Jeanie Martin Ministries

FEMALE PROMISE SEEKER SERIES

“ONLY FOR ONE NIGHT”

The Bible accurately explains King David’s one-night affair with Bathsheba. It happened during the spring season when kings usually went to battle. David’s generals were off fighting on this occasion, but he decided to stay behind haphazardly.

As he walked on the roof of his palace one evening, the King saw a lovely woman bathing on the roof of a nearby house. Intrigued by her beauty, he inquired about her identity. Ahithophel, his chief counselor, informed him, saying, “she is called Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” One of the King’s Mighty Men.

“God calls Bathsheba Uriah’s wife. Within the pages of Jesus’ lineage, it is written that she is Uriah’s wife. Her name means daughter of oath.”

Despite knowing that Bathsheba was Uriah’s wife, David’s lust for her was noncontrollable. She was summoned to come to the palace, and after the deed was done, she was sent home.

Then Bathsheba notified David that she was pregnant. Shocked by her news, he devised a plan to cover the fact that he was the child’s father. The King summoned Uriah to the palace, and with his plan in place, he tried to send him home to sleep with his wife. Then it would appear that he fathered the child. So he sent word to Joab, the commander of the Army, to send Uriah to the palace. (2 Sam. 11:1-6)

Kingdom Excellence 

Upon Uriah’s arrival, King David questioned him regarding the status of the war. He inquired about the conditions of Joab and the men and how the war was faring. Afterward, he told Uriah to go home. The Bible gives us three separate occasions where King David impressed upon Uriah to go home. However, Uriah decided his loyalty to his King was most important. He was dedicated to his mission, and his number one priority was to protect the King. Therefore, pleasuring himself was not an option. He didn’t go home for the next two nights; instead, he slept in the servants’ quarters (v.v. 7-13).

“Uriah exemplified kingdom excellence at its finest. His name means ‘my light is Yahweh, and a flame of God.’ He was a loyal soldier committed to serving the king.” 

When David learned that Uriah refused to leave the palace to spend time with his wife, he took the next step; he plotted Uriah’s death. He wrote a letter instructing Joab to place Uriah on the front line of the battle, which was the hot spot. This was where valiant men fought (v.v.14 – 16).

Then he gave the letter to Uriah to deliver to Joab. The mighty men were on the front line. They purposefully fell back, leaving Uriah vulnerable to the attack. This is premeditated murder that brought severe consequences upon David for the rest of his life (v. 17).

“And when the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD” (2 Sam. 11:26-27).

The Consequences of Sin (2 Samuel Chapter 12)

The LORD sent Nathan, the prophet, to rebuke David. So, Nathan told David a parable about an exceedingly rich man and a poor man who had nothing except a little ewe lamb that he loved like a child.

A traveler came to town, and the rich man wanted to prepare a meal for him. Instead of using an animal from his flock, he decided to take the poor man’s only lamb and prepare it for the visitor. After hearing the parable, David became furious, and he judged the rich man’s actions declaring that he deserved death. At this point, Nathan informed David that in God’s eyes, he is likened to the man who stole the poor man’s only lamb when he took Uriah’s wife. Declaring, “You are the man!”

Then Nathan delivered God’s sentence to David, saying, “The sword shall never depart from your house. Thus said the LORD, “I will raise up evil against you out of your own house and take your wives and give them to your neighbors in your sight.”

After Nathan’s departure, the LORD struck the child, and it was very sick. Even though David lamented and fasted in sackcloth, on the seventh day, the child died. Sin has its consequence, and the judgment handed down to him hurt every relative connected to him. The consequences of his actions caused total disruption to his posterity. David’s lust caused a war within his house and brought shame because of his actions forever.

THE PROMISE IS THE REWARD

My intentions here are to uncover the strength and weaknesses that Bathsheba exemplified during her “overnight stay with the king.” She was stunning that the King noticed her beauty from afar.

After she was summoned to come to the palace, I believe she felt helpless and afraid. Perhaps she remembered her nudity on her rooftop and thought, “What if the king saw me?” Doubt has a way of making us feel guilty and ashamed. However, her actions were in obedience to the King’s summons, and she didn’t have a choice. She courageously fulfilled his request.

It surprised me that Uriah never considered going home to tend to his wife. Three times the King ordered him to go home, but he refused. Did he care about his wife? Or was God protecting her from a detrimental situation?

I also noticed that her family never came to visit or inquire about her well-being. Was she estranged? Did they know that she conceived a child while her husband was away in battle? Did they know her husband was murdered and her child died from an illness? Question after question bombarded my mind while searching for answers regarding Bathsheba’s life.

Bathsheba knew the law and she followed the protocol that a second-class citizen was conditioned to follow. Bathsheba knew the value of a promise, so she stayed in her place until her time came. After Uriah’s death and the child she bore also died, King David sent for her, and she became his fourth wife. She was God’s chosen vessel to birth kings and queens into a royal lineage. In her union with King David, Bathsheba bore 4 sons.

“And these were born unto King David, in Jerusalem, Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four of Batheshua the daughter of Ammiel also known as Bathshua” – 1 Chronicles 3:5.

Bathsheba displayed great strength and wisdom when facing a situation she didn’t create. Her humbleness and humility caused a bright light to shine on her. These qualities are indeed inspirational to us. The excellence of Bathsheba’s behavior allowed her to be a part of the Covenant Promise that God made with David.

Bathsheba’s story was a story of courage and faith. I believe Bathsheba is a heroine, and she rightly deserves the title “Female Promise Keeper.”

THE LESSON:

The Bible tells us that all liars and murderers will find their place in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8); however, God’s forgiveness is always available to us. Despite the evil deeds carried out by King David, God showed mercy and did not punish him with death. Proving that there’s nothing we can do that will cause God to leave us or forsake us. He does not hold on to unforgiveness as if he were human.

After we repented for our sins, God does not remember them. He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). His anger lasts for a moment, but His love is eternal.

I leave you with this powerful passage of Scripture written by the Apostle Paul,

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). 

 

 

 

If you have not confessed your sin and asked God for forgiveness, click here.

Now is the time of salvation! It’s the free gift of God.

 

 

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: 2 Samuel Chapter 11  & 12

REFERENCES: Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary; Got Questions.org; Biblehub.com

Photography: Noire 3000 Bible, by James C. Lewis

Please Note: None of the photos used belongs to Jeanie Martin Ministries.