these events unfold could lead us to believe God was unconcerned with what is going on. But the Lord is concerned. AND the Lord has the final say. That's why His view is saved for the end. You can fool many people in life. You can fool yourself. But you cannot fool God.
Today we live in a generation disconnected from holy reverence for a God of justice. But in your life and mine, He still has the final say. That might be the worst consequence of sin we've yet discovered - that David's opinion of sin and God's view of his life were so far apart. Sin hurts people in ways we can not measure completely. The one bit of good news is, the Lord will not let it win. He will root it out like a good surgeon who cuts deep in order to heal.
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