From Lust to Murder

2 Sam 11:27b But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.

2 Sam 11 reveals the story of Davids multitude of sins with Bathsheba.  First, he didn't lead his army into battle.  I'm not sure this is a sin in the Lord's eyes, that is a difficult one to discern for me, but it was the clearly stated that it was the "time that kings go off to war" and the worldly expectation was that the king led his army into battle.  Instead, David stayed home.  Late in the evening he was on his roof and saw Bathsheba bathing.  Upon inquiry, he found out her name as well as her marital status.  I'm curious as to what went through his mind when he heard the words "she is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite."  Why did he continue beyond lust when he discovered she was married?  He had to know that he had already sinned and to "invite" her into his palace was to cause her to sin as well (note that David was already married and had numerous wives and concubines).  When she became pregnant as a result of this adulterous affair, he called Uriah home from the war to provide a cover for her pregnancy.  This had to have happened over a period of a few months, so this isn't some short-term loss of self-control.  This is a long-term carefully thought through scheme.  When Uriah refused to avail himself the luxury of being home, David had him killed in a useless mini attack on a besieged city that also cost the lives of others.  Lust, covetousness, lies, murder, and illegitimate pregnancy and THIS is a man after God's own heart?  Wow!
So, why did it take Nathan's confrontation in the next chapter to finally get through David's thick skull the depth of his depravity?  Sin is insidious and Satan is incredibly and completely deceptive.  We rationalize, make excuses, and then compare ourselves to others to avoid the confrontation each and every one of us needs.  Why?  Why do we get so deep into sin?  How do we become so incredibly blind to its effects on us and perhaps more importantly why do we not see the effects on others?  Why do we sin anyway when others are so terribly affected?  Even a man after God's own heart was not immune to the overwhelming attack of Satan.  If David could be so blind to his own depravity, what have I done?

Faith

Hebrews 11:1,3 defines faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ... that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."  So, when I define my faith as crying out to God and saying, "God if you don't do this, there is no way for it to be done.  Everything depends upon You." I am living into this definition.  I am hoping for something and I am believing that God can do it and I am depending upon Him and Him alone.  Then when it happens, there is evidence of something not seen.  The worlds were created by His Word, not by a visible and physically definable thing or happening.  Similarly, our world should be created and maintained by His Word and not by another thing or happening within it.

Last night my son found a video on YouTube about space-time and how time can change depending upon how you travel in space-time.  He was excited about trying to get his mind around this complicated concept that Einstein postulated and used to arrive at his theory of relativity as it made the previously understood idea of time being a constant to not being a constant.  Anyway, I pointed out in our discussion how this is already defined in the Bible.  God is in yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  We see each day one day at a time, but God sees all the days because He is sitting at the center of the space-time universe.  Because of His unique angle into the space-time realm it allows Him to see behind and before.

Faith, whether it is God working in our life in an area that we do not see any answer for, or if it is in accepting He is at the center of the universe and then having the world's greatest scientist discover a way that it is feasible to our tiny ability of understanding, still requires us to believe in the unseen hand.  But the seen changes are evidence of His existence.  When all my hope, all that I am, and all that I want me to be are put by me into His hand to do as He please, and I declare that if He doesn't do something I will become undone - it's Him or nothing.  Then is my faith fulfilled because God will answer that call.  Always.

There is an unseen hand to me
That leads through ways I cannot see
While going through this world of woe
This hand still leads me as I go

I'm trusting to the unseen hand
That guides me through this weary land
And some sweet day I'll reach that strand
Still guided by the unseen hand

"The Unseen Hand" by Bill Gaither.

Insidiousness of Sin

1 Cor 5: Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?

When we look from a distance at others, it is sometimes baffling how they got so deeply mired into obvious sin.  We want go just shake them and make them come to their senses.  Yet when we look at the activity of Satan the great deceiver, we see that his deception is complete.  The story of Adam and Eve eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge is a good example of simple deception.  Others such as the stories of all three of the first kings of Israel demonstrates this complete deception such that they didn't even recognize it.  David, for instance, didn't recognize the depth of his own deception until Nathan confronted him with an apparent third party story of adultery, murder, lies, and deceit.
I need to understand my own vulnerabilities better such that I know how to properly pray and guard myself, so I plan to explore this total deception over the next few days. 
What are your thoughts on the subject?

