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David Forgot – God is There
060514PM
DSS-20
1st Corinthians 10:12-14
Transcript
Let’s open to 1 Corinthians chapter 10, and we’re going to be looking at the first 13 verses of that chapter. But to remind you where we are, we’re examining the fifth consequence of David’s decision to go it alone, as he is involved in the temptation and tonight, specifically, as he descends into sin. His first step downward, we saw the first consequence of going it alone: his conscience was desensitized. He didn’t completely obey the Lord. He didn’t do what he knew the Lord wanted him to do.
Then he relaxed his grip on personal purity. Remember, the Lord said he that is faithful in that which is least would be faithful also in that which is much. It’s also true that if we relax our grip in little areas, they just keep growing, and it just seems like we’ve let ourselves relax our grip on personal purity, and that’s what he does.
Thirdly, he began to fixate his heart, and that third consequence caused him to be totally fixated on the sinful desires that were stirring within him. Last time we saw that he rationalized in his mind about his wrong decision. Whatever was going on, as the servants came to him and said this is someone else’s wife, you shouldn’t do this he just pushed those aside.
We’re going to see David in 2 Samuel 11, and we’ll be there momentarily, plunging into lustful sin, but we’re not going to look at the sin. We’re going to look at why. The reason David plunged into sin is the lesson we’re going to learn tonight. He forgot that God was there. Anytime we’re tempted, we’ll see in the Scriptures in 1 Corinthians 10, God is there. He’s on the site. He is carefully watching over us so that we are not tempted beyond what we’re able, so there’s never a temptation that is too strong, too powerful for us. It is we who don’t see the God who’s there. That’s what I want you to notice with me as we learn some lessons from David that are very difficult, but so necessary. If we want to avoid the twisted wreckage of so many lives that litter the highway of the redeemed who have not seen God there, then we need to heed the words of Paul’s wonderful capturing of God’s promise to us in 1 Corinthians 10. Let’s read together the first 13 verses of this wonderful chapter.
Moreover, brethren, Paul says, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud. All passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses and the cloud, and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Those first four verses totally transform our reading of the Old Testament, don’t they? He just cited Exodus 14, 16, and 17 in rapid succession. He summarized those 3 chapters in just a few words, and he said that it was Jesus Christ the whole time who was with them. So, it just makes us read with new eyes. All of a sudden, the Spirit of God can open our understanding of what’s going on.
Verse 5, but with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now, these things became our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. Paul is writing this to the Corinthians. Remember, the first canon of textual interpretation is what did this message mean to those to whom it was written by God through His apostles and prophets? These Corinthians were, look at what it says in verse 6, were lusting after evil things. So, Paul is coming to them and saying, the Old Testament is a series of warnings, a series of lessons of consequences. So, don’t you lust after evil things as they do.
Verse 7, and do not become idolaters, Corinthians, as were some of them. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play. Nor let us, he’s again addressing the Corinthians, the Church, the 1st century New Testament Church. Don’t let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did. And in one day, 23,000 fell amazing. That’s a recitation of Exodus 32, summarized in one verse.
Verse 9, nor let us tempt Christ, which means we can. See, all this you have to understand he’s writing to people just like us, and he’s saying, watch out, watch out, watch out. Don’t commit sexual immorality. Don’t become idolaters. Don’t tempt Christ. Verse 9 continues, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. That’s Numbers 25 in one verse.
Aren’t you glad on this side of the cross, God doesn’t send serpents? He doesn’t kill 23,000 church members who are being immoral either in their body or in their mind. He doesn’t just send the Levites with swords to hew them up. Grace withholds the imminent, constant, instantaneous application of the wrath of God, but it doesn’t withhold God’s displeasure or the consequences.
Verse 10, nor complain. Whew. Now he’s getting really personal. I think most of us weren’t worried about the idolatry stuff, but nor complained, verse 10, as some of them also complained, and look what God did with complainers: and were destroyed by the destroyer. That verse captures two, Numbers 21 and 14, two chapters in one verse, and what a summary of what was going on.
Verse 11, now all these things happen to them as examples and were written for our admonition. Remember the nurture and admonition it talks about? Our parenting and also our discipling are supposed to have nurturing, feeding on the Word, and admonition, pointing out what displeases God and calling to a right response to that.
All of these things happen to them. All of these Old Testament stories that sometimes we don’t quite understand, and are difficult, and everything else, all of them happen to them. What God did and why all of the Old Testament records this saga of Israel as examples,Ā tupos, types, and were written for our admonition, verse 11 says. Us, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
So, with that introduction, therefore. Because of Exodus 14, 16, 17, Numbers 11, Exodus 32, Numbers 25, Numbers 21, Numbers 14, et cetera, et cetera, therefore, let him who thinks he stands, take heed. There’s the first imperative; it’s a command. Here’s how you apply it: take heed, lest ye fall.
Now, the glorious doctrine of God’s presence and what it can do in our lives. Look at verse 13. No temptation has overtaken you. That’s you, Corinthians, 1st century. That’s you, us. Except such as is common to man. You know what that says? There aren’t any new ones. There aren’t any new temptations. Satan only has old tricks, old lies, old methods. There’s nothing new. By the way, it’s all taken care of in this book. There’s nothing that’s going to come at us that God hasn’t prepped us for. It’s kind of like there are no mystery germs that there isn’t already a powerful medicine for, there aren’t any mystery diseases that there isn’t already a vaccination for. It’s whether we use it and apply it and take heed.
