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David’s Sin of Adultery and His Repentance
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the king, was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s bravest
and most faithful officers. The law of God pronounced the adul-
terer guilty of death, and the proud-spirited soldier, so shamefully
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wronged, might take revenge for himself by taking the life of the
king or by leading the nation in revolt.
Every effort that David made to hide his guilt was unsuccessful.
He had betrayed himself into the power of Satan; danger surrounded
him, and dishonor more bitter than death loomed before him. There
appeared to be only one way of escape—to add the sin of murder to
that of adultery. David reasoned that if Uriah were killed in battle,
the guilt of his death could not be traced to the king. Bathsheba
would be free to become David’s wife, and he could avoid suspicion
and maintain the royal honor.
Uriah was made the carrier of his own death warrant. In a letter
sent by David’s hand to Joab, the king commanded, “Set Uriah in
the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may
be struck down and die.” Joab, already stained with the guilt of one
murder, did not hesitate to obey the king’s instructions, and Uriah
was killed by the sword of the Ammonites.
David Temporarily Becomes the Agent of Satan
David’s record as a ruler had won the confidence of the nation,
but as he departed from God, he became for a time the agent of
Satan. Yet he still held the authority that God had given him, and
because of this he claimed obedience that would pose a threat to
the soul of his commander if he cooperated. But Joab had given his
allegiance to the king rather than to God, and he transgressed God’s
law because the king commanded it.
When David commanded what was contrary to God’s law, it
became sin to obey. “The authorities that exist are appointed by
God” (
Romans 13:1
), but we are not to obey them contrary to God’s
law. The apostle Paul explains the principle by which we should be
governed: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (
1
Corinthians 11:1
KJV).
Joab sent news to David that his order had been carried out, but
it was so carefully worded that it did not implicate either Joab or the
king. “Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”