David Manasseh Overcoming Failure

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HP971 David & Manasseh 2col pp 2/8/06 3:39 PM Page 1
DAVID &
MANASSEH:
Overcoming Failure
O
ver the years I have learned
that God has many ways to
make us into the people
He wants us to be. But it seems
that His preferred method is
CONTENTS through resistance. The greater
the resistance, the greater the
growth. What we see as obstacles
Manasseh:
Overcoming to achievement, God sees
A Bad Start . . . . . . . . 2 as opportunities for growth.
Disappointment, loss, criticism,
David: failure, humiliation, temptation,
Overcoming Lies
Of Self-Protection . . 15 depression, loneliness, and moral
failure become the means by which
Overcoming we grow strong if we are “trained”
Moral Failure . . . . . . 25 by these forces, as the author of
Hebrews would say (12:11).
This booklet is mainly about
overcoming failure. We will
examine two Old Testament men
who failed miserably, David and
Manasseh, and see how God used
their failure to make them strong.
We will discover that God wastes
nothing in our lives—not even
sin. David Roper
Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo:Warren Morgan/Westlight
Scripture taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973,1978,1984
by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.All rights reserved.
This booklet is based on a portion of A Man To Match The Mountain by David Roper published
by Discovery House Publishers, a non-profit affiliate of RBC Ministries.
© 1996, 2004 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA
© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

MANASSEH: way in the Rose Bowl!”

Overcoming It may be that our
failures are not as
A Bad Start conspicuous as Riegels’
I
t was New Year’s Day, was, but we have our own
1929. The University of alternate routes and wrong-
California at Berkeley way runs. And we have the
was playing Georgia Tech in memories that accompany
the Rose Bowl. Roy Riegels, them—recollections that
a Cal defensive back rise up to taunt us and
recovered a Georgia Tech haunt us at 3 o’clock in
fumble, ran laterally across the morning. There’s so
the field, turned, and then much of our past we wish
scampered 65 yards in the we could undo or redo—
wrong direction—straight so much we wish we could
toward Cal’s goal line. One forget. If only we could
of his own players tackled begin again.
Riegels just before he would Louisa Fletcher
have scored for Georgia Tarkington wrote for all
Tech. On the next play, of us when she mused:
Georgia Tech blocked I wish that there were
the punt and scored. some wonderful place
From that day on, called the Land of
Riegels was saddled Beginning Again,
with the infamous name, Where all our mistakes,
“Wrong-way Riegels.” For and all our heartaches,
years afterward whenever and all of our poor
he was introduced, people selfish griefs
would exclaim, “Oh, yeah. could be dropped like a
I know who you are! You’re shabby old coat at the door,
the guy who ran the wrong and never be put on again.
2
There is such a place. him among all the kings

It is found in the grace of of Judah, either before
God—a grace that not only him or after him. He held
completely forgives our past fast to the Lord and did
and puts it away, but uses not cease to follow Him;
it to make us better than he kept the commands
ever before. “Even from the Lord had given Moses
sin,” Augustine said, (2 Ki. 18:4-6).
“God can draw good.” Hezekiah was responsible
for a historic spiritual revival
MANASSEH’S that rejuvenated Judah. He
GODLY HERITAGE did away with the idols
Manasseh was the son of that his father, Ahaz, had
Hezekiah, one of the few worshiped, and he delivered
kings of Judah who “did his people from apostasy.
what was right in the eyes He was helped greatly in his
of the Lord” (2 Ki. 18:3). work of reformation by the
Israel’s historian tells us: prophetic ministries of Isaiah
[Hezekiah] removed the and Micah.
high places, smashed the Hezekiah’s son Manasseh
sacred stones, and cut ascended to the throne when
down the Asherah poles. he was 12 years old and
He broke into pieces the reigned for 10 years as co-
bronze snake Moses had regent with his father. When
made, for up to that time he was 22, his father died
the Israelites had been and the young king took
burning incense to it. (It over the reins of government.
was called Nehushtan.) He reigned 55 years—from
Hezekiah trusted in the 697 to 642 BC—the longest
Lord, the God of Israel. rule in the history of both
There was no one like Judah and Israel.
3
Manasseh was blessed He rebuilt the high places

with a godly father. He lived his father Hezekiah had
through a time of spiritual destroyed; he also erected
vitality and prosperity. He altars to Baal and made
was tutored by the prophets an Asherah pole, as Ahab
Isaiah and Micah. And he king of Israel had done.
saw the Lord miraculously He bowed down to all the
deliver Jerusalem while starry hosts and worshiped
under siege by the them. He built altars in the
Assyrians (2 Ki. 19:35). temple of the Lord, of
Yet, he didn’t follow in which the Lord had said,
his father’s footsteps. “In Jerusalem I will put
My Name.” In both courts
MANASSEH’S of the temple of the Lord,
FAILURE OF he built altars to all the
LEADERSHIP starry hosts. He sacrificed
Scripture tells us that his own son in the fire,
Manasseh “did evil in the practiced sorcery and
eyes of the Lord, following divination, and consulted
the detestable practices of mediums and spiritists. He
the nations the Lord had did much evil in the eyes
driven out before the of the Lord, provoking
Israelites” (2 Ki. 21:2). Him to anger. He took
The “nations” of whom the carved Asherah pole
the author writes were the he had made and put it in
depraved and disgusting the temple . . . . Manasseh
Canaanites. Manasseh led [Israel] astray, so that
outdid them in his insane they did more evil than
frenzy to break every rule— the nations the Lord
a madness spelled out in had destroyed before the
the following verses: Israelites (2 Ki. 21:3-7,9).
4
Manasseh’s sins are giving his devotion to the

