“When the Respected Fall” – a message from Kelly Erickson on David and Bathsheba from 2 Samuel 11

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our summer preaching series entitled “The Pursuit of God: The Life of David.” This weekend, Kelly Erickson, explored the story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. This whole episode is deeply troubling, and Kelly opened it up with insight and wisdom.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

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“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlas>ng.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

David is a Man of Action

• War with Ammon bookends 2 Samuel 11
• Remains Home “But David remained in Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 11:1)
• No longer the King “to go our before [Israel] and fight their [battles]” (1 Samuel 8:20)
• David gets up; walks, sees; (2 Samuel 11:2)
• David sends for her and David sleeps with her (2 Samuel 11:4)
• She conceives (2 Samuel 11:5)
• Where could David had been stopped along this path?
• Where could David’s heart have acknowledged its ease and its desires?

David Tries to Hang Onto Control for Dear Life

• David controls—asks Uriah to come home (2 Samuel 11:6)
• David manipulates—asks about welfare of others 3x (1 Samuel 11:7)
• David uses his power to command Uriah to be with his wife (2 Samuel 11:8)

Uriah Acts Faithfully, as a Perfect Foil to David

• Uriah refuses to sleep with his wife (2 Samuel 11:10)
• Uriah is unwilling to be with wife, while Israel is at war (2 Samuel 11:11)
• David asks Uriah to stay, drink; Uriah remains faithful (2 Samuel 11:12,13)

David Continues to Control and Cover-up to the Point of Uriah’s Death

• David silences the word of pregnancy as not from Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14,15)
• Joab joins David in covering up the deception (2 Samuel 11:18-24)
• David downplays his evil and calls it good (2 Samuel 11:25)

God has the Last Word—not those in Power (2 Samuel 11:27) 

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Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

• Pray or journal Psalm 139:23-24 each day to ask God’s help in confession.
• Read a Psalm each morning and/or night.
• Look into puredesire.org to join a group for those struggling with addiction and those supporting them in their lives.
• Rest, enjoy the outdoors in your body, do some hard work or make something, to get out of your head.
• Ask God to reorder your desires according to His love and goodness.