Some people see David's sin concerning Bathsheba and her husband Uriah as a singular misstep in an otherwise blameless life. But the biblical record really doesn't agree with this assessment of David. David was denied permission to construct the temple for his life of violence, not the sin with Bathsheba. David's sins resulted in a lot of unnecessary bloodshed and loss of life, and it did not begin or end with the "great sin" of 2 Samuel 11.
I think people believe David's place at the head of the Messianic line somehow necessitates that he be exalted as a model of (near-)perfection that foreshadows Jesus. But that's not really how Scripture characterizes him. He is "a man after God's own heart" in comparison to Saul who preceded him (he is only given that "title" in direct comparison to Saul). He is the model for future faithful kings in that his reign was not stained by the idolatry and corruption through bribery that plagued later administrations. In fact, the Bible says Hezekiah surpassed David in his trust in the Lord (2 Kings 18:5) and Josiah surpassed him in obedience to the law (2 Kings 23:25).
David "served God's purpose in his own generation" (Acts 13:36), an example of how God uses flawed people for his purpose--that it depends on God's sovereignty, not on us. But before David "rested with his fathers," he had brought a curse on his family (2 Samuel 12:9-12) that tore it apart. Four of his sons would die premature deaths, three of them violently. His daughter would be raped by his own son and never marry. Obsession over his enemies caused him to count his fighting men and bring a plague onto Israel.
The point here isn't to tear David down but to sound the warning the Bible gives in the record of David's life. David had a genuine heart for God. He was blessed by God. He accomplished a lot and was a huge part of God's plan. But, at the heart of many of the things that matter most, David ruined his life. This week, we try to look at how that happened...
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