Sin of Licentiousness
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that God called him a man after His own heart. When exalted to the
throne, his general course was in striking contrast with the kings of
other nations. He abhorred idolatry, and zealously kept the people of
Israel from being seduced into idolatry by the surrounding nations. He
was greatly beloved and honored by his people.
He often conquered, and triumphed. He increased in wealth and
greatness. But his prosperity had an influence to lead him from God.
His temptations were many and strong.
Sad Result of Polygamy—He finally fell into the common prac-
tice of other kings around him, of having a plurality of wives, and his
life was embittered by the evil results of polygamy. His first wrong
was in taking more than one wife, thus departing from God’s wise
arrangement. This departure from right prepared the way for greater
errors. The kingly idolatrous nations considered it an addition to their
honor and dignity to have many wives, and David regarded it an honor
to his throne to possess several wives. But he was made to see the
wretched evil of such a course by the unhappy discord, rivalry, and
jealousy among his numerous wives and children.
David’s Repentance—His crime in the case of Uriah and
Bathsheba was heinous in the sight of God. A just and impartial
God did not sanction or excuse these sins in David, but sends a re-
proof, and heavy denunciation by Nathan, His prophet, which portrays
in living colors his grievous offense. David had been blinded to his
wonderful departure from God. He had excused his own sinful course
to himself until his ways seemed passible in his own eyes. One wrong
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step had prepared the way for another, until his sins called for the
rebuke from Jehovah through Nathan.
David awakens as from a dream. He feels the sense of his sin. He
does not seek to excuse his course, or palliate his sin, as did Saul; but
with remorse and sincere grief, he bows his head before the prophet of
God, and acknowledges his guilt. Nathan tells David that because of
his repentance and humble confession, God will forgive his sin, and
avert a part of the threatened calamity, and spare his life.
Transgression and Punishment—Yet he should be punished, be-
cause he had given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blas-
pheme. This occasion has been improved by the enemies of God, from
David’s day until the present time. Skeptics have assailed Christianity
and ridiculed the Bible, because David gave them occasion. They