(2 Samuel 7:18 ff)

King David prayed after Prophet Nathan had revealed to him all that the Lord had said to him about his plan of building a temple.

King David while in the Tent of the Lord's presence and observed the following;

He realized his unworthiness to deserve all that the sovereign Lord had already done for him and his family.

King David acknowledged the Lord's deeds for him and his family as he continued to do more for them.

Besides, the king acknowledged the promises that God had made to him about his descendants in the years to come.

King David asked God to fulfill His promises in his life time while acknowledging him as the sovereign Lord.

King David acknowledged the Lord knowing him as His servant that he could no longer say anything before him.

He also acknowledged that it was God's will and His purpose to do all the great things in order to teach him.

King David acknowledged the greatness of the sovereign Lord that there was none like Him. He confessed that they had always known Him alone as their God.

Besides, he acknowledged the greatness of the nation of Israel, whom God had rescued from their bondage in Egypt and made them His own people.

He went on to acknowledge the great and the wonderful things the Lord had done for the people of Israel. He rescued them from their slavery and drove other nations and their gods as His people advanced. For this, His fame had spread throughout the world.

King David confessed that God had made Israel His people forever. For this, He had now become their God.

King David confessed that the Lord's fame would be great by fulfilling all His promises to him. For this, people would also acknowledge Him as the Lord almighty and God over Israel.

King David confessed that he had the courage to pray because of what the, Lord revealed to him about making his descendants kings.

King David acknowledged the Lord as God and one who always keeps His promises. He had already made wonderful promises to him.

King David asked God to bless his descendants in order for them to continue enjoying His favour forever.

Revision Questions

1. Examine the main points of King David's prayer after Prophet Nathan's revelation to him

2. What lessons can modern Christians learn from King David's prayer?

NATHAN'S PROPHESY TO KING DAVID AFTER HIS SINS OF ADULTERY AND MURDER (2 Samuel 11-12)

Prophet Nathan appeared to King David for the second time after he had committed the sins of adultery and murder.

King David had had sexual intercourse with Bathsheba, a woman married to Uriah who was one of his faithful soldiers.

Besides, King David's affairs with Bathsheba resulted into pregnancy as Uriah was away in the front line under the command of Joab fighting the Ammonites.

THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO KING DAVID'S SINS

(His Adultery with Bathsheba and the Murder of Uriah)

The people Israel were at war with the Ammonites whom they defeated and besieged under the command of Joab. Uriah was one of the soldiers among' the Israelites.

The kings were required to be at the frontline. However, King David chose to stay behind as he sent Joab to command his soldiers.

King David had a nap in one of the afternoons and went to the palace roof from where he saw a woman bathing.

King David was made to realize that Bathsheba was the woman he had seen bathing. She was a very beautiful woman married to Uriah, the Hittite.

King David's lust led him into having sexual intercourse with Bathsheba after she was called by one of his messengers.

However, Bathsheba had just finished her monthly ritual of purification. This was usually done after a woman had just under gone menstruation to cleanse her off since she was contaminated by the flow of blood.

Bathsheba became pregnant after her sexual intercourse with King David whom she notified immediately after realizing her state.

King David developed a plan of disguising Bathsheba pregnancy. He knew that the law of sanctification of Israel's army had forbidden sexual intercourse during war.

King David sent for Uriah who was in the front line fighting the Ammonites through his military commander named Joab.

King David sent Uriah home and told him to rest upon his arrival to the palace. However, this was a trick for him to go and have sexual intercourse with wife since he had been away for long.

However, Uriah slept at the palace gate with King David's guard instead of going to his home as he had been told. This was to the disappointment of the king.

Uriah was aware of and loyal to the law of holiness concerning war. Therefore, he could not go home to dine and sleep with his wife when Israel was at war having the covenant box with them.

King David organized and invited Uriah to a dinner from where he made him drunk with the thinking that he would be tempted to go to his home. However, Uriah did as he had done before.

King David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah himself to deliver. He instructed Joab to put Uriah in the front line where the fighting was heaviest in order for him to be killed.

However, Uriah was ignorant of the content of King David's letter to Joab. He did not know that the letter was against his own life and he delivered it safely.

King David's evil plot against Uriah's life worked out as Joab obeyed his instruction thus innocent as he was, Uriah was killed.

King David made Bathsheba his official wife after the period of mourning was over. However, the Lord was displeased with his actions.

Revision Questions

1. Discuss the circumstances that led to the death of Uriah

2. "Uriah the Hittite died because of his faithfulness to Israel's law of sanctification of the army" Discuss.