recited here in an ascending sun, the moon, the planets,
order of deviance. First he and the stars (see also Jer.
“rebuilt the high places 8:2; 19:13). He built altars to
his father Hezekiah astral deities in the temple in
had destroyed.” Ahaz, Jerusalem, where God had
Manasseh’s grandfather, said, “I will put My Name.”
had established “high He made his sons pass
places”—groves on the top through the fire—child
of hills where the Asherah sacrifice. According to the
was worshiped. Hezekiah chronicler, “He sacrificed
had torn them down his sons in the fire in the
(2 Ki. 18:4). Manasseh Valley of Ben Hinnom.”
built them up again. He also “practiced sorcery,
Then Manasseh “erected divination, and witchcraft,
altars to Baal,” the chief and consulted mediums and
Canaanite deity, and made spiritists” (2 Chr. 33:6). The
an Asherah pole as Hebrew text suggests that
Ahab and Jezebel, Israel’s he did more than consult
diabolical duo, had done (1 them, he “appointed” them.
Ki. 16:33). The Asherah were In other words, he gave
images of a female deity, them court appointments
the consort of Baal, who and put them in his cabinet.
represented the Canaanite If this were not enough,
goddess of sex and fertility. this debauched monarch
The pillars erected in her then “took the carved
honor were evidently some Asherah pole he had made
sort of phallic symbols. and put it in the temple.”
Manasseh worshiped the He took the aforementioned
hosts of heaven and served pornographic post, dedicated
them. He practiced astrology, to everything ugly and
5
obscene, and set it up in the much innocent blood that

Holy of Holies in the Lord’s he filled Jerusalem from
temple. end to end—besides the
Nowhere is there the sin that he had caused
slightest hint of the worship Judah to commit, so that
of Yahweh. Manasseh they did evil in the eyes
selected his pantheon from of the Lord (2 Ki. 21:16).
the cultures surrounding Manasseh silenced the
Israel—from the Amorites, prophets with terrifying
the Canaanites, the fury. Josephus, the Jewish
Philistines, the Phoenicians historian, reports that
—but there is not one Manasseh “slew all the
reference to the God who righteous men that were
had revealed Himself to among the Hebrews, nor
Israel. would he spare the
The historian concluded, prophets, for he every
“Manasseh led [Israel] day slew some of them
astray, so that they did more until Jerusalem was
evil than the nations the overflown with blood.”
Lord had destroyed before There is a longstanding
the Israelites” (2 Ki. 21:9). Jewish tradition reported in
Understand what’s being the Talmud that Manasseh
said here: Manasseh alone put his old teacher, Isaiah,
bore the responsibility for in a log and sawed it
bringing an entire nation in two. This is almost
down. What a legacy to certainly the background
leave behind! of the statement in the
And that’s not all. There book of Hebrews that
is a footnote that is terrible at least one of God’s
in its implications: heroes was “sawn in
Manasseh also shed so two” (Heb. 11:37).
6
THE REST OF told in the books of Kings.

THE STORY The purpose of 1 and 2
As for the other events of Kings is to trace the decline
Manasseh’s reign, and all of Israel and Judah to the
he did, including the sin Babylonian exile and to
he committed, are they supply the reasons for
not written in the book of that exile. The stories are
the annals of the kings of necessarily abridged. The
Judah? Manasseh rested writer dwells only on those
with his fathers and was facts that contribute to his
buried in his palace theme. The account of
garden, the garden of Manasseh’s reign is
Uzza. And Amon his son resumed and supplemented
succeeded him as king in 2 Chronicles 33. The
(2 Ki. 21:17-18). purpose of the chronicler
Here is an odd thing: was different. His theme was
Manasseh thumbed his the restoration of the Davidic
nose at God for 55 years, throne. For this purpose
indulged himself in every he selected events that
lustful passion, corrupted contributed to that motif and
and ruined an entire nation, included a number of facts
and God sat on His hands. that are omitted in Kings.
Or did He? The first nine verses of 2
Normally, we see Chronicles 33 are basically
only one side of God—His a rewrite of 2 Kings 21:1-9
longsuffering patience: “He with a few minor changes.
longs to be gracious” (Isa. Then a new story emerges:
30:18). But there is another The Lord spoke to
side: His “strange work” Manasseh and his
of judgment. people, but they paid no
The whole story is not attention (2 Chr. 33:10).
7
God’s judgment did not incident related; or

