One Deadly Bath

I was reading 2 Samuel 11 this morning. That passage is about David and Bathsheba. David ends up seeing Bathsheba from his palace roof top bathing. He calls for her, sleeps with her and she becomes pregnant. He then arranges for her husband to be killed and marries her to try and cover up the baby. Although you could preach a thousand sermons on this text, I want to focus on just one point today. David was at the wrong place at the right time. He was at the wrong place but, the opportune time for the devil.

2 Samuel 11:1 says “In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites.” This was the normal time leaders would go out and fight yet, David didn’t go. David has an earned reputation of being a warrior and a warrior king so, why did he choose to be absent? Your guess is as good as mine why he sat this one out. Nevertheless, we do know what he ended up doing instead. He took a nap!

Verse 2 divulges that David woke up from his afternoon rest, went to the palace roof, and that’s when he saw Bathsheba bathing. David was napping instead of out fighting and he walked right into the devil’s trap. He was off his assignment, got caught off guard by temptation, and faltered.

Temptation can find us at any moment. However it sometimes finds us simply because, we are where we were never meant to be. We cause ourselves unnecessary battles deviating from the plan. I can remember going places with “friends” when I should’ve been somewhere else. They started swearing or talking about things I had no business talking about as a Christian. Now I’m faced with giving in or not and I’m also outnumbered. At the time, foul language was a valid struggle for me. I am a reformed potty mouth! Moreover it’s key to point out that, I got tempted in an area I was already weak in and in a place I had no business being.

Additionally, I remember another time when I had signed up to help with an event. A guy friend wanted me to ditch it and hang out instead. I really wanted to go. I really liked him. I was really attracted to him so, I was really flattered by his offer. However, I ended up honoring my previous commitment and not going with him. Years later when I think back to that moment, I know if he would’ve made a move on me I would’ve a 100% given in. I know if that temptation presented itself, I would’ve caved. Thankfully I stayed where I was supposed to and went to the event. I didn’t have to battle anything. I didn’t have to resist temptation. I stayed where I was supposed to be and that place kept me away from danger. Had David done what he was supposed to and gone where he was expected to be, there probably wouldn’t be a Bathsheba story. God does helps us resist temptation but, He doesn’t want us to throw ourselves needlessly into it.

Furthermore, satan is aware of our weaknesses and will try us in those areas. If drugs aren’t a weakness, he knows trying to tempt us there won’t accomplish much. He doesn’t want us to succeed. He wants us to fail. He will put before us what’s most likely to cause us to fall short. For king David it was women. Before Bathsheba, he already had many wives and many concubines. His constant accumulation of women was indicative of a bigger issue in his life, lust. Mark 7:20-23 tells us that what’s inside finds its way out and defiles us. Lust was inside David and that’s what came out. The Bible is very clear that he saw her, sent for her, and slept with her. He let lust override his judgement, dedication to God, and compromise his character.

It is not a sin to be tempted. Temptation is a fact of life. As long as there is a devil and the ongoing war between spirit and flesh, temptation will exist. Even Jesus was tempted though, He did not sin. (Matthew 4:1-11, Hebrews 4) Nonetheless when it comes to temptation we don’t need to make opportunities either like I did and David did.

1 Peter 5:8 says “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Predators like lions, who the devil is likened to, wait for opportunities. They wait for their prey to let their guard down, forget the environment, disregard their company, take a nap!

When we go rogue and deviate in our assignment we expose ourselves for an attack. When we ignore the Holy Spirit’s warnings, godly friends, mentors, or even our parents warnings, we can allow temptation opportunities that would’ve never otherwise evolved. Let’s not make it easy for satan to try and get at us! Let’s not be in the wrong place but, the right time! Let’s not be at the wrong place but, the opportune time for the devil! Stay the course. Stick with the plan!