Uriah the Hittite                                   by Giulio Mari

2 Samuel 11

I would like to introduce the reader to a man whose appearance on the pages of Scripture is brief but very significant not only for his ruler, king David of old, but for the people of God today.

By virtue of his character Uriah the Hittite speaks to us today because people know who we are not just by what we say but, mostly and more significantly, by the actions and deeds we perform as we walk in this world.

His persona is cast onto the scene of Israel's history as recorded in the book of 2Samuel 11 and the record related to his story extends to the end of chapter 12. Of note is the fact that his name is mentioned by Matthew in the genealogy of Jesus instead of the name of his wife — Bathsheba.

And it is the name Bathsheba who is so well known by the student of God's word for the most memorable transgression in king David's — yet glorious — life. Even the writer of 1Kings marks that event with these words "[For] David did that which is right in the eyes of the Lord, and did not turn aside from all that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite."[i]

The Bible narrative seems to point out the king's letdown in not going out to battle with his army. It states that there was a time when kings went out and that David had sent his army commander Joab but he had remained in Jerusalem. "And it happened at evening time, David rose up from his bed and walked up and down on the roof of the king's house" Getting up from bed in the evening? "And [he saw] from the roof a woman bathing." A woman bathing in possible view of others? All likely circumstances working together to entrap man and woman in sin. Our Lord taught us to pray "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"[ii] None of us is immune from being lured into sin; may the Lord be gracious to us in our personal lives.

David ended up committing adultery with Bathsheba.

Placing aside the main reason for the popularity of this incident I would like to turn the readers' attention to the less known person of this triangular affair — Bathsheba's husband. Yes, it is not David's moral failure that I would like to emphasise but Uriah's uprightness. This man, counted among David's might men of valour[iii], was not an Israelite by birth yet was faithful to the God of Israel as one born as such.

Uriah had been on the battlefield with Joab's army fighting around Rabbah a city of the Ammonites while, unbeknown to him, his king had seduced his wife. Upon hearing the news of his mistress having become pregnant David reasoned that if he could convince Uriah to come back to his house and lie with his wife the whole incident would be just an obscure event kept between the two of them and soon to be forgotten.

Being summoned by his king Uriah came back to Jerusalem and after having been asked about the news on the frontline he was told to go home and to wash his feet — a euphemism for having a good time with his wife — I suppose. David even sent a gift after him. But Uriah did not go home to his wife and David heard that.

Concerned about this strange behaviour the king asked his soldier why he had spent the night with others at the entrance of his palace. He even told him how everyone coming from a journey would normally go to home  and relax.

David then asked him "Why have you not gone down to your house?" And right there Uriah gave David his soul piercing answer which even today rings true to the hearts of those who love the Lord and are concerned for His people. Uriah said "The ark and Israel, and Judah dwell in booths. And my lord Joab, and my lord's servants are camping on the face of the field. And I, shall I go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing."

Oh that we might have this kind of heart toward our brethren whether at home or abroad! Shouldn't these words convict us to embrace those we do not see yet we know are labouring in the trenches of this world of darkness?

 Uriah did not hide behind his tour of duty as a good reason to have a loving time at home with his wife. For him it was a matter of conscience. He did not consider his works as good enough, his principles were his guiding light not how much he had performed for king and country.

Doesn't this remind us of One who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but humbled Himself?[iv] Didn't Uriah, as Christ, have all the rights to grasp and enjoy what could have been used for his pleasure? The apostle Paul exhorts us to have this mind in us which was also in Christ Jesus and, in humility, to esteem others more than ourselves looking after not just our own interests but also to the interests of others.

Uriah's love for his fellow warriors restrained him. And, as with him, can we have our good time today and allow ourselves to live in luxury and enjoy the pleasures of this world while there are brothers and sisters in Christ down our street and throughout the world who, with enormous sacrifices, hold up the Word of Life to a perishing world? I suggest that we should, as Uriah, refrain from our fleshly indulgences for the sake of those who, in the Body of Christ, are fighting in the front lines the good fight of faith while faced with incredible obstacles and opposition — they need our help in every way possible.

We do have apparent reasons to indulge in fun and relaxation. After all, we work hard at our jobs, we strive to put bread on our table therefore we need to reward ourselves with some of the pleasures this world has to offer. Isn't this the way of life of most of our peers? Isn't this part of what we work for? We know that relaxation is not wrong nor are the things that this world has to offer yet only the Holy Spirit can bear witness to the conscience of the believer what is permissible in the realm of personal pleasure.

Let not that believer assume that all he can afford may be justifiable in the eyes of God. It is not for us to set limits on somebody else's freedom of choice but let us all be aware that God knows our hearts and He is aware of how we spend the time and the resources He has entrusted us with. We may justify anything in our own mind, but is God convinced?

The rest of Uriah's story continues to speak as we read that for a second time, even after having been caused to become drunk, he still did not go to his house but kept his conscience pure to his values. He ended up paying with his life for the stand he took. Someone might say that God's plan was for David's sin to be exposed. Yes that is true, but it was Uriah's character and uprightness that God used to convict David of his sin.

God always chooses the proper vessel to fulfil His purposes.

Should our life be weighed on the scale of this man's ethical strength how would we fare?

The Bible says that "Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete, fully furnished for every good work."[v] Has the story of this man reproved, corrected or instructed you? Let us all be made even more complete by what his life teaches us.

May the grace of God be the source and reason for a new apprehension on how to walk in this world.

