(1 Chronicles 3:4-9 NLT) These six sons were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven and a half years. Then David reigned another thirty-three years in Jerusalem. The sons born to David in Jerusalem included Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. Their mother was Bathsheba, the daughter of Ammiel. David also had nine other sons: Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. These were the sons of David, not including his sons born to his concubines. Their sister was named Tamar.
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” The focus of this portion of the series has been David and soon we will transition to the Apostle Paul. However, before we leave David I feel led to say something about Bathsheba.
When we met Bathsheba she was the wife of Uriah, innocently taking a bath while her husband was deployed to combat. The King summoned for her, she answered the King’s call, and when he made a sexual advance on her, the Bible does not indicate that she resisted at all. Bathsheba committed adultery with her husband’s Commander-in-Chief while her husband was deployed. She then got pregnant, told the King about the pregnancy, found out that her husband was killed in combat (not knowing that he was actually murdered by David), she mourned the death of her husband, went on to marry the King, and the fruit of her adulterous relationship (the baby) died on the 7th day of his life. That is enough to crush anyone, but Bathsheba moved on. She kept living and the Lord blessed her. Not because she was so good, but because He is.
After her baby died Bathsheba went on to have four more boys with David. David, meanwhile, had 9 other boys and one girl while he was reigning in Jerusalem. This is in addition to the six boys he had while he was reigning in Hebron. In all, David had 15 boys and one girl from his wives and he also had more boys from his concubines.
Bathsheba did her best to be a faithful wife to David and a faithful mother to her four boys, even though she knew she had a checkered past. David did his best to fulfill his purpose before God, even though he knew he had made many mistakes and he was far from perfect. Could someone poke holes in David and Bathsheba’s lives? Absolutely. Would they have been plastered all over the tabloids if this had happened today? You better believe it. Could they be accused of being unholy and unrighteous? Without question. But that is the beauty of Grace. They never claimed to be holy or righteous outside of God’s Grace.
So what does this mean to you today? A few quick things.
1. God loves you in spite of your flaws.
2. God never required David or Bathsheba to be perfect in order to bless them and He does not require perfection from you.
3. God will bless you because He is so good, not because you are.
4. God will work with you to fulfill His assignment for your life, in spite of your imperfections.
5. God does not want you to wallow in condemnation, because if you do, you won’t allow Him to use you.
6. The heroes of the Bible were not perfect, they were just forgiven and they were willing to be used.
7. God is in the business of doing extraordinary things through ordinary people, so the emphasis can be on Him and not us.
8. God knew you would mess up and He knew you would be far from perfect, but He loved you and called you anyway. Accept His Grace and submit to the calling.
9. God is not looking to highlight your mistakes. None of us would measure up if He put us on open-display. Instead, God is looking to highlight His Glory and Grace; both of which are on full-display when He chooses to use unholy people in a holy way.
Closing Confession: Father, when I read Your Word I see a God who uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways. I see a God who turns cowards into champions, weaklings into warriors, and the lifeless into leaders. You don’t do it because the people are so great. You do it because You are so great. I see how You used David mightily, in spite of his imperfections. I see how You blessed the womb of Bathsheba and You helped her to be a good wife to David, in spite of what she did in her past. You could have easily highlighted their mistakes. But instead, You chose to highlight Your glory through them. Since we all know they were not perfect, You were the one on display through their lives. Everyone who knows me also knows I am not perfect. I now submit myself to be used of You, so You can get the glory from my life. You have the excellency, I have the earthen vessel. As You put Your excellency in me, a simple earthen vessel, and You perform the SuperNatural through me and bless the work of my hands, people will know that my power comes from You and not me. People will recognize my God and call me blessed. And when the accolades come, when people want to put the spotlight on me because of my performance, I will be quick to deflect the glory back to You. I am here to glorify Your name. You get the glory, and I get the benefits of walking under Your amazing Grace! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