Psalms 51:13

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

David writes this after his realization of his sin saying that when God restores the joy of salvation and grants him a willing spirit, then he will teach.

In John the following conversation takes place between Pilate and Jesus:

Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”

Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out. - John 19:10-12

In this text Pilate and Jesus are talking and Jesus makes a comment about the "greater sin".  As best as I read the text, Jesus holds Pilate faultless, but condemns those who know who He is but decides against Him.  He could also be referring to the devil as the one. 

This is an important consideration reflecting upon David's thought.  The world view is to not hold one another accountable for their decisions.  It's their decision, they decided which way they wanted to go, let them do whatever "makes them happy".  I wonder who has the greater sin, those who wander off or those of us who refuse to get involved to address this conflict so they are aware they are choosing evil over good?

David says he will "teach" those who do wrong God's way so they will turn back to God.  The problem in our society is that when you attempt to do this, the person says you are judging them, as if you actually wrote God's Word yourself, and the people who refuse to do this who are around the situation crucify you saying you are just making life harder for them.  What we need are stronger people who are willing to show others that what they are doing is not God's way, please turn to Him, He stands ready waiting for them with an open hand.  He knocks on their door asking to be in fellowship once again.

If they refuse, then they refuse, but they were confronted with truth.  Some plant, some water, and others reap.

Materialism

Hebrews 13:5  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

'Tis the season to get caught up in pursuing satisfaction, contentment, fulfillment, and joy through acquisition of things.  For those that know me, you know that this is an issue for me.  I'm never satisfied with what I have there is always more, always better, always something new and interesting.  Accumulation of material things makes for a cluttered house, it makes for a cluttered life as well leading to confusion, distraction, and perhaps obsession.
Just like the Israelites of the Old Testament who demanded an earthly king when God clearly wanted to no confusion about His sovereignty, God desires to be our all-in-all.  Only God can fulfill.  Only God lasts.  Only through a healthy, growing, and vibrant relationship with God do we find contentment.  My own experience is that as I grow closer to God, all those things that are imperfect, all those things that fail to satisfy, and all those things that get under my skin and irritate me fade into issues of less importance.  I grow closer to my wife, family, and friends and lose my obsession over material things.  The opposite is also true - as my walk grows stale, my obsession with the imperfect makes me grumpy. 
As I journey through this my favorite time of the year, I would do well to remember that celebration of the season is to remember and cling to the real reason for the season.  Failure to do so, will lead to a dissatisfying holiday season.

Psalms 52:8-9

⁸ But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
⁹ I will praise You forever,
Because You have done it;
And in the presence of Your saints
I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

The obvious symbolism is a healthy growing tree in a peaceful nutritious environment.  In Romans 11 there is a reference to the olive tree as the tree of faith.  On that tree some of the limbs of the house of Israel were removed for their unbelief and limbs of Gentiles were grafted in for their belief.  The olive tree is the tree of faith in the house of God.  Similarly, the reference here could also be referring to being a tree of faith in the house of God that trust in His mercy forever.  David as a descendent of Abraham and in the line of Jesus would certainly be in the tree of faith.

In this context I think it is important to see what he is saying.  He is a healthy growing tree of faith in the house of God as a contrast to the person who loves evil more than good, boasted in his evil ways, trusted in his abundance, and was destroyed by God.  The Message bible says it this way, “Big man bet on the wrong horse, trusted in big money” and I think that’s fitting for today’s culture.  I have always had one recurring dream.  In one scene of the dream it is dark and dirty, smoky, with stuff everywhere, cars honking, and noise everywhere; then there is total tranquility, blue skies, clear air, gentle breeze, calm, open ground before me, quiet; then back to chaos; then back to peace, back to chaos, back to peace, etc.  I hardly ever remember dreams but this one I have had occasionally since I was young.  This writing has a stark contrast for me.  It is as much contrast as that in my dreams. 