So, it says such is this common to man. But God is faithful. He’s right in the center of this verse because He’s right in the center of every time we’re tempted. Who will not allow you, and he gets very personal. Paul is exhorting and begging these people to listen to him. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will, with the temptation, make the way for escape that you may be able to bear it. This isn’t a group thing. This is how to get ready when each of us is individually facing the bait and the hook of Satan’s temptations. Paul tells us God is faithful. He’s there. His shadow is across every situation that we face. He looms over every one of them. He’s there watching us.
Let’s bow before Him. Father, open our eyes to see the wonder of the promise of this teaching of Your Word, that You are faithful. Not faithfully caretaking out there somewhere beyond the blue, but You were right there beside us this week when we faced that temptation to fear, that temptation to be embittered, to be seething with anger, to be untruthful, to lust after this or that. You are right there. When we sin, we sin against the God who is right there, who was making sure we were not tempted more than we were able, and who also made sure that we had a way out, so we just overlook You. I pray that tonight You would help us to begin not overlooking You. Help us to see You who are faithful, You, whose shadow is looming over us every time we face any difficulty, any sin, any temptation. Open our hearts, stir our wills, and help us tonight to make little choices, little decisions, to be changed, to be more like You and to respond more completely, more swiftly to You as we’re tempted to remember that You’re there. In Jesus’ name, Your name, we pray, Amen.
Let’s just go through what happened and why we’re even studying this, because we’re talking about David, we’re talking about the consequences of what David did, we’re progressing through 1 Samuel 11, then we’re going through 12 and on through. But we’re not going to hurry through 11. It’s too big. But over the years, I have loved to read anything I can about David. He’s so monumental. He’s the biggest figure in the Scriptures, as far as raw data that we have, that I love to read from any angle.
I found an old devotional book that I read as a little boy. I remember being in BMA, Bible Memory Association. That’s the one that many years ago I told you my parents wouldn’t let me watch cartoons on Saturday morning until I’d written out the 12 verses I had to learn for BMA that week. I had to write them out longhand on notebook paper.
Do you know how long it takes to write 12 verses? For me about as long as it took for David to copy the Pentateuch because I never liked to write. I would just sit there, and Mickey Mouse would be over, and Mighty Mouse would be over, and the Sky King would be almost over before I’d get my 12 verses down. But I remember I did it. I won each section, and I got a prize. It was Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening devotional book. I used to read that thing. I just thought it was the neatest little deal. You read one in the morning and one in the evening in that Elizabethan language and his fascinating way of seeing things.
I found one I read. This is the evening of January 17th, and I want you to just be prepared for what we’re going to see about resisting temptation by listening to this incredible man as he digests all that David did and distills down David’s act of sin into three paragraphs. This is what Spurgeon said. The text for the evening of January 17th is: And it came to pass at evening tide that David arose from off his bed and walked upon the roof of the king’s house, 2 Samuel 11:2. Right where we are. At that hour, Spurgeon says, David saw Bathsheba. We are never out of the reach of temptation. Both at home and abroad, we are liable to meet with the allurements to evil. The morning opens with peril. The shades of evening find us still in jeopardy. They are well kept who God keeps, but woe unto those who go forth into the world or even dare to walk their own house unarmed. Isn’t that insightful? So thoughtful. Those who think themselves secure are more exposed to danger than any others. The armor-bearer of sin is Self-confidence.
Now, that’s a little reflection on Spurgeon’s favorite book that he read. The only book that surpassed his reading of Pilgrim’s Progress was the Bible. But that’s a little Pilgrim’s Progress note because he so admired Bunyan. I’ll say it again, the armor-bearer of sin is Self-confidence.
The second paragraph Spurgeon wrote. David should have been engaged in fighting the Lord’s battles, instead of which he tarried at Jerusalem and gave himself up to luxurious repose, for he rose from his bed at eventide. Idleness and luxury are the devil’s jackals and find him abundant prey. Another fascinating statement. In stagnant waters, noxious creatures swarm. Isn’t that so true? When we’re idle, when we’re stagnant, noxious creatures swarm, and neglected soil soon yields a dense tangle of weeds and briars. Oh, for the constraining love of Jesus to keep us active and useful. When I see the King of Israel sluggishly leaving his couch at the close of the day and falling at once into temptation, let me take warning and set holy watchfulness to guard the door.
Now, his last paragraph. Is it possible the king had mounted his house top for retirement and devotion? If so, what a caution is given to us to count no place, however secret, a sanctuary from sin. While our hearts are so like a tinderbox and sparks so plentiful, we need to use all diligence in all places to prevent a blaze. Satan can climb housetops and enter closets, and even if we could shut out that foul fiend, our own corruptions are enough to work us ruin unless grace prevents. Reader, beware of evening temptations. Be not secure. The sun is down, but sin is up. We need a watchman for the night as well as a guardian for the day. Oh, blessed Spirit. Keep us from all evil this night. Amen.
