THE DEVIL'S TRAP (7)

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE DEVIL'S TRAP. (7)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

2 Sam 11:14-17:

*And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.*

*And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.*

*And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.*

*And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

*There is a terror by night.......; and...... the arrow that flieth by day....*

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Uriah was now dead.

The poor man, faithful and dedicated, was soon forgotten, and Bathsheba went on with her life with the man who took her by force.

David fasted and prayed when the child conceived from the adultery was sick and eventually died.

David was recorded to have arisen *".....from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.*, 2 Sam 12:15-23.

The only record of how David bore the loss of Uriah was recorded in 2 Sam 12:24: *And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her:........*"

David took Bathsheba into his home.

Bathsheba mourned Uriah but soon gave birth to another child with another man.

God loved the product of their intimacy but hated the act of their intimacy.

David showed great concern for the loss of the baby conceived out of his adultery but no record of mourning for Nathan. Not a record of national honor or a poetic eulogy (ref 1 Kgs 1: 1-17) of Uriah's loss because David knew the evil he did.

To make matters worse and condemnable, David showed no sympathy, and in utter disrespect for the innocent life lost, David said to the messenger

*"..... Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.*, 2 Sam 11:25.

Some people do not respect human lives or the lives they live how much more when they are dead.

Respect your life by surrendering it to Christ before evil people disrespect it for you

The devil trap is to trap you into his coven and take your life away. Christ's haven is to give you life more abundantly, John 10:10.

David continued life as if nothing had happened.

2 Sam 12:24 further says *"......and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.*

Solomon wrote two close reflections, which are reference points to us today.

Each of these two writings of Solomon is a sad reflection of his father's wrong attitude to Uriah.

First, is in Eccl 9: 14-18.

The second is in Eccl 12:5-8.

We will discuss the first today.

Eccl 9: 14-18 says:

*There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:*

*Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.*

*Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.*

*The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.*

*Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.*

Though both the names of David and Uriah were not mentioned in Solomon's writing, their storyline is implied.

Solomon's writings, as applied to David and Uriah, can be broken down as follows:

Uriah was a poor man by status to David.

David besieged him, ref Eccl 9:14-15

Uriah was a man who loved his country, ref Eccl 9:15, and was wise enough to tell David that he could not go into his wife. He told David

*".....I will not do this thing."*

He further told David that his reason was not only because he was not going into his house but also because *".....The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents;...."* 2 Sam 11:11.

Uriah's wisdom was despised, and his words were not heard, Eccl 9:16.

Though David heard the wisdom of Uriah in his quiet palace but his hatched crime that brought the death of Uriah was heard in the city, by all at the war front and brought to David, 2 Sam 11: 17-24.

Solomon charged that wisdom was better than the weapons of war, Eccl 9: 18.

David was a man of war and the generalissimo, the supreme commander with authority over Israel's armed forces but he lacked self control and could not make sound judgment and because of this he became the *".....sinner..."* that *"....destroyeth much good.*.

2 Sam 11:17 says *".....and Uriah the Hittite died also."*.

Conquering at war was a major strength of David, but mastering his self-control would have been better and greater.

Self-control is one of the fruit of the Spirit,

Gal 5:22-23, and lack of it is a major entrapment in the devil's camp.

Anyone without self-control will make wrong decisions with fatal consequences.

Solomon teaches us, and according to his use of words, wisdom is no use to a person, like David, who momentarily dwells in folly or is committed to an evil agenda.

Though Uriah's life was wasted, Solomon admonishes against evil doing.

He writes in Eccl 9: 8 *Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.*

He warns us to be careful. Uriah may be poor, but his life meant so much to God to warrant justice for Uriah's death, 2 Sam 12: 1-14.

By God's judgment of David, He was sending a message to David and to everyone that nobody has a right to take anyone's life and that a person's, like Uriah, seemingly undesirable state, is better than death.

Becareful of those who waste people's lives. God tells us there are wasters, ref Isaiah 54:16.

Becareful of the devil's trap.

*Remorse corner.*

Your life is too precious to God. Call on him every day. The devil's arrows fly day and night.

*Call to Word action.*

Your seemingly undesirable state is better than death.

Eccl 9:4 *For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

*Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.*, Ps 91:5-6.

*Prayer.*

Lord, please be my refuge and let no evil befall me. Do not allow any plague to come near my dwelling in Jesus name.

Good morning all, and be blessed as you go today.

God bless you.

Shalom.