fall precipitously. It never sometimes by a book, a
does. Theologian John Piper sermon, a chance meeting.
says, “[God’s] anger must In these ways God appeals
be released by a stiff safety to us to come back to Him.
lock, but His mercy has a I remember a student I
hair trigger.” God loves us met at Stanford University
too much to let us go. He years ago. He was sitting on
pursues us—even into our a bench in front of Memorial
sin and guilt—and pleads Church reading a Stanford
with us to turn back. Daily. I sat down next to
An old Turkish proverb him, and we began to talk.
says that God has “feet of The conversation went well
wool and hands of steel.” until it turned to the subject
We may not hear Him of his relationship with God.
coming, but when He gets He leaped to his feet with
His hands on us we cannot a curse and stalked away.
wriggle away. The flip side Then he stopped and turned
of the promise “I will never around. “Forgive me,”
leave you nor forsake you” he said. “I was raised
(Josh. 1:5) is the pledge that in a Christian home. My
He will never leave us alone. parents are Presbyterian
He will hound us, badger missionaries in Taiwan, but
us, bother us, pester us, and I’ve been running away from
heckle us until we give in. God all my life. Yet wherever
God has many ways I go someone wants to talk
to deliver us from sin: to me about God.”
sometimes by a drawing we More than anything,
feel in our souls; sometimes God wants us to give in to
by a word dropped by a His love. “Love surrounds
friend; sometimes by an us,” George MacDonald
8
said, “seeking the smallest kingdom. Then Manasseh

crack by which it may enter knew that the Lord is God
in.” God waits tirelessly and (2 Chr. 33:11-12).
loves relentlessly. But if we The Assyrian king
will not have Him, He will mentioned here was
let us have our way and let probably Esarhaddon,
us reap the consequences the son of Sennacherib.
of our resistance. But even Esarhaddon put a ring in
this is for our good. It is the Manasseh’s nose, manacles
redemptive judgment of on his hands and feet, and
God. God knows that when marched him off to Babylon,
the cold wind blows it may where for 12 years he
turn our head around. languished in a dungeon.
So the Lord brought A ring in the nose was the
against them the army Assyrian way of humiliating
commanders of the king conquered kings, a custom
of Assyria, who took clearly illustrated on
Manasseh prisoner, put a Assyrian artifacts. What
hook in his nose, bound utter humiliation! What
him with bronze shackles awful ruin! But all to bring
and took him to Babylon. Manasseh home to God.
In his distress he sought
the favor of the Lord his THE WAY BACK
God and humbled himself Recovery begins with
greatly before the God of shame. MacDonald wrote,
his fathers. And when he “To be ashamed is a holy
prayed to Him, the Lord and blessed thing. Shame
was moved by his entreaty is shame only to those who
and listened to his plea; want to appear, not those
so He brought him back who want to be. Shame is
to Jerusalem and to his shame only to those who
9
want to pass their as C. S. Lewis observed,

examination, not to those “Real forgiveness means
who would get to the heart looking steadily at the sin,
of things. . . . To be humbly that sin that is left over
ashamed is to be plunged in without any excuse, after
the cleansing bath of truth.” all allowances have been
Humility and contrition are made, and seeing it in all its
the keys to the heart of horror, dirt, meanness, and
God. Those are the keys malice, and nevertheless
Manasseh used. being wholly reconciled to
In his distress he sought the one who has done it.
the favor of the Lord his That, and only that, is
God and humbled himself forgiveness; and that we
greatly before the God of can always have from
his fathers (2 Chr. 33:12). [God].”
Josephus said that Manasseh was not
Manasseh “esteemed forsaken. Despite his
himself to be the cause monstrous wickedness, the
of it all.” He accepted full Lord was still Manasseh’s
responsibility for what he God. Although anger swept
had done—no denial, no across God’s face, He never
excuses, no justification, no turned away His eyes.
blame-shifting, no special
pleading. Then Manasseh UNDYING LOVE
“humbled himself greatly.” In Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
Our tendency to make Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Tom
excuses for ourselves comes laments, “I’s wicked I is—
from thinking that God will mighty wicked. Anyhow I
never take us back unless can’t help it!” Sin is our
we can minimize or explain nature. It’s how we make
away our wrongdoing. But, our way through life—and
10
we can’t help it. Yet our [us] to God” (1 Pet. 3:18).

repeated failures do not He will never give up. He
change God’s fundamental loves us too much to give
disposition toward us. If it’s up. “He who began a good
our nature to sin, it’s His work in [us] will carry it on
nature to save. Without that to completion” (Phil. 1:6).
understanding we could We must accept God’s
never survive our sin. It full and free forgiveness, and
would only terrorize us and then forget ourselves. That
drive us away from God. we are sinners is undeniably
We’d have grounds true. That we are forgiven
for that terror if God had sinners is undeniable as
chosen us in the beginning well. We must not dwell on
because we were so our sinfulness. God’s heart
wonderful. But since our is open to us. We must take
original acceptance did what forgiveness we need
not depend on anything and get on with life.
in us, it cannot be undone
by anything in us now. ENDING WELL
Nothing in us deserved His There is more. God not only
favor before our conversion; forgives our sin, He uses it
nothing in us merits its to make us better than ever
continuation. before. Consider Manasseh.
God saved us because He was released from prison
He determined to do so. He after 12 years and restored to
created us for Himself, and his throne. Then he set out
without that fellowship His to strengthen his defenses:
heart aches in loneliness. When [Manasseh] prayed
That’s why Christ suffered to Him, the Lord was
for us—“the righteous for moved by his entreaty
the unrighteous, to bring and listened to his plea;
11
so He brought him back Manasseh destroyed his