Notes and References

[i] 1Kings 15:5

[ii] Luke 11:4

[iii] 2Samuel 23:39; 1Chronicle 11:41

[iv] Philippians 2:4-8

[v] 2Timothy 3:16

(Scriptures taken from the LITV [Literal Translation of the Holy Bible] by J.P. Green,Sr.1995).

Being aware of my limitations but desirous  to share, I submit this paper to my fellow believers in Christ.

None of my work is ever complete, there is always something to add as the Lord grants more light.

"For in You is the fountain of life, in your light we see light." Ps.36:9 LITV

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                               David and Michal                      by Giulio Mari

Reflections on 2 Samuel 6:12-23 / 1 Chronicles 15:27-29

"And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart."

  
 Later she said to him:

"How glorious was the king of Israel today, who was uncovered today before the eyes of

the slave-girls of his servants as one of the vain ones shamelessly uncovers himself."

David was dancing with all his might before the Lord while Michal, Saul’s daughter, was in the palace. She was notably absent from the multitude of people that had gone out to accompany her husband to the most holy task of bringing back the presence of the Lord into Jerusalem.

She was in a different spirit; she was of a different spirit.

Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen and girded with an ephod.[1] He had left his royal apparel and was dressed as the priests and the singers. He had, like the New Testament theme: "Emptied Himself taking the form of a slave." [2]

The king might have been less regal than usual but it was nothing to the ones who were rejoicing with him. Even to the slave-girls, who were probably dancing and playing timbrels along the way, the presence of a less than proper David was seen as natural under the extraordinary circumstances—they were engulfed in the same Spirit of worship and praise as their king was. To them it must have been great, but to Michal, who did not have her eyes set on God it was scandalous. Michal was in the flesh, the slave-girls in the spirit.

In the eyes of some of the young and old Jewish devout men, the newly Holy Spirit's filled disciples were despised as men full of sweet wine, and indeed they were, but it was the new wine of the Spirit—life had been released.[3] Often there seems to be a resistance on the part of those who walk according to the flesh toward those who walk according to the Spirit. It is in the same order of things expressed by Paul:

“ But then, even as he born according to the flesh persecuted the one according to the Spirit, so also now.” [4]

That was Michal’s attitude, propriety above sentiments, political correctness over offensive spiritual realities. David saw what was behind her attitude and he addressed the root cause:

"before the Lord, who chose me over your father and over all your father's house..."

Michal’s hopes were still entrenched in her father’s fame. She had been taken out of a house of disobedience and placed beside a man after God’s own heart and yet she was still nostalgic of her family’s former glory.

Doesn’t it remind us of a people taken out of Egypt, the house of bondage, to be taken into the Promise Land and yet looking back with longing to the comforts of slavery, complaining at the apparent slowness of God in providing for their needs? [5]

It also causes us to consider a people translated out of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of His love and yet looking back to the time of self effort and personal energies, tired of waiting on God’s timing. The predictability of fleshly attainments and dead liturgies feels so good and comfortable when God requires quiet, patient waiting on the leading of His Spirit.

After all, like so many lofty church practices, Saul was head and shoulders above anybody else in Israel, and this ruddy former shepherd boy, passionately in love with the presence of God, almost seemed like an impostor on her family’s course to glory. But she was looking at the stature of the flesh, not having treasured the word given to Samuel—God looks to the heart not to appearances.[6]

In the same spirit of thanksgiving as David, much later, a woman came to worship the Lord Christ with all she had. As with Michal, the same with the people watching the anointing oil being wasted on Jesus’ head—they despised this woman in their hearts—that expression of worship was too much for them.

When people are confronted with the unashamed abandonment of the true worshipper, it usually happens that the real colors of the cold hearted are revealed. As long as nominal and safe forms of worship are displayed and practised nobody objects. But when people of unrestrained gratitude express their full joy and ecstasy before the Savior then the dry squalor of an unthankful heart comes to the surface and tries to oppose what it cannot find within itself.

We, the redeemed of today, must not lose our first love. We have to guard our hearts from the deceptive pleasures of the world and lifeless traditions, and set them on the soon returning King. Rejoicing, let us go out as those simple slave-girls, ushering back in the earth the presence of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

After all didn’t David say that with the slave-girls he will be honored?

The choice is ours, shall we be a people of unpretentious, lowly estate and dance with the King or shall we associate with the proud spirit of Michal and be unfruitful?

“And there was no child to Michal the daughter of Saul until the day of her death.”

Endnote and References

[1] Please note that David was not scantily dressed as it may appear from Michal's choice of words. Also, the statement in

              2Sam.6:14 "And David was girded with a linen ephod." seems to imply that that was the only thing he was wearing.

              But the extent of his apparel is clarified with the addition of the report of the same event found in 1Chronicles 15:27.

              That text states that the king was clothed with a robe of fine linen (ankle length) as the Levites and singers with him,

              and  that he was also wearing a linen ephod (knee length and opened at the sides).

[2] Phil.2:7   

[3] Acts 2:13

[4] Gal.4:29

[5] Exo.16:2-3

[6] 1Sam.16:7

(Scriptures taken from the KJV, NKJV of the Bible and the LITV [Literal Translation of the Holy Bible] by J.P. Green,Sr.1995).

_____________________________

Being aware of my limitations but desirous  to share, I submit this paper to my fellow believers in Christ.

None of my work is ever complete, there is always something to add as the Lord grants more light.

"For in You is the fountain of life, in your light we see light." Ps.36:9 LITV

  Rev.02. 2013