Why do we praise Him forever?  Because He has done it, not because of anything we have done.  “For God so loved the world.”  We loved the world, but only for what we could get from it, not to save everyone in it.  Only God loved every person in it, even knowing there deepest, vilest, selfish natures.  He still wants to offer even me a chance for redemption.  Even me.  And so I’ll wait with my Christian brothers and sisters for that day when we shall see Him face-to-face – Oh Glorious Day!

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

Chorus from the song Glorious Day by Casting Crowns.

Psalms 52:6-7

⁶ The righteous also shall see and fear,

And shall laugh at him, saying,
⁷ “Here is the man who did not make God his strength,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches,
And strengthened himself in his wickedness.”

As a reminder that we as righteous are not immune to falling into the ways of evil, we "also shall see" God destroy those who love evil and shall "fear" God who destroys those who love evil.  As in Psalm 59:13, David wants the righteous to know there is a God through the witness of evil being destroyed.

I can feel the Spirit inside of me and it doesn't want to see people fail.  But, sometimes it is necessary so we can rest assured that God's way is the right way if we have any doubts.  When those who love evil fail and fall, we can praise God.  We praise Him not for their fall, since those who love Him do not want any to fall as He does not.  2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance".  But we praise Him for His righteousness.  We praise Him that His way is the only way; that truth and life only come from Him; that those who love Him are never forgotten.  When those who trust in the pleasures of this world are consumed by it, we are reminded that there is only One that endures forever and that can be trusted, and that One is the Lord our God.  He is the only strength, the only power, the only protector, and our only Savior.

Why did these evil fall, because they trusted in their own fortunes, they trusted in themselves.  "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from their faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6:10).  Only God can be trusted and only His Word endures forever.  "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.  The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever" (Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25).  

We should be diligent to seek out our Lord.  2 Peter 3:17-18 says, "beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  It is perhaps the most critical part of our daily life.  The purposeful and intentional aim of praying, reading, and praising our God.  I do not know anyone who would not rather grow their faith in God in this daily way than to have to see evil people consumed by their own evil.  

Eros

You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;
    you have stolen my heart
with one glance of your eyes,
    with one jewel of your necklace. (Song of Songs 4:)

The Greek word Eros is the root of our English work erotic which helps us understand and differentiate this form of love from Agape (unconditional love) and Phileo (brotherly love).  This is infatuation that love that attracts us one to another and that love that is ultimately celebrated in sex.  Clearly this love, like the others mentioned, is clearly from God as He made Eve specifically for Adam and God caused their desire for one another (Genesis 2).  This is the love that truly results in "the two becoming one flesh," especially when when properly combined with agape and phileo.  Moreover, we see that God intended for spouses to yield authority of their bodies to the other (1 Cor 7).  God clearly designed us to be sexual and gave us a sacramental relationship in which to properly exercise that love. 
To me, no other form of love is more misunderstood or abused than Eros.  Satan, the author of all lies, warps eros above all other creations by God, at least in my opinion.  Don't believe me?  Look into almost every instance where Israel turned away from God and you'll find at the core an idol in the form of sexual immorality of some form or another.  In Romans chapter 1 we find Paul raging against sinful humanity and in the order of downfall, we see sexual immorality at the core.  
For me, in order to properly love my wife, I've got to perfect all forms of love.  Eros may be where the relationship started, but it is a highly conditional love that depends on sexual attraction.  Sexual attraction is fleeting and isn't a strong foundation for a lasting relationship.  So to properly love my wife, I've got to fully comprehend, embrace, and exude agape.  I've got to be in a position to unconditionally love her so that phileo and eros may remain strong.  agape is the foundation and phileo and eros are added dimensions.  To try to build a relationship on agape or eros as the foundation is to buy into a temporary relationship. 
For those of you that are unmarried, your investment in your future relationship begins now, not when you say "I do."  You've got to learn to fully agape God's people.  You do that by falling in love with God first and foremost because since He is love, this is the foundation for a long and lasting relationship.  Once you have a firm foundation in agape, you're equipped to properly phileo and eros.  Unfortunately, the world teaches us differently.  Satan has sold us a lie that any committed relationship is acceptable or even enhanced by the ultimate celebration of eros - sex.  Don't be fooled by the one who would re-order God's creation.  In the beginning, there was God who is agape.  Learn to agape first and foremost.  Failure to get this right is dooming all future relationships to the fleeting conditions of phileo and eros which are ultimately self-centered, what's-in-it-for-me forms of love which will never last. 

