STANDING IN BLOOD

STANDING IN BLOOD

I am sure you remember Uriah, the Hittite warrior and husband of Bathsheba. Did you know he was one of David’s Thirty Mighty Men? He was with David before he was king, and he fought alongside of David for many years.

2 Samuel 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

Please consider that when men of arms have fought in battle together, defending one another and then standing in their own blood and the blood of their enemies – having mingled their blood with the blood of their comrades in arms and their enemies – that a special tie and bond is built up. It is often far greater and of more import than blood ties from our families. And, yet, David had Uriah murdered rather than allowing him to find out that David had taken his wife and impregnated her. I often wonder if Bathsheba had not gotten pregnant, would we have ever heard of her or would David have resorted to murder to cover his sin?

I have always been intrigued by David’s mighty men. Uriah was a warrior, and a very capable and mighty warrior to be named among David’s thirty mighty men! The exploits of these men are legendary and quite extraordinary. Three of them fought through enemy lines to fetch a glass of water from the well at Bethlehem simply because David lamented that he wanted a glass of water from the well by the gate there! Can you imagine that? These men were completely devoted to David, and to one another. And, yet David had Uriah murdered?

Can you imagine David’s thoughts when he was informed that Bathsheba was pregnant? Did he know that her husband was Uriah? I’ll bet he already knew who her husband was. Uriah lived close enough for David to see Bathsheba bathing from his own roof so he had some standing with the king. David summoned Uriah from battle to meet him, suggesting that he go home and “wash his feet,” meaning to spend time at home and attend to his wife. Uriah refused, claiming a code of honor with his fellow warriors while they were in battle. He would not dishonor his fellow warriors by spending time attending to his desires while they were in battle. Instead, he slept on the porch of his own home. This speaks very highly of Uriah as a man of honor. After repeatedly refusing to attend to his wife Bathsheba, David sent Uriah to his commanding officer Joab with a letter that ordered him to put Uriah in the heat of the battle and have the other warriors withdraw from him so that he would be killed. These types of things are not easily hidden. Can you imagine what the other warriors were thinking when they saw all this?

David’s mighty men were all outstanding warriors; fearless, tried and true. They had lived with David while he was on the run from Saul. They had protected David, and fought shoulder to shoulder with him. Now, they see David not only throw Uriah under the bus (so to speak), but run him over with that bus deliberately. This whole affair (pun intended) cost David much more than he was ever to realize. He had violated the trust and loyalty of his closest and most devoted warriors – for his own deeply personal greed and lust. Never underestimate our enemy or his intentions. He will do to us what he did to David – if we allow it! A man is known by his word and his deeds. In order to remain men of honor and integrity, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. I am sure the other mighty men thought “if David would do this to Uriah, who was next or how safe am I?”

At least, that’s what I would think. Of course, Uriah wasn’t an Israelite, he was a Hittite but he was a loyal and faithful warrior who had been with David for a very long time. He demonstrated his fidelity when he would not go in to his wife while his comrades were in battle. To me, this is one of the worst aspects of David’s behavior in this whole affair – the forsaking of a blood bond with a fellow warrior. Please consider that you and I are in a blood bond with the Lord Jesus Christ as we battle the enemy and sin together. The Lord wasn’t pleased with all this either. In fact, the rebuke of the Lord would cost David more than he could ever imagine.

2 Samuel 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

David would only know war from this day onward. David would loose the firstborn of Bathsheba and then his own firstborn Absalom. His daughter is raped by another of his sons, and then the perpetrator of that horrendous event is killed by his brother who is another son of David. What strife, what devastation is wrought upon the household of David! There is strife at home and in his kingdom now that will not relent or give place. He is surrounded by controversy and deception, and those who openly despise him. Do you think David understood where all this calamity stemmed from?

David, a man described by God as ‘a man after my own heart’ had one major affair with sin, and it cost him more than he could ever imagine. Do you think we are exempt from such scrutiny? I am reminded of a verse of scripture:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

No matter how close we draw to the Lord, the wages of sin is still death and it will manifest itself in ways we cannot imagine. There is always a price to pay so we must not think that our sin is a little matter before a holy and righteous God. Yes, we are saved and have received the gift of eternal life, but we can do so much better with what little time we have left here if we will turn away from sin altogether. There are always consequences to sin. David prayed in Psalm 51:

Psalm 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

All sin is against God. None of us are immune to it’s wiles and temptations. None of us can escape it’s clutches without the help of El Shaddai, the Almighty God! We, you and I, have entered into a blood covenant with the covenant keeping Lord of all creation. We have endured and survived many battles together, and we have bled and our blood has mingled with the blood of royalty that was shed for our salvation. We must not allow the enemy to entice us into forsaking this relationship! Look at what it cost David! No matter how alluring the temptation is, we must remember we too have stood in blood with our Lord and He will never forsake us! Let us do likewise!

Dear heavenly Father, please help us purpose in our hearts to abstain from all sin, evil and temptation for we are dead to it now. Help us to reckon ourselves dead to those things that draw us away from you and the Lord Jesus. Please help us to overcome those areas where we are prone to fall and succumb to the wiles and temptations of this world, and the wicked one and all of his hoards. Please help us Father to remember we are alive in the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Please help us understand that all sin is a sin against you Father. Please help us to remain true to you, to Jesus and to our brothers that we have fought and bled with and to never forsake this blood bought bond that was purchased for us with such a high price – the price of your only begotten Son! Forgive us Father! Save us Father from our own weakness! Hold us and never forsake us Father! And, help us to remain resolute with the same resolve. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray! Amen!