| A Boss After God’s Own Heart 8 / ABAGOH >>> |
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A Boss After
God’s Own Heart (ABAGOH)– Part 8 The path of wickedness |
Isaiah 59:1-8 Amplified Bible (AMP) Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short that it cannot save, nor His ear so impaired that it cannot hear. But your wickedness has separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with wickedness [with sin, with injustice, with wrongdoing]; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness. No one sues righteously [but for the sake of doing injury to others - to take some undue advantage], and no one pleads [his case] in truth; [but rather] they trust in empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and bring forth injustice. They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s webs; he who eats of their eggs dies, and from an egg which is crushed a viper breaks out. Their webs will not serve as clothing, nor will they cover themselves with what they make; their works are works of wickedness [of sin, of injustice, of wrongdoing], and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they rush to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness [of sin, of injustice, of wrongdoing]; devastation and destruction are in their highways. They do not know the way of peace, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have made them into crooked paths; whoever walks on them does not know peace.
These words from the prophet Isaiah describe the path of wickedness
that men take when the fear of God is not present in their heart. They
conceive mischief and give birth to evil. The story of king David and
Bathsheba illustrates this fact. After getting her pregnant, David conceives
a wicked plan to throw the responsibility of his sin on an innocent
person. He gives orders to Joab who calls Uriah out of the battle field
and sends him to king David. Uriah is surely asking himself what is
going on and why he is called out of the battle field at such a time
as this, when the army of Israel is fighting for the peace and security
of the land. Did he do anything wrong that could have made the king
angry? “Well, he thinks, I will find out when I see my master”. And
the Bible says: “When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab
was, how the people were doing, and how the war was progressing. Then
David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet (spend
time at home).” Uriah left the king’s palace, and a gift from the
king was sent out after him just to make sure that his vigilance is
dull and hypnotized. And the Bible adds: “But Uriah slept at the
entrance of the king’s palace with all the servants of his lord, and
did not go down to his house.” (2 Samuel 11:7-9).
Uriah meets
the king in his palace and David starts behaving towards him as if everything
is just fine and he just wants to show his kindness to his faithful
servant Uriah. He first starts a small talk with Uriah and asks him
if Joab is doing a good job out there on the battle field, how everybody
there is doing and how things are looking with the war, as if he really
cares. Then he tells Uriah to go home and just relax. If we can imagine
what David told to Uriah, it could look like this: “Hello boy! How are
you doing? Isn’t it a great weather today? By the way, how is the war
going? I hope that Joab is doing a great job out there against our enemies.
We just have to win this battle because those Amonites are just getting
on my nerves. You know you’ve been on the battle field for so long now.
How about taking some good and deserved rest? You know, just go home
and take it easy. Your wife is surely missing you, I am sure that she
will be happy to see you; she will take good care of you when you get
home. So just go home, don’t worry about Joab and your companions on
the battle field, they will be just fine. You are such a faithful and
kind soldier and I just want you to take time to relax so that you get
more strength for the next battle. As a matter of fact I am sending
you a good gift at home as a reward for your faithful services and you
can enjoy it with your wife. So go home, everything is just fine, and
as soon as I need you again I will let you know, ok? So I will see you
soon. Bye!” Then David gives Uriah a gentle slap on the back and sends
him home.
As Uriah departs from the presence of the king, he is certainly wondering
about the sudden “care” of his master and why he is given such a favor
to take a time out and go home in war time. He has no idea that he is
being manipulated like a puppet. How could he know that his master that
he admires, respects and honors so much is presently felling like a
cat on hot bricks because he slept with his wife and is now trying to
shift the blame on him? There was no way he could have imagined such
a thing because he had the greatest admiration for king David. But Uriah
thought about it: “Just go home and have a party with my wife and the
king’s gift while my friends are risking their lives for the sake of
the country?” Uriah is so devoted to his duty as a soldier and he is
so loyal towards his friends and nation that he decides not to go home.
He sleeps that night at the entrance of the king’s house with all the
servants of his lord. When David hears about it he becomes nervous.
His well thought plan just failed. He must find out why and calls Uriah
to ask him why he did not go to his house as he was instructed: “When
they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to
Uriah, “Have you not [just] come from a [long] journey? Why did you
not go to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and
Judah are staying in huts (temporary shelters), and my lord Joab and
the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I go to
my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? By your life and the
life of your soul, I will not do this thing.” (2 Samuel 11:10-11).
Uriah reasons the king and tells him that there is no way he can chill
out and have fun now. This is not the time to retreat and look for rest
and pleasure. It is time to fight. So it would be betraying his king,
his war companions, the nation of Israel and God Himself, if he stepped
out and went home while the others are out there risking their lives
for the security of the nation. Uriah had a very strong sense of duty
and loyalty. There was a time in the life of David where he valued loyalty.
Jonathan, the son of the former king of Israel loved him like a brother,
even though his father the king hated David so much that he wanted to
kill him for no reason. Jonathan helped David to escape and saved his
life. They made a covenant of friendship for life because Jonathan loved
him as his own soul (1 Samuel 18:3). When Saul gave orders to Jonathan
and to all his servants to kill David, Jonathan helped David to hide
because “he delighted much in David” (1 Samuel 19:1-3). So David appreciated
and valued the loyalty of a friend in those days, before he became king.
He used to be the defender of life, even if it was the life of a precious
animal. He fought against a lion and a bear who tried to devour his
father’s sheep and killed them (1 Samuel 17:34-37). But here he is,
trying to hide from a shameful act of sin that he is too proud to confess,
since he has become the king; he chooses to despise the loyalty of a
devoted soldier and tramples God’s ordinances under foot. Now that he
has become the big boss, he forgets that his highest status does not
give him the right to treat the people like he wants just because he
is the king. When people get in a position of power and authority they
tend to become despotic and often misuse their influence. In this matter
with Bathsheba, king David has decided to take the path of wickedness
and cruelty. He is not through with Uriah yet, as we will see in the
next lesson. mt