THE SIN OF DAVID | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 27, 1869

THE SIN OF DAVID.

THE sin of David has furnished occasion for reproaching the cause of God in every age since David lived. It was a fearful act of transgression. Rather, it was a combination of many dreadful sins against God and man. It seems incredible that a man of David's noble qualities and excellent traits of character should plunge into such an abyss of sin and shame. Adultery gave occasion to the only crime which is more heinous than that, viz., murder. The crime was one in which lust, cruelty, treachery, and base ingratitude, all unite with awful intensity. From beginning to end it was such a work of iniquity as only can be wrought when Satan has complete control of the man.

How did David fall into this dreadful work of evil? Not in a moment, by any means. Men do not depart from God by one act of transgression. They backslide first in heart. Then, perhaps, to the astonishment of all who know them, they commit deeds of outbreaking crime. We may be sure that David was fearfully backslidden before he committed this crime, which has brought such a stain upon his memory. He had laid down his watch. His crime is thus introduced: "And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house." 2 Sam. xi, 2. He had been spending the afternoon in listless indolence. He had not been agonizing before God for victory over Satan. No; he was at ease in Zion. He thought himself strong enough to cope with the powers of darkness. He stood upon the very brink of ruin, and he knew it not. Had that afternoon been spent in earnest prayer and in faithful self-examination, how different had been David's whole future life! Alas! that he was thus taken captive by Satan. What sin did it produce! What reproach did it bring upon the cause of God! What guilt, what shame, what anguish upon David! And what ruin has it wrought in causing men to stumble to perdition! How faithful is the Bible. It gives us an exact history of the men whose lives it portrays. It conceals nothing. And so the case of David is placed on record as a warning to all that read the book of God. Here fell a man highly favored of God. You, reader, are exposed to the same danger. Take heed, lest you also stumble to your final ruin.