Now come on, you cannot tell me your emotions have not led you somewhere! Emotions make for terrible leaders in our lives and when we are led by them we can certainly suffer from the terrible consequences.
If you look at King David and that which caused him much harm and death of a family member. He decides not to go to battle with his men and is up on his roof at evening time or so and sees the beautiful Bathsheba bathing...........yep, in the nude. Yikes! And he is taken with her.
Let's read about his dilemma!
2 Samuel 11:1-5
11:1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant." NIV
David might have thought it a "party". He is taken in by his fives senses and without regard to leading his men into battle, he is left alone to "to do nothing". He ends up taking the beautiful Bathsheba and she becomes pregnant. She is a married woman. The husband is Uriah and he is fighting in the battle.
What could he have done to avoid this kind of "party"? I think he could have stayed with his men, encouraged them and come back with them when the battle was done.
Of course when you read on, David tries to hide his time with Bathsheba. But of course, how can you hide a pregnancy, right? David has her husband killed. Yes, the king sends her husband to the "front lines".
2 Samuel 11:6-17
6 So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master's servants and did not go down to his house.
10 When David was told, "Uriah did not go home," he asked him, "Haven't you just come from a distance? Why didn't you go home?"
11 Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"
12 Then David said to him, "Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 At David's invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master's servants; he did not go home.
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."
16 So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. NIV
This man Uriah, surely was one who walked in justice with other men. He regarded those over him, and he speaks in verse 11. "How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife" "As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"
No this man's party, was his bond of truth in word that he would remain with those he was to fight with in battle. He could not, and would not partake of a night or two with his wife, food and drink as long as those he worked and fought with were still in the field fighting the "battle".
David arose from his "bed chamber" and walked. In reading on the Hebraic meanings, specifies the couch or bed to this: mesukah...Old Testament 4881 and reads as hedge....7753 Old Testament.......! Also a fence.
Sounds like he really had to get to the edge of his palace roof top to take a really good look! He left his bed in the evening and took a walk, but why was he up........was he bored, was he curious of what other's might be doing.........was he looking for a party?
People always want something new. They think if they buy the new car, the new house, a new boat or even that plane, that they will experience something they have never done before. But they find out if they rather be home before dark, and rather avoid Sunday afternoon traffic, the boat stays in the boat house, the new car stays in the garage, and the new house has brought bigger payments, brought more need of insurance costs and lots of yard work and much fertilizer! That going looking when it was best to guard the eyes can cost a lot in your peace, take much out of your pocketbook, bring much heartache and less time for the party time intended to stay with your own family and with your own spouse. Yes, that looking over the hedge of where you reside and looking over to the neighbor's yard, house or even their spouse does not look that good. Remember all can have problems you never see or will even know about. And those things are best to stay in the neighbor's yard, house and bedroom. But God has a way to keep us when we choose not to be led by our five senses. It is that lust thing that is to be kept by God's Word.
That "to find out"...in verse 3 of chapter 11...............inquire (1875) from KJV........is this: is darash......and is to worship........(another yikes!) David was asking as in a" worship of her"! It was that "seeking" and asking that is in regard to a worship! That is a problem! Right?
So is there anything that we might should be doing with our family, within our body of believer's in Christ, that keeps us in the place where we are to reside in safety? Are we keeping our eyes on that which is good and keeps God in the equation? Or are we just running here and there to seek out with a lustful eye that which is nothing but trouble to us?
In thinking about King David, I thought of this from the book of Habakkuk. As was written long ago in that book, the recorded word was what the prophet was given by God in chapter 2. The man, bloated by self-importance is so full of himself. He is the man who is soul-empty. God tells him that the person in right standing with Him, with a steady believing and faithful will be the fully alive. He is one who will really be the alive in life and in God!
In the book of Habakkuk, chapter 1, the prophet talks of the violence in Judah. Still in his assertiveness he speaks about the bewilderment people face in times of such violence. And he, Habakkuk knows of the vividness of that which a people are running afoul of God. In the prophet's estimation of all that God is showing him, the people were both wicked and cruel in their public and private lives. And in chapter 1 and verse 12-13.........the prophet addresses God.......and he gives his complaint before Him. Habakkuk looks on a godless nation, people making their own rules as they went. That sounds much like today, does it not? He saw them as those out to kill and had death on their minds. Did David not do that as well?
Habakkuk 1:12-13
12 Are You not from everlasting,
O LORD my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die.
O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment;
O Rock, You have marked them for correction.
13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
A person more righteous than he? NKJV
Again in bewilderment he complains to the God of eternity. Asking God if they were all going to die because of the evil and violence that covered the land.
And verses 17- read like this:
Habakkuk 1:15-17
15 They take up all of them with a hook,
They catch them in their net,
And gather them in their dragnet.
Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16 Therefore they sacrifice to their net,
And burn incense to their dragnet;
Because by them their share is sumptuous
And their food plentiful.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net,
And continue to slay nations without pity? NKJV
The prophet speaks of the people of those without direction. They were like those swimming, but going nowhere in particular. Those in that condition could fish, they worship their catch, and eat very well at night. Yes people were being slaughtered and the evil men's gain was for more!
What people sacrifice to, is the very thing they worship. What they desire to spend the most time with, spend money on, go out of the way to get to and stay long periods of time, will show the certainty of what the heart wants or firmly (desires). Those who want more, will find ways around to getting just what they want, when they want it and care nothing of the cost. They will be firmly established in doing wrong, to get it (that heart's desire), no matter what happens to another, or whether is good or not.
In reading further this prophet in chapter 2 says this:
12 Are You not from everlasting,
O LORD my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die.
