In this account, we see how what we might consider a small sin can quickly spiral into a disastrous web of deceit and horrendous sins that affect the lives of many people.
As we have seen, David usually goes to war with his armies, but as chapter 11 begins, we see that this year, for some reason he decided to send Joab and the army out, while he stayed behind in the comfort of his palace. This could be considered his first sin, if he stayed behind because of laziness or complacency.
Next, he seems unable to sleep, so he goes to the palace rooftop and sees a woman bathing.
Two questions here. Why is he unable to sleep? Is he feeling guilty for not being with his army? We don’t know. Second question: why is Bathsheba bathing where she can be seen?
Now, instead of averting his eyes, he watches her. Yes, it’s a natural reaction, because most men are certainly attracted by the female form. But now, the lust gets hold of David, and he inquires as to who this woman is. Then a red flag is flown in David’s face when the messenger tells David that this is the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. But instead of stopping there, David sent for her.
The sin train is moving now and gathering speed.
Bathsheba came to David, and they had sex. Notice that there is no word of Bathsheba putting up any resistance. They are both culpable in this whole sequence of events.
When David finds out that she is pregnant, David knows that he is in trouble, so he calls Uriah back from the battlefield, thinking that Uriah will come home and have sex with Bathsheba. Then there would be the possibility that the father of the baby is Uriah.
But Uriah is a better man than David, and refuses the comforts of home while his army brethren are fighting a war. So now David has Uriah placed in a hot zone where he is sure to die in battle.
The train is a full speed and is headed for a cliff.
Notice, at this point David has pulled Joab, his general, into the web of deceit. Joab is forced to become an accessory to murder by sending Uriah into battle, and then leaving him there with no backup.
The consequences of this chain of events are many, and they could have all been avoided if David had stopped the progress at any point along the way, but once we give in to our own desires, it can feel like there’s just no stopping.
That’s why in several scriptures we are told to flee from sin. At the first sign of temptation, the best advice is to flee from it. Don’t try to tough it out. If you’re a Star Trek fan, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “Resistance is futile.” Don’t play with sin. Flee from it. Had David gone back inside when he first saw Bathsheba, none of this would have happened. Flee from sin. Put as much distance between you and it as you can, as fast as you can.