See why it was such a prize? It was worth missing Mighty Mouse for to get that little devotional, right? What a profound writer Spurgeon was. Beware of allowing any unguarded moments, and let’s look at David’s unguarded moments.
Turn back to 2 Samuel 11 with me. Let me rehearse where we’ve been. 2 Samuel 11, one of the sadder chapters of God’s Word. Never think that we’re safe from sin’s reach. Never think that it won’t bother you anymore. As Spurgeon so eloquently said, that is when, as Paul reminds us, we should take heed lest we fall.
We are in the midst of a careful study, the final three eras of David’s life. This evening, we continue studying because we need to heed the warning. The three final areas of David’s life are the unguarded moments of his life led to sin, and that’s Uriah and Bathsheba. We’re looking at chapter 11. Then the inevitable consequences of that sin led to pain. We’re going to see the years of pain and how David dealt with it. He didn’t run from it. He dealt with it. Absalom, Shimei, all the stuff that went on with rebellions in his own home, and the rebellions in his nation.
Then finally, the happy ending: humble obedience leads to joy. We find Solomon inheriting the throne. All the Psalms David wrote summarize his life. Finally, he gives everything that he had spent his life amassing; he gives it all to the Lord in the Temple. We’re going to see his beautiful twin Psalms on how he ended his life. He didn’t end his own life, but his life ended as he prepared and gave to the Lord. Then he wrote the 116th Psalm, how to die well, the 92nd Psalm, how to grow old well, and just wonderful stuff.
But in chapter 11 of 2 Samuel, let me show you again. If you’ve marked these, we saw in chapter 5, actually before chapter 11, the beginning of David desensitizing his conscience. Remember, I showed you in verse 13 that David took more concubines. What I wrote in my Bible is incomplete obedience desensitized him, and I referenced Deuteronomy 17:14-17. Do you remember how we went through that? How David was supposed to write a copy of the law. How that would’ve taken more than full-time work of half a year of his eight-hour full-time days as king to have done that, to write 900 hours of copying the Pentateuch by hand. He was supposed to take that copy he made and keep it with him at his throne. He was supposed to read it himself, and he was supposed to live by it. But he desensitized his conscience. He didn’t completely obey the Lord. He didn’t pay attention to what he read.
Secondly, in chapter 11, verse 1, we learned a few weeks ago that David relaxed his grip on personal purity. It’s so easy to do. Thirdly, he fixed his heart on his physical desires. That’s verse 2, which Spurgeon was just writing. It was an unscheduled time I showed you in verse 2. It just happened one evening. He was undisciplined. He arose from his bed. He had no plans, no schedule, just wandering around. He should have been at war anyway. He just started fixating his heart on his desires.
Verse 3, we saw he rationalized his mind. He made wrong decisions. Remember I told you that in the face of, verse 3, his servants, his advisors, his counselors just saying, hey, don’t you realize this is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam? If you look back in the record, this was one of David’s mighty men. So, this was a daughter of one of the men who had fought alongside him, and who was out fighting right now in Rabbah. It’s also the wife of one of his greatest present warriors. Now, David had these mighty men. The early men who went with him, who fought hand-to-hand combat, helped him defeat the Philistines and all that, who went with him out in the country, and Eliam was one of them. Eliam may have even been in the cave with David. We don’t know exactly where he picked him up, but he was one of his mighty men, and this was his daughter, Bathsheba.
So, this is also showing us that David is an older man and she is younger. Uriah was no old timer. This was one of those quite a gap in the ages there. Also, Bathsheba’s grandfather was Ahithophel, David’s counselor. This is a web, very closely knit. He had known Bathsheba from her birth because this was one of his mighty men who had been with David the whole time. He knew her grandfather, who sat in this court every day. He knew her husband, who stood at attention and guarded David. So, it was just a very tragic thing. Usually, that’s where sin happens, up close, unexpectedly, and unguarded. He rationalized in his mind, and that’s how he didn’t think of the consequences.
But in verse 4, the Scriptures say, then David sent messengers, and he took her. It’s very interesting where he took her. He took her, and she was cleansed from her impurity, and she came to him, and he lay with her. She was cleansed from her impurity, and she returned to her house. That little note about being cleansed from the impurity was a Spirit of God note, saying this is clearly going to be a conception caused by David. There is no way that this is Uriah’s child, and the Spirit of God put that in to show us his absolute guilt.
David’s life, and that’s the fifth point, the fifth consequence of this unguarded moment in time. David’s life plunged into lustful sin. Up until this point, he has been severely tempted, and he’s making unwise choices. You could say that he was sinning, but not in the same caliber as what he does now. He crosses the line. Even after he sent the messengers for her, he could have aborted just seeing her and seeing that girl he saw grow up, seeing the daughter of his mighty friend, seeing the wife of his dear friend, or seeing the granddaughter flashing before his mind. It could have been many things that could have caused him to come to his senses, but it never did.
This is why I say that this fifth consequence is due to the desensitization, the relaxation, the fixation, the rationalization. He plunges. Like it says so beautifully in his son’s words in Proverbs, that like the youth that goes after the wicked woman, the arrow enters his liver. He goes down into the pit. He just plunges in. It’s just so graphic how David plunges his life into lustful sin. When David plunges his life into lustful sin, he forgets to do what he had done in the past, what he wrote of in the past, what he rejoiced in the past.