Psalms 52:5

⁵ God shall likewise destroy you forever;
He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

For those that love evil more than good, “God shall likewise destroy you forever”.  That is, in the same way that you devise destruction and work deceitfully against others, you will be destroyed.  Jesus seems to speak on these terms in Matthew 7 when He says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”  This would be in keeping with the Jewish law concerning false witnesses.  In Deuteronomy 19:21 it says the penalty for a confirmed false witness is “Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

Jesus addresses this in Matthew 5:38-39 saying, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”  Jesus continues in verses 44-48 to say, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?  Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Jesus is saying that everyone will be given the chance to see God and experience His grace, mercy, and forgiveness, even if the only person they see it in happens to be you - the person they are doing evil towards.  He is saying, “I love them, so you should love them.” 

I find that most people want to live in these verses and never get out.  These are wrongly used by Christians living in sin as the ‘I can do whatever I want and no one can say anything about it’ verses.  They forget that everything has a season, including sin.  They forget that there is only one righteousness, one good, and that is only in God.  They oppose Him, not other men. 

While it is easy to get confused in these seemingly opposing concepts, it is easier to miss David’s actual words.  The words “God shall” should not be missed.  How is it that David, who undoubtedly knew the law, would not quote the law about what should happen to these false witnesses, but instead writes about what God would do to them who “love evil more than good”?  I find this to be extended proof of the Spirit of God working in David’s life and how the Spirit of God is the same here as when Jesus speaks much later.  

David accepts that these men oppose God, not him.  This is the main reason that David would not kill Saul when he had the many opportunities to do so, he would not oppose God who had allowed Saul to be king.  He knew that the Lord has said “Vengeance is mine, I will repay”.  So he writes that “God shall destroy”.  And this is better as the Lord will repay justly.

I think it is very important to be subject to the rule of the Holy Spirit in our lives in this area.  We are to show mercy, grace, forgiveness, kindness, and love to those who oppose us so that they might see the works of God.  But there are times when I believe the Holy Spirit says that the season for that sin has ended and we can be lead to be the instruments of God's justice.  David had also experienced this as well.

Psalms 52:2-4

² Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
³ You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
⁴ You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

Here I believe that David is describing truly evil people whose only intention is to hurt others. They say deceptive words to carve into others. They construct destruction through their words to others. They would rather lie and they relish in their lies. They have a sense of power in this way.

Some people are excellent at this. I think the word is politician and lawyer. I find myself today believing a much greater percentage of politicians are great liars than are lawyers. If that’s not the saddest sign of our society and our failed leadership in America, I’m not sure what could possibly be sadder.

The source of the desire for this type of destruction is they “love evil more than good”. This is a very hard lesson to learn. Some people just prefer evil. They are consumed in it and you can be sure they don’t have your best interest as even a slight consideration except in how it serves them (cue politician). This is a very hard concept to accept as we want to believe that people aren't really all that, are they?

If we feel a need to lie at some occasion, we need to be sure that there isn't a selfish need there. Are we loving evil in that moment more than good? I need to be careful to say wise and uplifting words to others. I should hope that all whom I encounter are blessed and more loved because I carried Christ with me in their presence. From Him, no deceit or evil will come.

James 3 says so much about the evil works of a tongue comparing it to a bit in a horse or a rudder on a ship. The tongue is small but from it a big thing can be controlled. He takes a good bit of time to discuss the question of how can good and evil come out of the same person. Or can it? In chapter 1 verse 26 he says, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”

I think the worst words of destruction are those testimonial words left unsaid. How many times has a Christian been in a situation in front of others where they could testify or give glory to God for who He is but refuse to do so. Either they fear the unacceptance of other men or they don't have the courage to stand in front of others for the very thing that is "the most important" in their life. I have to wonder if this means they "love evil more than good" by being lukewarm, of which, Jesus clearly had no taste for such a church.

What about the words of compassion to others left unsaid?  When a friend needs a kind word or a word of encouragement; when a child needs to hear how he is loved; when a spouse needs to hear how valuable they are to you - am I willing to say those words at that time?  Or does the emotion of the moment prevent me from doing it.  Again, is it embarrassment over my emotions (the disapproval of others), is it pride, is it false-teaching - we need to know what holds our testimony of God and our refusal to spread His love to others from coming out.