to Jerusalem and to his pagan gods and removed
kingdom. Then Manasseh the terrible idol he had set
knew that the Lord is up in the house of the Lord.
God. Afterward he rebuilt He hated his idols with as
the outer wall of the City much fervor as he had
of David, west of the loved them before.
Gihon spring in the He repaired the altar
valley, as far as the of the Lord, which he had
entrance of the Fish broken down. He sacrificed
Gate and encircling the on it peace offerings and
hill of Ophel; he also thank offerings to praise
made it much higher. God for His deliverance.
He stationed military He used his power now to
commanders in all the reform his people rather
fortified cities in Judah. than to corrupt them.
He got rid of the foreign This is what John the
gods and removed the Baptist described as “fruit
image from the temple of in keeping with repentance”
the Lord, as well as all (Mt. 3:8). True repentance
the altars he had built on involves a fundamental
the temple hill and in change in our outlook and
Jerusalem; and he threw attitude. It is not mere
them out of the city. Then sorrow over sin. It is a
he restored the altar of radical reversal of our
the Lord and sacrificed thinking. It will manifest
fellowship offerings and itself in a determined effort
thank offerings on it, and to strengthen ourselves in
told Judah to serve the those areas where we are
Lord, the God of Israel weak and where we have
(2 Chr. 33:13-16). fallen before. There will be
12
a fierce determination to we travel, someone who will

guard ourselves against sin. keep us honest when we’re
True repentance will away from home. Whatever
mean staying away from it means, our waywardness
the company of a man or will have made us stronger
woman whose influence and better than ever before.
corrupts us. It will mean Even from our sin God can
staying out of situations in draw good.
God gave Manasseh 20
more years of rule. He got a
True repentance fresh and better start, and
he made the most of it. He
involves a became one of the greatest
fundamental change kings of Judah, and for
in our outlook and 22 years was a glorious
example to Israel of God’s
attitude. It is not unimaginable grace. God
mere sorrow over sin. will do the same for you.
It is a radical reversal WHAT’S IN A NAME?
of our thinking. Manasseh’s name is taken
from a Hebrew verb that
means “to forget.” That’s
which we’re inclined to the word God writes over
stumble and fall. It will Manasseh’s past and ours—
mean staying away from forgotten. “I will forgive
polluting influences in [your] wickedness and will
movies, books, magazines, remember [your] sins no
and cyberspace. It will mean more” (Jer. 31:34). Oswald
finding another person to Chambers says, “God
hold us accountable when forgets away our sins.”
13
Jeffrey Dahmer even after an inmate

comes to mind when sin attempted to slit his throat
of unforgivable proportion during a chapel service.
is considered. Dahmer If he was sincere, and it
confessed to murdering 17 appears that he was, we will
young men, dismembering see him one day in heaven.
some, having sex with their Odd, isn’t it? But such is
corpses, and eating parts of the grace of God.
their bodies.
The media exposure POSTSCRIPT
surrounding his crimes During halftime of that
turned Dahmer into a Rose Bowl game in 1929,
national symbol of evil. Riegels hid in a corner of
After his bloody death at the UCLA locker room with
the Columbia Correctional a towel over his head. His
Center in Wisconsin, coach, Nibbs Price, said
everyone was convinced nothing to him and very
that he was going straight to little to the team.
hell. One columnist uttered Three minutes before the
a fervent plea to the powers second half he said quietly,
of darkness: “Take Jeffrey “The team that started the
Dahmer, please.” first half will start the second
But as it turned out, half.” Riegels called out, “I
Dahmer had begun can’t, coach; I can’t go back
attending Bible studies in. I’ve humiliated the team,
in prison. He subsequently the school, myself. I can’t go
made a public profession back in.” “Get back in the
of faith in Jesus Christ and game, Riegels,” Price replied.
was baptized. He found “It’s only half over.”
forgiveness and peace. He What a coach! What
was calm about his fate, a God!
14
DAVID: stand far off? Why do You

Overcoming hide Yourself in times of
trouble? (Ps. 10:1).
Lies Of How long, O Lord?
Self-Protection Will You forget me
W
hen failing and forever? How long will
succeeding are at You hide Your face from
issue, an incident me? (Ps. 13:1).
in David’s life comes to My God, my God, why
mind. It took place during have You forsaken me?
a period when he and Saul Why are You so far from
were playing a deadly game saving me, so far from the
of hide and seek. Saul, words of my groaning?
pursuing David and his (Ps. 22:1).
band of men in the Judean
wilderness, was bent on DAVID’S
running him into the ground. DANGEROUS
Saul was familiar with all DECISION
David’s haunts and hiding David had reached the end
places. David could run but of his rope. He just couldn’t
he knew he could not hide. take it anymore. So he
He was weary and worn thought to himself:
out. There seemed to be One of these days I will be
no end to his troubles. destroyed by the hand of
The songs that are Saul. The best thing I can
assigned to this period of do is to escape to the land
David’s life are sad songs. of the Philistines. Then
The overriding mood is one Saul will give up searching
of dreary depression and for me anywhere in Israel,
despair. and I will slip out of his
Why, O Lord, do You hand (1 Sam. 27:1).
15
In the past, David talked single people have decided