You remember what Satan does to us. He doesn’t make God not exist. He doesn’t make us hate God. Satan, the demons, the world around us, and our flesh make us momentarily forget. We just push it out of our mind, and we plunge into sin. What did David forget to do? I want you to turn to his own testimony. Turn to Psalm 139. Okay. You know this Psalm, you probably memorized it, parts of it at least. Psalm 139 is a Psalm of David. David forgot his own testimony.
Tonight, I’m going to encourage you to actually make a decision that you’re going to say, God, I want to remember You the next time I’m tempted. The next time that I am faced with, and you’re faced with, any of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life and its possessions, that we say to the Lord, You promised to be here. Lord, You’re here. Let me see You because that’s what David wrote about.
Look at verse 7. We can’t go through the whole 139th Psalm. It is beautiful. Verse 1, he says You know my location. In verse 2, You know my meditation, my thoughts, and in verse 3, You know my destination, where I’m going. Verse 4, You know my intentions. Verse 6, You know my conversation. But look at verse 7, how beautiful it is. He says, where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? And he’s answering nowhere by what he says in verse 8. If I ascend into Heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in Hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there, Your hand shall lead me. Your right hand shall hold me up. If I say, surely the darkness shall fall on me, even the night shall be light about me. Wow. Do you know what he’s saying? He’s saying what Paul says.
Let’s go back to where we read in 1 Corinthians 10, and I want to show you how clearly David was confessing what Paul reminds us of: the doctrine of God’s faithful presence with us. Look back at 1 Corinthians 10. I want to emphasize some words there. It says in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 12, therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:13, no temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow. God is there.
1 Corinthians 10:13 is a call to us who know and love the Lord and to look for God in times of temptation. Paul said, take heed. That’s the imperative of verse 12. That’s the command. That’s how we apply it. If he commands us to take heed, what are we to take heed of? That God is there, that God is faithful, that God is right there at that moment making a way of escape.
First, the Apostle Paul gives us hope. Look at verse 13. There is no temptation that has overtaken you, except such as is common to man. That’s a hopeful thing. No temptation will ever overtake us or spring upon us, except the ones God has already prepared us for in His Word. Do you get that? Remember, Jesus said, man should not live by bread alone, but by every Word. This is the preparation. This is the way that we prepare ourselves, so that no temptation springs upon us that we’re unprepared for. So, Paul gives us some comfort and hope.
There is no new strain of the sin virus. It doesn’t mutate into something the Word of God hasn’t already addressed. Now, germs and microbes, and viruses can do all the mutations they want. God knows and has provided the remedy for every form of sin that we’ll ever face. So, he gives us a hope that’s common to man. But the question is, if the medicine or vaccine is in the medicine chest and we don’t use them, what good are they when we need them? That’s what we have to think about.
Now, how should we think? Well, turn back to Matthew 4. Here is Jesus facing temptation. Matthew 4. Just look at Jesus’ opening salvo when He meets the Devil in the wilderness of temptation. Jesus said in verse 4 of chapter 4, but He answered and said, it is written man shall not live by bread alone. I like the first thing He points out, man. It doesn’t say angels, it doesn’t say God. It says, man. He identifies with us, and He says, mankind us. You can’t make it just by being physically strong and healthy. Verse 4, but by every word.
Now, how do we get ready and get this hope that there’s no sin, temptation, allurements that Satan’s going to spring at us, but such God has already prepared? How do we get that hope into our lives? By thinking about Matthew 4:4, are you immersing yourself daily in God’s Word? It’s a simple question. If not, if you’ve started to slip, did you know that this would be a great time right now to just say, Lord, I want to renew my vow, my sacred desire, my request to you? That I would not just take care of my physical body, but I would live by every Word of God. He doesn’t just say by some words of God.
Look at Matthew 4:4. This is what changed me. I was an old believer; I was 19 years old. I had been saved for 13 years when I was finally challenged with Matthew 4:4. You know, until I was 19 years old, I was one of these comfortable, well-adjusted Bible readers. I would read a little bit of Genesis where it was interesting, and then I’d whoop over to the Psalms. It was really good. Then head to the New Testament, and I would especially get into the epistles. That was the sum of my normal course of Bible reading.
Then one day, as I was meditating and asking the Lord how Jesus was speaking through this conflict He had with the devil, I noticed that it said, by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. We need to pause and say, Lord, I want to get into Your Word. I want Your Word to get into me. But somehow, you should systematically be sure you expose yourself to every word of God.
A great way to do it is just to turn the radio off. I hate to say that now, especially since I’m on the radio, but turn it off. You know what’s better than listening to the radio? Listening to the Bible. You can listen to an awful lot of the Bible. I meet people, and they know exactly the weather three weeks in advance. Do you know that takes time? They can tell you everything. Did you know what it’s doing in Wichita right now? I said, no, I don’t. I really don’t. I was sitting in my office, and I heard everybody coming down the stairs, and they said, there’s a tornado. I said, really? I didn’t even know that. It’s okay. I’d rather read the Bible and be taken away from my office. But we spend so much time, people are totally up on the news and the sports, and the finances and international events, and the weather, and they know everything except every word of God.