If we are truly thankful, grateful, and we depend upon Christ with our faith, it is so much easier to testify before others because we know God to be true and faithful. We know it. We have seen His hands work in our very own lives. When we do not doubt, we have no trouble standing on what we know.  When we know He has reached inside and touched us personally, He has flooded our soul with love, filled our heart with gladness, and brought peace to an internal battle, it is impossible not to show our love to others.  

Psalms 52:1

¹Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.

Why indeed?  But I see it every day in so many ways.  The TV show, the movie, the news, the President, the Congress, other nations, the economy, other religions, family members, Christians, and in myself.  All it takes is a little ego and pride fuels the responses.  I heard a pastor preach one time that man will do anything to support his ego.  When a little pride or a little comfort can boost that confidence man brags on the results of his own evil. 

It is important to notice the contrast here between a man who boast in his own evil and David who kept his sin in secret. This is a difference between a child of God and a child of the devil. A child of devil boasts about his sins and flaunts them in everyone’s face. A child of God is under deep conviction and hides his sin.

But it’s all fools gold. Solomon recognized this and wrote extensively about it.  Vanity he called it and it’s worthless.  Our hypocrisy has no boundaries.  We do a little evil to support ourselves and then when it doesn’t have immediate severe consequences we boast in it.  David mocks this part of us by calling us “mighty man”.  Who are we in the light of God?  Do we not know that “God endures continually”?  Who indeed?

The pastor Alistair Begg has a wonderful radio message referring to the names of God.  You can find it HERE.  After listening to the significance of the names of God and getting a good reference and understanding of Who God is again, it is so easy to see how David can ask the question, "Why do yo boast in evil, O might man?" and what folly that is. 

Psalm 63 (Part V)

⁸ I cling to You;
    Your right hand upholds me.

Like a child who grabs hold of his parents leg for security, do you cling to God?  When you do, do you know that it is His hand that holds you?  Or do you feel alone?  Our faith must rest in His Word that tells us He holds us, He helps us, He rescues us, He comforts us, He delivers us, He is for us, He will never forsake us, and He saves us.

⁹ Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.
¹⁰ They will be given over to the sword
    and become food for jackals.

The brutality of these verses is coupled by the enormity of the faith.  We do not think this way.  We do not declare with confidence that our enemies will be destroyed.  We take a "if God wills" approach and let that escape clause get us out of having to decide to put our heart into our faith and believe what we think we know in our heads.  How decidedly weak we are!  With all our tools and intelligence, the single most important thing we can do is decide to believe and declare it.  Know that God WILL answer today.  Know that He will "deal bountifully with you" (Ps 142:7).  Don't doubt.  Don't think He will.  Don't meagerly hope for it.  BELIEVE THAT GOD LOVES YOU, LISTENS TO YOU, AND LABORS FOR YOUR BEST TODAY.  Your enemy will be destroyed and removed from the earth.

¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in Him,
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Everyone who knows the goodness and greatness of the one true living God will glory and rejoice in Him.  Everyone who declares against God, who say He is not the only living God, they are liars and will be silenced. 

When we hear someone dismiss God or claim that one of His ways is not the truth in the media or in a movie, do we hear that as a lie?  Why not?  A bigger question is when it is on a sit-com and the lie is repeated over and over and over, why do we keep watching?  Why do we let our kids keep watching?  We have to know that eventually that lie will sink in and disguise the truth.  Eventually, the slow erosion will convince us that it really isn't a lie and God's Word is so outdated.  We know this, right? ... So, what is the simple action that should follow that honesty?

One day all the liars will be silenced.  "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to God" (Ro 14:11).  No matter how we justify ourselves today, no matter how the world thinks or who they think is a god, one day everyone will know and will give an account of themselves before the truth that they knew was the truth but wouldn't accept.  One day our own lies will be silenced.  One day the lies we tell ourselves to cover what we don't want to see or be honest about will be silenced.  We should seek to live everyday with our knees bowed now and our tongue confessing now so our lies can be silenced now.