to Gad or to one of his other in a moment of weariness
counselors. Or better yet, that they can’t handle
he “inquired of the Lord” the thought of perpetual
(1 Sam. 23:2,4). But on this loneliness, so they settle for
occasion, David didn’t ask a mate who makes life even
the Lord or anyone else. He more miserable for them? I
looked at his circumstances, wonder how many men
took counsel of his fears, have walked away from good
and fled to Philistia. Under jobs in a fit of momentary
the circumstances, he frustration and rage and now
believed that was the best find themselves hopelessly
thing for him to do. out of work or working in
The phrase translated situations far less desirable?
“The best thing I can do is I wonder how many have
to escape” is put in a way given up on their marriages
that suggests great haste: when they are at low ebb
“I shall immediately escape. and have lived to regret
I will do it now!” that decision? I wonder how
Decisions made when many men have walked
we’re down in the dumps or away from fruitful ministries
emotionally distraught are because of weariness and
exceedingly perilous. We’re discouragement?
most vulnerable to bad Ignatius of Loyola,
choices when we’re in that a 16th-century Basque
state of mind—choices we Christian, wrote a book
would never make if we titled The Spiritual Exercises.
were on top of things. When He pointed out that there
we’re down, we inevitably are two conditions in the
stumble into bad judgment. Christian life. One is
I wonder how many consolation, “When the
16
soul is aroused to a love for this latter spirit, one can

its Creator and Lord. When never find the correct way
faith, hope, and charity, and to a right decision.”
interior joy inspire the soul He continued:
to peace and quiet in our “Although in desolation
Lord.” The other is we should not change our
desolation, “When there is earlier resolutions, it will
darkness of soul, turmoil of be very advantageous to
mind, a strong inclination to intensify our activity against
earthly things, restlessness desolation. This can be done
resulting from disturbances, by insisting more on prayer,
and temptations leading to meditation, examination,
loss of faith. We find and confession.”
ourselves apathetic, tepid, So we should wait and
sad, and separated, as it pray. David eventually
were, from our Lord.” learned to wait for God (Ps.
“In time of desolation,” 5:3; 27:14; 33:20; 37:7,34;
he wrote, “one should never 38:15). He should have
make a change, but stand waited on this occasion, but
firm and constant in the he had made up his mind.
resolution and decision Given his circumstances,
which guided him the day Philistia looked better than
before the desolation, or the shadow of God’s
to the decision which he invisible wings.
observed in the preceding David and the six
consolation. For just as the hundred men with him
good spirit guides and left and went over to
consoles us in consolation, Achish son of Maoch king
so in desolation the evil of Gath. David and his
spirit guides and counsels. men settled in Gath with
Following the counsels of Achish. Each man had his
17
family with him, and Achish gave him Ziklag,

David had his two wives: and it has belonged to the
Ahinoam of Jezreel and kings of Judah ever since.
Abigail of Carmel, the David lived in Philistine
widow of Nabal. When territory a year and four
Saul was told that David months (27:5-7).
had fled to Gath, he no At last David and his
longer searched for him band could settle down. For
(1 Sam. 27:2-4). months their lives had been
full of alarm and flight. Now
DAVID’S they had a little corner of
RESTLESSNESS peace. Their children could
David was safe in Gath, play in safety. Old men and
though increasingly women could sit in the
uneasy. His movements sun and chat. Men could
were restricted. He had to work the fields instead of
give up his autonomy and sustaining themselves by
independence. He felt the raiding and looting.
need to get away from the David and his people
royal city, so he asked lived in Ziklag unmolested
Achish for another place to for a time, and everything
live. It was a modest request: seemed to be going well
David said to Achish, outwardly. But this was a
“If I have found favor in barren time in David’s walk
your eyes, let a place be with God. He wrote no
assigned to me in one of poetry and sang no songs in
the country towns, that Ziklag. Israel’s sweet singer
I may live there. Why was mute. David drifted
should your servant live steadily away from the Lord.
in the royal city with But David’s drifting did
you?” So on that day not result in personal failure
18
alone—he also placed his asked, “Where did you go

friends in spiritual jeopardy. raiding today?” David
Philistia lay outside the would say, “Against
inheritance of the Lord, the the Negev of Judah” or
abiding place of the Most “Against the Negev of
High. It was full of idols Jerahmeel” or “Against the
(2 Sam. 5:21). Negev of the Kenites.” He
As David drifted away did not leave a man or
from God, he became woman alive to be brought
increasingly restless—a to Gath, for he thought,
state of mind that always “They might inform on us
gets us in deep trouble. and say, ‘This is what
David did.’ ” And such
DAVID’S was his practice as long
TERRORIZING as he lived in Philistine
RAIDS territory. Achish trusted
Now David and his men David and said to himself,
went up and raided the “He has become so odious
Geshurites, the Girzites, to his people, the Israelites,
and the Amalekites. (From that he will be my servant
ancient times these peoples forever” (1 Sam. 27:8-12).
had lived in the land David plundered and
extending to Shur and looted village after village
Egypt.) Whenever David and distributed the spoils
attacked an area, he did to his kinsmen in Judah (1
not leave a man or woman Sam. 30:26). But there is a
alive, but took sheep and jarring note in the narrative.
cattle, donkeys and David adopted a policy of
camels, and clothes. extermination—killing men,
Then he returned to women, and children, lest
Achish. When Achish they inform on him. The
19
verbs attacked, leave, and Israel, thinking David had

