Stay on Guard

Stay on Guard

Theme: Repentance and Restoration

Scriptures: 2 Samuel 11:1-12:25

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: David got caught up in sin. He confessed and was forgiven, but he and his family suffered the consequences for years to come.

Think: The high cost of sin motivates me to avoid it at all costs.

Do: Avoid, confess, and forsake all sinful practices.

Notes and questions:

B1 Ammon and Israel

C1 Even though Ammon were near relatives of Israel through Lot, they were very evil in the life, their worship, and their treatment of Israel.

C2 Because of this, David sent the army under Joab to subdue them.

C3 David remained in Jerusalem.

B2 David

C1 David and King Nahash of Ammon were friends.

C2 King Nahash died. His son Hanun reigned after him.

C3 King David sent emissaries to show grief because Hanun’s father had died.

C4 Hanun received evil counsel and had the beards of the Israelites half shaved and their clothes half cut off exposing their rear ends.

C5 This made the Israelites angry, so the Ammonites hired 33,000 soldiers from the Syrians and other kings for the fight against Israel.

C6 At first, the Ammonites and their allies were winning the battle, but God helped Joab and the Israelites to soundly defeat the mercenaries.

C7 2 Samuel 10:14 NKJV When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai, and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to Jerusalem.

C8 Thus all waited until the rainy season ended, then was the time for kings to return to battle.

C9 Joab and the Israelites went to fight Ammon, but David stayed in Jerusalem.

C10 It is not known why David stayed.

B3 Bathsheba

C1 Genealogy

D1 Ahithophel, David's counselor

D2 Eliam (Ammiah), the son of Ahithophel

D3 Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam

C2 Husband of Uriah

D1 2 Samuel 11:3 NKJV So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

D2 One of King David’s 30 mighty men: 2 Samuel 23:39 NKJV and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

C3 Had five children. All were by David.

D1 The one that died, unless he is one of the named.

D2 1 Chronicles 3:5 NKJV And these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon–four by Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel.

B4 2 Samuel 11:2 NKJV  Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.

C1 Why is David still in Jerusalem?

C2 Why was he watching Bathsheba bathing?

C3 James 1:13-15 NKJV  Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  14  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  15  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

C4 The steps in David’s downfall were

D1 Got up from his bed in the evening

D2 Walked upon the roof of his house

D3 Saw a woman bathing herself

D4 Lusted

D5 Sent a messenger to find out who she was

D6 Sent men to take her

D7 Had sex with her

D8 Later had her husband killed, so murder. He wanted to cover up his sin.

C5 He wanted to know who she was perhaps hoping that she was not married. If so, he would want to marry only for his animal, evil desires.

C6 Later, perhaps, he just wanted to talk with her to look at her lustingly, but his hormones and evil desire is full throttle, and he acts.

C7 How does the epistle of James confirm these steps in his downfall?

C6 Did King David make a mistake, a sin, or a crime? What is the difference between these?

C7 Is anyone too good to NOT sin?

C8 Does God decree that we will sin as some Calvinists believe? Or, does God make it the highest desire and decree the circumstances that someone will sin?

Or, do we sin, because our free will chooses to sin?

C9 Do some evil pastors cover up sin? Do all people cover up sin? Consider, John 3:20-21 GW  People who do what is wrong hate the light and don't come to the light. They don't want their actions to be exposed.  21  But people who do what is true come to the light so that the things they do for God may be clearly seen.

C10 What is the end result of sin?

C11 How to avoid sinning after temptation (being tempted is not a sin)

D1 We all have desires.

D2 Recognize that temptation exists.

D3 Be aware of desires. We may allow them to get out of control. The desire entices us; the devil helps it along by making it look good and needful. Genesis 3:6 NRSV  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

D4 Recognize that I can sin.

D5 Avoid situations as best as possible.

D6 Have your mind clear and not under the influence of anything. The devil loves someone in a passive state of consciousness. 1 Peter 5:8 GW  Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.

D7 Don’t let desire conceive. This would be thinking about the sin a person wants to do, thus enjoying it in their heart.

D8 Pray daily.

D9 If it is a problem, find a supportive friend or family member. This is especially important with addictions. Remember, sin itself is addictive.

D10 God’s grace is sufficient. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV  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.

D11 The armor that God has for us. Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  15  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  18  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

D12 What else can you think of?

C12 Was it Bathsheba’s fault that David sinned? Some people believe that she was bathing naked on the rooftop and not being modest even suggesting that she lusted after David.

D1 It was not uncommon to be bathing on the rooftop.

D2 It was evening.

D3 She probably was shielded, but if the King’s roof was higher than hers, he could have been looking down.

D4 Women did not have social status to refuse a king.

D5 Fear that the king would do something to her husband.

D6 He very well may have raped her. The word lay means rape depending on the context. There is not enough information to know. Esther 7:8 GW  When the king returned from the palace garden to the palace dining room, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was lying. The king thought, "Is he even going to rape the queen while I'm in the palace?" Then the king passed sentence on him, and servants covered Haman's face.

D7 David was singled out for his sin by God through Nathan, the prophet: 2 Samuel 12:9-10 NKJV  Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.  10  Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.

D8 Uriah and Bathsheba are seen in Scriptures as victims.

D9 David may have been negligent in his duties: 2 Samuel 11:1 NKJV  It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

D10 David could have stopped when he found out about her: 2 Samuel 11:3 NKJV  So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"

D11 Bob Deffinbaugh points out: This same sequence can be seen in a number of other texts, none of which is commendable. Shechem “saw, took, and lay with” Dinah, the daughter of Jacob in Genesis 34:2. Judah “saw, took, and went in to” the Canaanite woman he made his wife in Genesis 38:2-3. Achan “saw, coveted, and took” the forbidden spoils of war in Joshua 7:21. Samson did virtually the same in Judges 14. Let us not forget that a similar sequence occurred at the first sin when Eve “saw, desired, and took” the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3.

B5 What was David up to when he ordered Uriah home? Does trying to cover up sin make the situation better or worse?

B6 2 Samuel 12:1-14,

C1 Would we have the boldness of Nathan in confronting the King?

C2 Shouldn’t we be loving and overlook a little mistake like this? Isn’t the church for healing those who are hurt? Many churches take this approach. God wants repentance. False churches are like this: Jeremiah 6:11-14 NKJV  Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD. I am weary of holding it in. "I will pour it out on the children outside, And on the assembly of young men together; For even the husband shall be taken with the wife, The aged with him who is full of days.  12  And their houses shall be turned over to others, Fields and wives together; For I will stretch out My hand Against the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD.  13  "Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.  14  They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace.

C3 Even if we are truly repentant, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness, are there consequences for our sin?

C4 How does a person truly repent? (Think of King Manasseh and the Prodigal Son. The changes in their lives show the change in their heart).

C5 What happens if a person will not repent? Specifically, if David would not have repented?

B7 Next week:

C1 Marriage: The Foundation for Family and Discipleship

C2 Theme: God created marriage

C3 Scriptures: Genesis 2:18-24, Genesis 3:1-18, and Ephesians 5:22-23