Howie Hendricks used to say, it’s going to be so embarrassing for some people. They’re going to get to Heaven, and they’re going to be sitting up there at the banquet. They’re going to bump the guy next to them, and say, oh, excuse me, I didn’t get your name. He says, Haggai. He says, oh, I’m Bill, and Bill will go on and on about himself and finally say who are you? He says, I’m a prophet of God. He says, really? Did you write anything? He says, yes, I wrote a book in the Bible. Bill will go, really? What was it called? He says, Haggai. Oh, what an embarrassing moment.
Now, I know you know how he was given to his clever imagination, but that is not far from the truth. Why not just decide? Matthew 4:4. Jesus said, don’t live by bread alone, don’t do what’ll make you strong and protect you, don’t know what the interest rates are going to be in three months and where your favorite stock is going, or where your favorite teams are in the standings. People know every bracket, and they know very few verses. People know every nuance, and they know the schedule of their favorite sport. They will go to car racing or whatever, and they will just be there all the time. If you put them with a firing squad, they couldn’t say five verses one after one another because they just say, I just can’t memorize. Oh, we can memorize. You can memorize anything. If you talk, you can memorize. If you read, you can memorize. Reading is memorized words. We just don’t want to know that God is there because it’s going to ruin all the fun.
As soon as we realize that God is there and that He’s given us all that we need, that we can resist the tempter and our flesh, it’s going to do everything it can to rise up for us not to do that. By and large, in the Western Church, the flesh is winning. We’re the most distracted generation with more resources, more time, more time-saving things, and we fill our lives with activity and busyness, and not with the word.
Why not just pause before we go tonight and just say, Lord, I want to get saturated with Your Word. I want to renew my vows to get in the Word, to get in daily. Let’s just bow before Him. Why don’t you just talk to Him about whatever you need to, and then I’ll close in prayer. We’re just going to say, we want to not live by bread alone, but we want to find what You’ve prepared us for in Your Word to resist sin. Just pray for a couple of minutes silently, and then I’ll close our time.
Father, to think that David fell. David, who wrote 70 Psalms. David, through whom Your Spirit spoke, which most of us have never had, and will never have that type of experience of being born along by Your Spirit. David fell because he neglected to know that You were there. Your voice is in Your Word. You speak to us through Your Word, and so I guess the way we treat Your Word is how often we want to hear You. We seem content to carry around Your Word, but not turn it on by letting it loose in our lives. I pray that tonight You’d stir our hearts to renew that love for Your Word. As newborn babes, to hunger for Your Word. As young men and women of God, to be prepared to wage war against false doctrine, and as those who are old in the faith, to love You so much that we want to hear You as much as possible. I pray that You would renew in our hearts a desire to start our days with You, to end our days with You, to pause in the middle of our days with You, to talk about You when we rise up, when we sit at meals, when we go through the way, when we go to bed at night. And that we would not let other voices be heard more by us than Your voice. It doesn’t mean just in incessant Bible reading; it means meditating, it means not just going through the Bible but letting the Bible come through us. Letting the Bible fill us so much that we can talk about it, we can think about it, we can chew on it, and we can let it transform our minds. I pray that we would remember what David forgot, that You are there, and that there is no temptation that’s taken us, but You’ve given us hope. It’s something You’ve already dealt with in Your Word. But how sad if we don’t even know how You dealt with it in Your Word. I pray that we’d realize that You want us to triumph by being obedient. We’re obedient by knowing Your Word. Help us tonight to renew that desire in our hearts, and to remember that You are there all the time. In the precious name of Jesus, we thank You, Amen. God bless you. Have a wonderful week in the Word.
Notes
This evening we are at the fifth consequence of Davidās unguarded moments that led to his darkest hour. The temptation and fall of David are presented by God for each of us to ponder. Remember those consequences?
1. David Desensitized his conscience by incomplete obedience (II Sam 5:13).
2. David Relaxed his grip on personal purity (II Sam 11:1).
3. David Fixated his heart on physical desires (II Sam 11:2).
4. David Rationalized his mind about wrong decisions (II Sam 11:3).
5. David Plunged his life into lustful sin (II Sam 11:4).
6. David Destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure.
There are lessons to be learned from David that are very difficult but so necessary. For any and all of us today ring Paulās words across the twisted wreckage of so many lives that litter the highway of the redeemedāflee lust and look for God when tempted.
Letās begin this evening asking the Lord to make His incredibly comforting promise of 1st Corinthians 10:1-13 clear to each of us.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, āThe people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.ā 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. NKJV
Pray
I have enjoyed over the years, reading that rich devotional book entitled Morning and Evening by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. To begin our look at David this eveningālisten to some of Spurgeonās words from the section entitled Evening, January 17
āAnd it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the kingās house.ā ā 2 Samuel 11:2
At that hour David saw Bathsheba. We are never out of the reach of temptation. Both at home and abroad we are liable to meet with allurements to evil; the morning opens with peril, and the shades of evening find us still in jeopardy. They are well kept whom God keeps, but woe unto those who go forth into the world, or even dare to walk their own house unarmed. Those who think themselves secure are more exposed to danger than any others. The armor-bearer of Sin is Self confidence.