took are what grammarians alienated himself from his
call “frequentative verbs” countrymen and was now
describing habitual action. wholly in his service. “He
Extermination was his has become so odious to
“policy,” as the Hebrew text his people,” he said, “that
described it, “as long as he he will be my servant
lived in Philistine territory.” forever” (27:12).
David ran in the fast lane That’s an interesting
for 1 year and 4 months. phrase: “He will be my
servant forever.” David,
DAVID’S DECEIT God’s free spirit, had sold
As the king’s liege, David himself to serve a pagan
was obliged to report on his king. “From wrong to wrong
battles and share some of the exasperated spirit
the booty from his victories. proceeds,” T. S. Eliot said,
Achish would ask him, “unless restored by that
“Where did you go raiding refining fire.”
today?” David would lie,
“I’ve been raiding Israelites DAVID’S MOMENT
and their allies—the OF TRUTH
Jerahmeelites and the The Philistines gathered
Kenites.” their forces at Aphek to
David embarked on go to war against Israel.
a course that demanded They were aware of the
perpetual deceit. He had disintegration of Saul’s
to keep lying to Achish, a kingdom and had noted
deception utterly unworthy with great satisfaction the
of his character. Achish growing number of mighty
accepted David’s reports as men who were abandoning
evidence of his hatred for Saul and identifying
20
themselves with David and put away your sin, and

and, presumably, with the humble yourself before Him
Philistine army. and He will arise to deliver
The Philistines decided to you. You may have
strike a final blow. So they destroyed yourself, but in
gathered all their forces— Him will be your help.”
along with David and his A door of hope was
mercenaries—with the intent opened. On the eve of the
of assaulting Israel across encounter God intervened.
the plain of Esdraelon. The Philistines themselves
David was obliged to follow insisted that David and his
his king into battle, though men have no part in the
he did so with a sinking battle, so they turned with
heart. He knew he must go relief to their homes in
into battle against his own Ziklag.
countrymen, against Saul David and his men
his king, and against reached Ziklag on the
Jonathan his beloved friend. third day. Now the
It may be that at this Amalekites had raided the
point David’s heart began Negev and Ziklag. They
to turn to God, asking Him had attacked Ziklag and
to extricate him from the burned it, and had taken
mess he had contrived for captive the women and
himself. If so, the Lord all who were in it, both
heard him. young and old. They
F. B. Meyer has written, killed none of them, but
“If by your mistakes and carried them off as they
sins you have reduced went on their way. When
yourself into a false position David and his men came
like this, do not despair; to Ziklag, they found it
hope still in God. Confess destroyed by fire and their
21
wives and sons and He should have left a few

daughters taken captive. men to guard the city. He
So David and his men should have known. He
wept aloud until they had had let his men down. You
no strength left to weep can imagine his terrible
(30:1-4). sense of isolation.
David and his men had And then there was his
been on the road for 3 days own personal loss. There
and were exhausted, eagerly was no hope, no human
anticipating seeing their prospect of redeeming the
wives and children. As they situation. He could never
neared Ziklag, they saw a catch the Amalekites. They
plume of smoke on the were mounted on camels
horizon and ran the last few and long gone. When we
miles to Ziklag to find the have hope, we can endure.
city torched and their When we are robbed of
women and little ones hope, life loses all its
kidnapped. Instead of meaning.
happy reunion, there was David sensed the
eerie silence and desolation. righteous judgment of God.
There were only a few His conscience awoke and
elderly men and women began to speak. David had
left to tell the story. David been leading a double life—
and his men wept until they betraying Achish and
could weep no more. raiding Philistine allies.
David’s troops turned He had massacred whole
and glared at him in angry villages and then had lied.
silence. There was talk of Now his village and family
lynching him. David was were gone. This was one of
personally responsible for the darkest moments in
their loss, and he knew it. David’s life.
22
DAVID’S “The Lord is my shepherd,

REPENTANCE my rock, my salvation.”
David wept in misery and Although David had
despair. He wept until he seriously compromised
could weep no more. A God’s name by his failure of
perfectly natural reaction. faith and his torturous and
But the natural is fatal. treacherous policies, the
“By sorrow of the heart the Lord was still his God.
spirit is broken” the proverb And in the present crisis
says (Prov. 15:13 NKJV). he could flee to the shelter
David was greatly of His wings.
distressed because God never refuses His
the men were talking of help, even when we have
stoning him; each one was brought ruin upon ourselves.
bitter in spirit because of Regardless of what we have
his sons and daughters. done, we must run to Him
But David found strength and take His strong hand.
in the Lord his God The man who can come to
(1 Sam. 30:6). God with the weight of
“David was greatly failure on his mind and say
distressed,” but he “found to Him, “You are my refuge,”
strength in the Lord his is the man who understands
God.” The Hebrew text the gracious heart of God.
reads, “He strengthened David “strengthened
himself in the Lord.” That himself in the Lord.”
is one of the greatest lines He must have gone back
in the Bible. to God’s promises of
Once again, David forgiveness and restoration,
referred to God as his God! which so often cheered him
No doubt David’s men had at other dark periods of his
heard him say repeatedly, life. He must have recalled
23
the poems he wrote on way. There are no

