“King David: Part Three: The Hero!” (Grace Note #101)

 

This is “Part Three” in a series of three essays on the story of King David’s sinful encounter with Bathsheba.

(Click HERE for “Part One”)

“King David: Part Three: The Hero!”

Grace Note #101

By Gary L. Clendenon, May 17, 2023

(All Bible verses quoted from The Message Bible)

The story of David and Bathsheba—this terrible, embarrassing story for which, in our times and judicial system, would have had David locked up in prison for LIFE—why is it in the Bible?

1. The story of David and Bathsheba is in the Bible because its ugliness speaks to the validity and honesty of the Bible as a legitimate, true text. Nothing is sugar-coated here. The errors and mistakes and flaws of all its characters are on full display. Nothing is hidden. Nothing glossed over. The “Heroes” of the Bible time and time again are not heroes in the sense that they had any special characteristics of righteousness or perfection. THE BEST WE CAN SAY OF THEM IS THAT THEY KEPT FOLLOWING GOD--IN SPITE OF THEIR MISTAKES. Of course, this is a huge encouragement to us who attempt to follow GOD. The best characters in the Bible—its “Heroes”—were messed up sinners just like us! From this we can gain strength and hope as we know how often we don’t measure up.

2. The story of David and Bathsheba—and all of the other messed up, flawed characters in the Bible—inevitably leads us to the conclusion that these people are NOT the heroes of their stories. If they are not, then who is the hero? As we scan these stories and the entire Bible, only one character rises to the standard of “Hero”. THE "HERO" OF THESE STORIES AND THE BIBLE IS GOD. Time after time after humanity has messed things up beyond all recognition, it’s GOD who steps in and saves the day. It’s GOD who steps in and straightens up, as best is possible, the complete messes of the Bible characters. Because GOD is the “Hero” of the Bible stories, this fact teaches us to not look to humanity for our heroes, but to GOD for our almost-always needed rescue.

3. A third reason the story of David and Bathsheba is in the Bible is to show us how GOD can and does forgive even the worst of our sins. Because David finally woke up to reality and understood the absolute gravity and seriousness of his sin, he prayed to GOD for a new, clean heart and repented in one of the most beautiful prayers in the Bible: “Create in me a clean heart, O LORD, my GOD, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalms 51. Please read this whole Psalm.) GOD did as David requested—forgiving him and renewing his heart, but the rest of the story must be told.

GOD DID NOT REMOVE THE CONSEQUENCES OF DAVID'S SINS. He lost to death the child that had been conceived in his sinful act. He lost respect in his children’s eyes which made it easier for them to enact their own horrible sins. He lost the chance to build GOD’s temple. His family, from that time forward, was a hot, dysfunctional, ugly mess! Yes, forgiveness is real and awesome, but the maxim that “Choices have consequences” cannot be ignored. There is no “Free Pass”.

The story of David and Bathsheba, like the other stories in the Bible, is a cautionary tale mixed with both the worst of humanity and the best of Deity. Let us—with David—praise GOD, the real “Hero” for His Grace, Mercy, and Everlasting Love.   ~ SELAH

(The term "Selah" is used 71 times in the Psalms.  Some think it means "Pause", as a note to the singers.  Some think it could also mean "Pause to consider".  I like how the AMPLIFIED BIBLE translates Selah: "Pause and calmly think about that."