David should have been engaged in fighting the Lordās battles, instead of which he tarried at Jerusalem, and gave himself up to luxurious repose, for he arose from his bed at eventide. Idleness and luxury are the devilās jackals, and find him abundant prey. In stagnant waters noxious creatures swarm, and neglected soil soon yields a dense tangle of weeds and briars. Oh for the constraining love of Jesus to keep us active and useful! When I see the King of Israel sluggishly leaving his couch at the close of the day, and falling at once into temptation, let me take warning, and set holy watchfulness to guard the door.
Is it possible that the king had mounted his housetop for retirement and devotion? If so, what a caution is given us to count no place, however secret, a sanctuary from sin! While our hearts are so like a tinder-box, and sparks so plentiful, we had need use all diligence in all places to prevent a blaze. Satan can climb housetops, and enter closets, and even if we could shut out that foul fiend, our own corruptions are enough to work our ruin unless grace prevent. Reader, beware of evening temptations. Be not secure. The sun is down but sin is up. We need a watchman for the night as well as a guardian for the day. O blessed Spirit, keep us from all evil this night. Amen. 1
Beware of allowing any unguarded moments in your life, thinking that you are safe from sinās reach, and that it wonāt bother you anymore; it is at that moment the ravenous devourer himself is crouching and preparing to spring. That is what David discovered, only it was too late!
We are in the midst of a careful study of the three final eras of Davidās life. We continue this evening because they need to be studied and heeded by all of us.
- Unguarded Moments lead to SINāUriah and Bathsheba. First is the saddest chapter, the darkest and the one we all wince atāhis sin with Bathsheba. 2nd Samuel 11
- Inevitable Consequences lead to PAINāAbsalom and Shimei. These are the chapters that record the many years of painful consequences because of Davidās sin. 2nd Samuel 12-21, 24
- Humble Obedience lead to JOYāSolomon, Psalms and the Temple. And last, the final days of Davidās life. When we see that despite the failures of Bathsheba incidentāDavid truly was after Godās own heart. We see him end well, using his final days for Godās glory. 2nd Samuel 22-23
Unguarded Moments Lead to Sin
Turn back with me to 2nd Samuel 11 as we review how David the giant killer, killed by the giant of lust, took six dreadful steps downward.
He was enticed, baited, hooked and reeled in by lust. Then lust destroyed Davidās life and testimony. Itās very insightful how this occurred, note his downward steps.
1. David Desensitized his conscience by incomplete obedience (II Sam 5:13).
2. David Relaxed his grip on personal purity (II Sam 11:1).
3. David Fixated his heart on physical desires (II Sam 11:2).
4. David Rationalized his mind about wrong decisions (II Sam 11:3).
5. David Plunged his life into lustful sin (II Sam 11:4).
6. David Destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure.
David Plunged his life into lustful sin v. 4
When David plunged his life into lustful sin he forgot to do what he had done in the past, wrote of in the past and rejoiced over in the past.
What did David forget to do?
1. David Forgot to Look for God.
Turn with me to Davidās own testimony in Psalm 139:7-11:
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, āSurely the darkness shall fall on me,ā Even the night shall be light about me; NKJV
This side of the Cross the truth is even plainer to us. Look at Paulās wonderful promise of 1st Corinthians 10:12-13:
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. NKJV
I Corinthians 10:13 is a call to all of us who know and love the Lord to Look for God in times of temptation, Heās always there!
First, the apostle Paul gives us hope in this verse of Scriptureāāsuch as is common to manā. No temptation will ever overtake us or spring upon us except the ones that God has already prepared us for in His Word. There are no new strains of sin viruses. But the question isāif the medicine or vaccines are in the medicine chest and we donāt use them, what good are they when we need them?
Jesus said we need to live by āevery Wordā¦ā (Matthew 4:4).
Are you immersing yourself daily in God’s Word?
If not and you have kind of started to slip, why not pause right now and renew your vows to get in the Word until the Word gets in you DAILY!
Second, which ever of the old temptation we get attacked by we can be sure that āGod is faithfulā. God Himself has promised us that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what you are able to take without falling into sin. Our God knows our limits and always stands right by us protecting us and holding open the way of escape so that we do not succumb to the snare of the Devil.
Thirdly, the huge truth we need to stop and really lay hold of this evening is that God is there all the time. The longer we meditate on this verse, the bigger the shadow looming over it becomes. That shadow is none other than the shadow of the One who made us this promise. In order to do everything this verse says, God has to actually manage onsite this project. He is not distant; He is never closer than when we are tempted!
It is God who towers over this passage: God is there all the time.
Have you allowed that truth to sink into your soul and become a part of your operating system? God has told us that He is faithful. Whenever we think we are alone, we are not alone. We never face the adversary, the prowling lion called the Devilāalone.
God has already measured and limited the attack upon us. He has already provided an escape route if we will only look for it and take it. If we were alone and facing temptation, we would be hopelessly defeated.
But God knows that already and so He is there. All the time. All the way. Every time. And He has the best way out marked for us. What a Mighty God we serve!
Pause and do something before you lose that truth.
Why not bow your head with me. Now say in your heart, āI believe You Lord that You never leave meā. Then tell Him thank you for being there with you right now.