other dark days like this that guarantees in this life
reflected God’s faithfulness. that we will get back the
He must have remembered family, the business, the
that he had been in worse reputation we have lost
situations than this and that through our foolishness.
God had greatly helped him We may reach the end
in those times. Although of our years a long way
his faith had been sorely from our goals. We may be
tested, it had not been known more for our failures
disappointed. In this way than for our successes.
he encouraged himself. We may not be powerful
All around David was or prosperous. But if we
frustration and fear. But accept the disappointment
God was at hand, “An and let it draw us close to
ever-present help in God, we will find in time
trouble” (Ps. 46:1). David that our failure has given us
took strength from God and a deeper understanding of
became a center of peace. His love and grace. That is
Remember Paul’s words, by far the better thing.
“Be men of courage; be It requires enormous
strong” (1 Cor. 16:13). faith to believe that our
failures are for the greater
DAVID’S good. But it is true. We
RECOVERY learn far more from
David, in the end, disappointment than we
recovered everything do from success. We come
the Amalekites had stolen, to know God and His ways.
including his family (1 Sam. The man who has never
30:18-19). But not all our failed has never made
failures will turn out that that discovery.
24
DAVID: young woman taking a bath.

Overcoming The text says she was very
beautiful (v.2).
Moral Failure If the woman seems
I
keep seeing my friends immodest, you must
fall. I wonder why they remember there was no
do it. What causes a indoor plumbing in those
man to trash his marriage days. Baths were normally
and all he’s worked for, for taken outdoors in enclosed
a transient affair? Take courtyards.
David, for example—Israel’s David was entranced! He
greatest king, the “man after sent someone “to find out
God’s own heart.” He fell about her” (v.3), whereupon,
for Uriah’s pretty, young one of his friends tried to
wife, Bathsheba. discourage him. “Isn’t this
It happened “in the spring, Bathsheba, the daughter of
at the time when kings go off Eliam and the wife of Uriah
to war” (2 Sam. 11:1). That the Hittite?” (v.3) he asked.
spring, however, in fatal She was a married woman—
lethargy, David’s energies married in fact to Uriah, one
became focused elsewhere. of David’s mighty men, a
“One evening David got up member of David’s exclusive
from his bed and walked bodyguard (23:39).
around on the roof of the David, however, would
palace” (v.2). not be denied. He “sent
From there, he had messengers to get her.” One
a commanding view of wrong thing led to another
Jerusalem and could look and “he slept with her. . . .
down into neighboring Then she went back home.”
courtyards. As he surveyed Later, we’re told, She “sent
his city, his eyes fell upon a word to David, saying, ‘I
25
am pregnant’” (11:4-5). all his master’s servants

David knew he was in and did not go down to his
big trouble! Bathsheba’s house” (v.9). When David
husband was engaged in the asked why he did not go
siege of the Ammonite city home, Uriah explained,
of Rabbah and would be “The ark and Israel and
away for several months. Judah are staying in tents,
Anyone could count to nine. and my master Joab and my
In other lands kings were lord’s men are camping in
the law, but not in Israel. No the open fields. How could I
one was above God’s Word. go to my house to eat and
Adultery was serious sin. drink and lie with my wife?
But David, always a man As surely as you live, I will
of action, devised a plan to not do such a thing!” (v.11).
avert the consequences of David replied, “‘Stay here
his affair. He sent word to one more day, and tomorrow
Joab to release Uriah from I will send you back.’ So
his command and send him Uriah remained in Jerusalem
to Jerusalem, ostensibly to that day and the next. At
report on the war, but in David’s invitation, he ate and
reality to bring him home drank with him, and David
to Bathsheba. When the made him drunk. But in the
old warrior arrived, David evening Uriah went out to
listened to his briefing and sleep on his mat among his
then dismissed Uriah to his master’s servants; he did not
home: “Go down to your go home” (11:12-13).
house and wash your feet” Uriah would not go
(v.8), he said with a twinkle home while those under his
in his eye. command were separated
But Uriah “slept at the from their wives and
entrance to the palace with families. Despite David’s
26
repeated efforts to persuade Joab then sent a runner