O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment;
O Rock, You have marked them for correction.
13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
A person more righteous than he? NKJV
Again in bewilderment he complains to the God of eternity. Asking God if they were all going to die because of the evil and violence that covered the land.
And verses 17- read like this:
Habakkuk 1:15-17
15 They take up all of them with a hook,
They catch them in their net,
And gather them in their dragnet.
Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16 Therefore they sacrifice to their net,
And burn incense to their dragnet;
Because by them their share is sumptuous
And their food plentiful.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net,
And continue to slay nations without pity? NKJV
The prophet speaks of the people of those without direction. They were like those swimming, but going nowhere in particular. Those in that condition could fish, they worship their catch, and eat very well at night. Yes people were being slaughtered and the evil men's gain was for more!
What people sacrifice to, is the very thing they worship. What they desire to spend the most time with, spend money on, go out of the way to get to and stay long periods of time, will show the certainty of what the heart wants or firmly (desires). Those who want more, will find ways around to getting just what they want, when they want it and care nothing of the cost. They will be firmly established in doing wrong, to get it (that heart's desire), no matter what happens to another, or whether is good or not.
In reading further this prophet in chapter 2 says this:
Habakkuk 2:1-3
I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
2 Then the LORD answered me and said:
"Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry. NKJV
I bring this to you because I see it as where we should reside and think about others. This prophet recorded this: He was going to keep that watch. He was to watch and to ponder what he the prophet would answer in his complaint to God. For the prophet saw those who were the selfish, the violent who took what they wanted no matter the consequences to other living beings. They were the wicked. And here the watchman is looking for the people to have peace again,and to have comfort again. He was looking for their return to safety and to maintain a welfare for all people.
Because God had given he, the prophet, a heart for the people, the people were running amok! They were the uncontrollable in their desires. God surely showed the prophet to have heart for them, But in his complaint before Him, the prophet voiced an attempt to speak of those things that puzzled him still. He tried to make sense out of disappointments. And this prophet made no reservations or took second thoughts of the bluntness about how he spoke to God about them!
Habakkuk 2:4
"Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. NKJV
This portion is intended that the Word of God is given for us to read and understand. But it is by lengthy reading and study. It is not catching it on the fly to run and do our own thing. When we choose to stay within our fence, that wall that is protection to us by His Word, we are the comforted, we are the safe and secure.
David could have saved himself a lot of heartache, but he chose to worship something he did not need or should have had. She was not his! And the child she gave birth to would never live. Sad but true! Yes, those things outside of God's plan and will cost us dearly and we are to heed what those things can bring into our lives when we choose to follow "the party".
David could have saved himself a lot of heartache, but he chose to worship something he did not need or should have had. She was not his! And the child she gave birth to would never live. Sad but true! Yes, those things outside of God's plan and will cost us dearly and we are to heed what those things can bring into our lives when we choose to follow "the party".
For I would rather party in God's Word and stay in His power, His love, His comfort and peace. I would rather stay in the House of God, than be out of His will going outside of His plan for my life.
In writing this today, I see the "penalty" many will pay for their following their own lusts. Habakkuk takes note in Chapter 2 and verse 4....the "just shall live by faith".
No amount of running here and there, searching for what the next new thing, or latest gimmick will bring life to you. Only what God has purposed in His Word and through His wisdom will we benefit life that He intends for us. Then if there is a new boat in your life, God will bring one big enough for you to minister life to others on that big boat! (say 200' cabin cruiser)
David could not minister life to another when he went after another man's wife. He could minister to anyone when he continued to lie and try to cover up those terrible things against another man.
Habakkuk 2:12-14
12 "Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed,
Who establishes a city by iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts
That the peoples labor to feed the fire,
And nations weary themselves in vain?
14 For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
As the waters cover the sea. NKJV
The Amplified speaks this: 12 Woe to him who builds a town with blood and establishes a city of iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not by appointment of the Lord of hosts that the nations toil only to satisfy the fire [that will consume their work], and the peoples weary themselves only for emptiness, falsity and futility? 14 But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:18-20
18 "What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it,
The molded image, a teacher of lies,
That the maker of its mold should trust in it,
To make mute idols?
19 Woe to him who says to wood, 'Awake!'
To silent stone, 'Arise! It shall teach!'
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
Yet in it there is no breath at all.
20 But the LORD is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth keep silence before Him." NKJV
What profit is anything we pursue that really has no life to us or for us? For whatever we may think will we need will only boast lies. For that which is really ours will cost us time with Him to hear Him speak. That vision from Habakkuk 2 is the vision we write from His Word given us. It is His Word living us and directing us into His love and peace. It will not drive us into someone else's arms, or bring us that high-powered job without the required extra work, and less time with that which really counts to us for life. It is only in our awareness of the great God and King and how He came to give us life will we truly see that which adds good to us and expand us for His glory. For He is truly the living, breathing and the active in our lives. Pursue His wisdom and be active in life that will bring life to others.
I close with this:
Proverbs 8:6-11 …………6 Listen, for I will speak
of excellent things,
And from
the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my
mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All
the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
9 They
are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
10
Receive my instruction, and not silver, And
knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 For
wisdom is better than rubies, And all
the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. NKJV
Those who seek to indulge in the party that brings grief in that which is led by their emotions, the me, myself and I who desires to indulge in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
We are not to love the world or things in the world. (For) if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is the world-----the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life----is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
Attention:
The Voice of Prayer has a new teaching published: Come Away and Rest a While.
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
The Voice of Prayer has a new teaching published: Come Away and Rest a While.
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
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