Okay, here is the hard part. With your heart opened before Him, tell Him that the next time you are tempted (you may even want to whisper in your heart to Him the temptation you most fear and often get defeated by)āthat you will look for Him.
Now, look up and say out loud with meāI WILL LOOK FOR GOD WHEN I AM TEMPTED!
Warren Wiersbe tells the story of a father who once told of his sonās first serious conflict at school. His boy was being picked on by two or three bullies. They punched the youngster a time or two, pushed him over when he was riding his bike home from school, and generally made life miserable for the lad. They told him they would meet him the next morning and beat him up.
That evening the dad really worked with the boy at home. He showed him how to defend himself, passed along a few helpful techniques, and even gave him some tips on how he might try to win them over as friends. The next morning the lad and dad prayed together knowing that the inevitable was sure to happen. With a reassuring embrace and a firm handshake, the father smiled confidently and said, āYou can do it, Son. I know youāll make out all right.ā
Choking back the tears, the boy got on his bike and began the lonely, long ride to school. What the boy did not know was that every block he rode he was under the watchful eye of his dad…who drove his car a safe distance from his son, out of sight but ever ready to speed up and assist if the scene became too threatening. The boy thought he was alone, but he wasnāt at all. The father was there all the time.
Now fast forward to the next instant that you and I face a surge of temptation to fear, to lust, to be embittered or to lieāat that instant in even greater measure, the God of the Universe is near.
He is with us though often unseen.
He has gone ahead. He has been tempted in every way like us and triumphed.
He has joined us in every temptation and makes the way of victory marked and open for us.
Look for God! He is always faithful!
Where should we look for God? We look when we face all of the various temptations that are never new, but always so unexpected and powerful. Think of the blessing of the following testimonies God’s Word has captured for us.
Abraham looked for God and found Him when he was on the Mountain of Despair. Abraham saw all that ever mattered to him being lost, and though he could not understandāhe trusted God. Abraham looked and found God Faithful. When we do the same we also find like Abraham did that God Supplies all my needs. Genesis 22:1-14.
Joseph looked for God when he unexpectedly found himself in the Den of Passion. Accosted, blatantly faced with strong physical temptation Joseph cried out to the God he could not see but knew was there! When we do the same we also find like Joseph that God Sees and rescues me. Genesis 39:1-9
David looked for God as we have studied when he was in that lonely Cave of Fear. Surrounded by complainers, by rebels, by runaways with all their struggles and violent tempers David looked up and found that God is always faithful and was there all the time! When we do the same we will find that God is always there making a way of escape for us. Psalm 142; 56
Daniel looked for God when he was in the Spotlight of Pride. He was the man of the moment, all eyes were on him; he could have stolen the moment, taken the prize and walked away with the accolades of the worldābut not Godās! When we look for God and give Him the glory for anything we ever accomplish then we will also find as Daniel did that God sends us forth for times like that to put the spotlight and the glory back upon Him who holds our lives in His Hand. Daniel 2:24-28
Peter looked for God when was sinking in the Fury of the Storm. When we do we find as Peter did that God hand is stretched out to save us at the very instant we cry to Him. Matthew 14:24-31
We need to look for God when we are in the grip of pain like Paul. When we do we find God is sufficient for me. II Corinthians 12:7-10
We need to look for God when we are in the gloom of failure like Jeremiah. When we do we find God is shaping me. Jeremiah 16.1-13
So first, decide that you will learn from Davidās failure that you will look for God when temptations come.
2. What did David forget to do? Use the Word
David knew so much of God’s Word, much of it he had written down for God. But gripped by his lust David suffered spiritual amnesia. The only hope we have for purity and obedience through temptation is to quote Scripture like Jesus! Remember what Christ’s method was in Matthew 4:1-11? Jesus used the Word to combat the Devil. He planned and prepared.
Note the very first word that Christ spoke in His temptation, you know it already, āMan shall not . . .ā. This is an insight into the most powerful truth in this passage: JESUS MET AND MASTERED SATAN AS A MAN! He did not face him as God’s Son, that would not have been a match. Jesus met Satan with the same two, and the only two, resources we have–the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
If the Word of God is hidden in our hearts:
We will say with Ezra the Psalmist (119:9-11) How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! (NKJV)
We will say with Paul in Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. NKJV
We will say with John (1 John 5:18) We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. NKJV
We listen to Jesus who said (Revelation 1:5) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, NKJV
So Jesus did not zap Satan with His deity, He flattened him with totally obedient humanity. Now we know Jesus had no evil desires Satan could attach to (John 14:30)
āI will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. NKJV.
But the real battleground of the devil is our will. Jesus had already proclaimed His lifeās direction as DOING THE WILL OF God and not his own (Hebrews 10:7-9)
Then I said, āBehold, I have comeā In the volume of the book it is written of Meā To do Your will, O God.ā ā 8 Previously saying, āSacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in themā (which are offered according to the law),9 then He said, āBehold, I have come to do Your will, O God.ā He takes away the first that He may establish the second. NKJV.
Doing God’s will is another way of saying Walk in the Spirit.
3. What did David forget to do? Run from lust
Remember Paulās clear command we saw last week? It was at that easy to find address in God’s Word 2 Timothy 2:22
II Tim. 2:22 Run from Lust Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. NKJV
Sensuality is easily the biggest obstacle to godliness among men today and is wreaking havoc in the Church. Godliness and sensuality are mutually exclusive, and those in the grasp of sensuality can never rise to godliness The mind controlled by lust has an infinite capacity for rationalization.
