Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Ps.65-67, 69-70; 2 Sam. 11-12; 1 Chron. 20

2 Samuel 11-12

OK now we are getting back to the drama.

We have David hanging out on his couch and deciding to take a walk on his roof.

We have Bathsheba bathing (bath....she...?).

We have the moonlight capturing her beauty.

David, acting like a man, must have her even though he is completely aware of the fact that she is married....yadda, yadda, yadda.....she gets pregnant.

Brilliant move on Davids part, he brings her husband home and tries to get him to sleep with her, thus ending his part in the whole debauchery.

But to no avail, the honest Uriah thinks it wouldn't be very generous on his part to eat, drink, and be (with) merry (or Bathsheba), whist his comrades in arms, including the ark, are sleeping in tents. Therefore, he sleeps on the doorstep. David then tries to get him drunk so he'll sleep with her, a gain to no avail.

So in cunning David style, he has him killed.

He is indeed brilliant.

But God ain't too happy so he sends a messenger, Nathan. Nathan has a yarn to spin about a rich man and a poor man in which the rich man takes a precious lamb from a poor man. He does this because he doesn't want to cook one of his own for a guest. David is OUTRAGED...."HE SHALL BE KILLED FOR DOING SUCH A THING!" says he.

Really, David? You seriously want to go there? says Nathan. That man is you, buddy.

God is m-a-d. He basically says, I handed you the world and you still take what is not yours.

The sword is going to be on you, I'm giving your wives to your neighbors, and I'm killing your son.

When the son was born David fasted and lay on the floor. The child died on the 7th day. The servants feared what would happen if they told him, after all if he was this bad while the child was living, how much worse would he be once the child was dead? However, when David finally found out, he got up, prayed, washed up, and ate.

This confused the servants.

David explained that once the child had died nothing more could be done sooooo time to get back to work. Which actually makes sense to me.

Bathsheba went on to have another son, who was blessed and loved by God.

Man.......now that's a story.

65: Give God thanks for what He provides by way of the earth.

66:11-12 Assures the reader that God is still in control in the bad times as well as the good times, be aware of that.

69 is quite intense. David once again is feeling forlorn. He has lost contact with his family due to his job in doing God works. He knows people think hes a nutter because of his fasting and sacrificing. He feels completely alone and wants God to make these people suffer vs 23-25. I tend to worry about Davids mental well being. I feel like he needs a hobby or something to calm him.

4 comments:

Jamie said...

The irony for some reason reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where J. Peterman buys Kramer's stories for his book....I got mud on the very pants I was returning. Uriah carrries the very note that has his death sentence in it. I know it's not even kind of the same, but that's what I thought of. Is it bad when you digress from the beginning?

So David, covets, commits at the very least conspiracy to commit murder, adultery, and lying. Even the most devout can stumble. We cannot be perfect, that's why we need Jesus to make us perfect in Spirit through Him. God forgives David, BUTT, that doesn't mean he isn't punished. He is punished. Although, admittedly, David has a very matter-of-fact attitude about it.

Nathan, too, is very crafty in getting David to admit what he did was wrong before he realized he was talking about him.

Goliath's kin get smote as well. Is this God's curse extending out generations for blasphemy?

I will say I do admire David for being able to worship and praise God immediately after his son's death. That would be difficult for anyone.

The Ps. if about praising God, being thankful, and giving Him the glory. More reminders of His blessing, help, and protection...which Miss Crystal thinks she's heard enough of, but I think I could hear it all day, every day.

Tomorrow, Ps. 32, 51, 86, 122; 2 Sam. 13-15

Whendsome said...

I thought of the same Seinfeld episode but didn't want be accused of comparing the Bible to Seinfeld. And its not that I've heard enough of the Psalms for a lifetime its just that reading so many of them back to back tends to run them all together. Like I could see reading one or two a day and finding comfort in them. But because we are reading the Bible in order I understand the reasoning and do it gladly.

Whendsome said...

Whats also funny and truly speaks volumes about our shared love of the show, is that I am actually quoting Peterman when I wrote, Nathan had a "yarn to spin" about the rich and poor man.

Jamie said...

I didn't catch that....funny