3. Examine the nature of sins that King David committed in his relationship with Bathsheba.

4. Account for the death of Uriah, the Hittite

5. Justify the death of Uriah, the Hittite during the reign of King David

• The war which Israel was having with the Ammonites. King David's idleness as he remained home

• Bathsheba's bathing in the afternoon

• Bathsheba's beauty that attracted King David

• Uriah died because of King David's lust

• Uriah's marriage to Bathsheba

• Bathsheba's pregnancy with King David

• David's planned move to hide or disguise Bathsheba's pregnancy

• Uriah's refusal to sleep with his own wife

• Uriah's faithfulness to Israel's law of sanctification of the army

• King David's ignorance of Israel’s law of sanctification of the army

• David's irresponsibility as king of Israel

• David's ignorance of Israel's law against adultery

• Bathsheba's acceptance to have sex with King David

• Uriah's ignorance of the content of King David's letter to Joab.

• Joab's loyalty and obedience to King David's instruction

LESSONS FOR POLITICAL LEADERS FROM URIAH'S DEATH

• Political leaders are called upon to uphold the constitution

• Political leaders should keep themselves busy

• Political leaders ought to be faithful in their marriages

• Political leaders should use their authority to preserve human life

• Political leaders should remain firm in face of difficulties.

• Political leaders are called upon to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations

• Political leaders should respect other people's views and opinions.

• Political leaders should defend their nations

• They should lead by examples

• They should repent their sins

• Political leaders should serve with obedience

• Political leaders are called upon to control their sexual desires

• They should respect themselves.

• Political leaders ought to listen to religious leaders

• They should realize and accept their mistake

PROPHET NATHAN'S MESSAGE TO KING DAVID AFTER HIS SINS OF ADULTERY AND MURDER (2 Samuel 12: 1 ff)

God sent Prophet Nathan to His servant David immediately after his sins of adultery with Bathsheba and his plot that saw Uriah killed.

The prophet revealed the Lord's message to King David through a story or a parable of a one rich man and poor man living in the same town.

The rich man had many cattle and sheep and the poor man had only a lamb, which he had bought.

The poor man took good care of his only lamb that he could feed it on the same cup he was using.

The rich man received a visitor one day but was not willing slaughter one of his many animals for the visitor

The rich man chose to slaughter the poor man's only lamb and prepared a meal for his visitor.

King David became very angry with the rich man's action and he condemned him to death. For being so cruel, the king ruled that the rich man had to pay back four times as much as he had taken.

However, Prophet Nathan revealed that King David was the rich man and Uriah was the poor. He had exploited the poor man. The king admitted his sins and was forgiven.

INTERPRETATION OF PROPHET NATHAN'S STORY TO KING DAVID

King David was the rich man prophet Nathan referred to in his parable. Therefore, he had to listen to what the Lord had to say to him

Uriah was the poor man that the rich man had exploited by grabbing his only beloved lamb and preparing a meal out of it.

The many cattle and sheep of the rich man meant God's favour and blessing to King David. He made him king of Israel and rescued him from King Saul as well.

King David's behavior meant that he had disobeyed the commands of the Lord. He had been sinful by committing adultery and murder.

The only lamb of the poor man meant Uriah's commitment to Bathsheba as his only beloved wife.

Besides, the care with which the poor treated his wife symbolized Uriah's love for Bathsheba, his only wife.

The visitor that the rich man received in his home showed the lust that overcame King David that he could not control his conduct.

The failure of the rich man to slaughter one of his many animals to prepare a meal for her visitors showed David's failure to fulfill his marital role to his wife.

The inability of the rich man to slaughter his own animal meant King David's failure to satisfy his sexual feeling with his own wife.

The killing of the only lamb of the poor man meant King David the sexual intercourse had with Bathsheba, the only wife of Uriah.

Besides, King David's sexual intercourse with Bathsheba showed how he had become so immoral that he could no longer follow the covenant laws.

King David's annoyance with the rich man meant that he knew what was right and wrong as he was touched by such an act of injustice against the poor man.

King David's condemnation of the rich man to death meant that he had condemned himself for having exploited an innocent person, Uriah.

Besides, the condemnation also meant that King David was unaware that he was the person being referred to as a rich man in the story.

In addition, the condemnation meant that King David was keen on promoting justice through keeping and observing the covenant laws.

The grabbing of the only lamb of the poor man meant King David had now taken over Bathsheba as his wife.

King David's acceptance of his guilt meant that he had realized his own human weaknesses and his unworthiness before the Lord.

Besides, the king acceptance meant that he was willing to put himself right with God through repentance,

By God forgiving King David's sins meant that he was willing to forgive any repentant sinner in Israel.

Revision Questions

1. What lessons can modern Christians learn from Prophet Nathan message to King David?

2. What is .the relevance of King David to Christians today?