As the New Testament scholar Leon Morris has written:
āThe man who carries on an act of impurity is not simply breaking a human code, not even sinning against the God who at some time in the past gave him the gift of the Spirit. He is sinning against the God who is present at that moment, against One who continually gives the Spirit. The impure act is an act of despite against Godās good gift at the very moment it is being proffered…. This sin is seen in its true light only when it is seen as a preference for impurity rather than a Spirit who is holy.ā2
Satan baits his traps with pleasures that appeal to the old nature, the flesh. But none of his bait appeals to the new divine nature within a Christian. If a believer yields to his old nature, he will hanker for the bait, take it, and sin. But if he follows the leanings of his new nature, he will refuse the bait and obey God. 3 āThis I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the fleshā (Gal. 5:16).
Beware of allowing any unguarded moments in your life, thinking that you are safe from sinās reach, and that it wonāt bother you anymore; it is at that moment the ravenous devourer himself is crouching and preparing to spring. That is what David discovered, only it was too late!
1. David Desensitized his conscience by incomplete obedience II Sam 5:13
2. David Relaxed his grip on personal purity II Sam 11:1
3. David Fixated his heart on physical desires v. 2
4. David Rationalized his mind about wrong decisions v. 3
5. David Plunged his life into lustful sin v. 4
6. David Destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure.
David destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure. DAVID Destroyed his testimony BY A sin for the moment LYING v. 4. (See thin NASB Psalm 51 notes).
If David had only known what his sin would do to Bathsheba as she watched their child die; as she was reminded every day about the horrible death her husband suffered as he fell under a rain of arrows and lay their in agony dying; as she looked into the faces of her friends and saw behind their smiles the disbelief that she would ever do such a thing.
If David would only have thought about his loyal soldier Uriahās lifeless body as it was brought back by a military detachment who carried him the 44 miles from Amman to Jerusalem. As Bathsheba watched his body was washed, anointed and wrapped for burial in the family tomb. If she was nearby she would have seen the arrowās deadly marks that spoke of the agony of his final hours helpless as his life ebbed in anguish from his body. She would have thought that he was thinking of her as he diedā¦thinking he died nobly. But instead he was murdered in the deceit of adulteryās sinful grip!
- If David had known what his sin would do to Ahithophel Bathshebaās grandfatherā¦
- If David had only known what his sin would do to Absalom, Amnon, Tamar..
- And Sheba and on and on we could go. Sin has consequences and they are painful!
If David had only known The Consequences of Immorality
Towards His God–
- Grieving my Lord; displeasing the One whose opinion most matters.
- Dragging Christ’s sacred reputation into the mud.
- Losing my reward and commendation from God.
- Dreading the day that I will have to look Jesus in the face at His judgment seat and give an account of why I did it.
- Forcing Godās chastening upon my life in various waysāfor years to come..
- Prompting laughter, rejoicing and blasphemous smugness by those who disrespect God and the church (2 Samuel 12:14).
- Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the Enemy of God.
Towards His Wives and Family–
- Heaping untold hurt on Abigail and his loyal wives.
- Giving up his credibility with his sons and daughters, (“Why listen to a man who betrayed Mom and us?”)
- 1. Ammon raped Tamarābut didnāt dad kind of do that?
- 2. Absalom killed Amnonābut didnāt dad kill Uriah?
- 3. Adoniajah took the throne without askingābut didnāt dad do something like that?
- 4. Joab betrayed David and took the side of his enemyābut didnāt David do that?
These are only some of the consequences. If only we would rehearse in advance the ugly and overwhelming consequences of immorality, we would be far more prone to avoid it. May we live each day in the love and fear of God.
I Corinthians 10:13 is a call to all of us who know and love the Lord to LOOK FOR GOD IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION, Heās always there!
The apostle Paul gives us hope in this verse of Scripture. No temptation will ever overtake us or spring upon us except the ones that God has already prepared us for in His Word. There are no new strains of sin viruses.
And what ever old temptation we get attacked by we can be sure that God is faithful. God Himself has promised us that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what you are able to take without falling into sin. Our God knows our limits and always stands right by us protecting us and holding open the way of escape so that we do not succumb to the snare of the Devil.
The longer we meditate on this verse, the bigger the shadow looming over it becomes. That shadow is none other than the shadow of the One who made us this promise.
It is God who towers over this passage: God is there all the time.
Have you allowed that truth to sink into your soul and become a part of your operating system? God has told us that He is faithful. Whenever we think we are alone, we are not alone. We never face the adversary, the prowling lion called the Devilāalone.
God has already measured and limited the attack upon us. He has already provided an escape route if we will only look for it and take it. If we were alone and facing temptation, we would be hopelessly defeated.
But God knows that already and so He is there. All the time. All the way. Every time. And He has the best way out marked for us. What a Mighty God we serve!
1 Spurgeon, Charles H., Morning and Evening, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.
2 R. Kent Hughes, The Disciplines of a Godly Man, pp. 3Wiersbe, Warren W., The Bible Exposition Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books) 1997.
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