Uriah, the stern old Hittite to David with a report on the
refused. Even getting him battle. He knew David would
drunk failed. Each evening be critical of his tactics and
Uriah rolled out his sleeping the resultant loss of life, but
bag on the floor of the he hastened to report that
palace guardroom and slept Uriah had been killed (vv.18-
with the rest of the troops. 22). David didn’t want Joab
Time was running out. to be upset so he said, “The
In desperation David put a sword devours one as well
contract on his life, ordering as another” (v.25).
General Joab to “put Uriah When Bathsheba heard
in the front line where the that her husband was dead,
fighting is fiercest. Then she mourned for him. When
withdraw from him so he her brief period of mourning
will be struck down and was over, David “had her
die” (v.15). brought to his house, and
Joab, who was no fool, she became his wife and
refused to follow David’s bore him a son” (vv.26-27).
directive. The plan was so David moved with
obviously treacherous that inappropriate haste, but
he altered it: “While Joab marriage put a legal and
had the city under siege, he final end to the sordid
put Uriah at a place where affair—or so David thought.
he knew the strongest But God knew, and “the
defenders were. When the thing David had done
men of the city came out displeased the Lord” (v.27).
and fought against Joab, A year passed,
some of the men in David’s during which time David
army fell; moreover, Uriah deteriorated physically
the Hittite died” (vv.16-17). and emotionally. He later
27
described his feelings: at first he overreacted out of

When I kept silent, moral outrage: “As surely as
my bones wasted away the Lord lives, the man who
through my groaning all did this deserves to die!”
day long. For day and But sheepnapping was not
night Your hand was a capital offense in Israel.
heavy upon me; my According to Exodus 22:1,
strength was sapped as a thief was only required to
in the heat of summer make fourfold restitution to
(Ps. 32:3-4). the victim. David then said,
His gnawing conscience “He must pay for that lamb
kept him restless and four times over, because he
melancholy. Every waking did such a thing and had no
moment was filled with pity” (v.5).
misery. At night he tossed Nathan drove his verdict
and turned. Anxiety sapped home. “You are the man!
his energy. His depression This is what the Lord, the
deepened with every passing God of Israel, says: ‘I
day. anointed you king over
Eventually, David had Israel, and I delivered you
to face the facts. To be more from the hand of Saul. I
precise, he had to face the gave your master’s house to
prophet Nathan, who knew you, and your master’s wives
the truth. Nathan trapped the into your arms. I gave you
shepherd-king with a story the house of Israel and
about a rich man who had Judah. And if all this had
vast flocks of sheep but who been too little, I would have
seized another man’s pet given you even more. Why
lamb to serve to a traveling did you despise the word of
stranger (2 Sam. 12:4). the Lord by doing what is
David was enraged, and evil in His eyes?” (12:7-9).
28
When he was (1 Jn. 1:9). Happiness is

brought face to face with knowing that our sins have
his corruption, David’s been forgiven.
defenses crumbled. Burying Blessed [happy] is he
his face in his hands, he whose transgressions are
cried, “I have sinned against forgiven, whose sins are
the Lord.” And Nathan covered. Blessed [happy]
replied, “The Lord has taken is the man whose sin the
away your sin. You are not Lord does not count
going to die” (v.13). against him and in
To David’s credit, he did whose spirit is no
not try to justify himself. He deceit (Ps. 32:1-2).
acknowledged his sin, and David bore terrible
God immediately canceled consequences for his sin.
the handwriting that was Nathan predicted that he
against him. David could lift would suffer:
up his head. As he later The sword will never
wrote: depart from your house,
I acknowledged my sin to because you despised Me
You and did not cover up and took the wife of Uriah
my iniquity. I said, “I will the Hittite to be your own.
confess my transgressions This is what the Lord
to the Lord”—and You says: “Out of your own
forgave the guilt of my sin household I am going to
(Ps. 32:5). bring calamity upon you.
As the apostle John Before your very eyes I will
promised, “If we confess take your wives and give
[acknowledge] our sins, He them to one who is close
is faithful and just and will to you, and he will lie
forgive us our sins and purify with your wives in broad
us from all unrighteousness” daylight. You did it in
29
secret, but I will do this THE LAW OF

thing in broad daylight INEVITABLE
before all Israel. . . . SEQUENCE
Because by doing this Reading David’s story and
you have made the watching my friends fall has
enemies of the Lord show led me to one conclusion:
utter contempt, the son Moral collapse is rarely a
born to you will die” blowout; it’s more like a
(2 Sam. 12:10-12,14). slow leak—the result of a
David paid dearly for his thousand small indulgences.
few moments of pleasure. Very few people plan an
His family life and political adulterous affair; they
career came apart at the transition into it.
seams from that time on. All It begins with attraction.
that Nathan had predicted It’s not lust as much as
came true. infatuation that brings us
God cannot be mocked. A down. We’re drawn to
man reaps what he sows someone sensitive and
(Gal. 6:7). understanding, someone
But David could rise who listens and seems to
from his fall to walk with care. We’re seduced by
God. “No amount of falls that attraction and led on
will really undo us,” wrote by subtle degrees.
C. S. Lewis, “if we keep Attraction becomes
picking ourselves up each fantasy: We imagine
time. We shall of course be ourselves with that person
very muddy and tattered and the feeling is good.
children by the time we Fictionalized affairs always
reach home. . . . The only seem so right. That’s their
fatal thing is to lose one’s fundamental deception.
temper and give up.” The fantasies soften us,
30
and our convictions erode. But our hearts know.

We’re then in a frame of There are moments when
mind to listen to our our wills soften and we long
longings, and having to set things right. If we do
listened we have no will not then listen to our hearts,
to resist. We cannot there comes a metallic
escape the realization of hardening, and then
our predominant thoughts. corruption. Our wrongdoing
Then there are the mutates, altering its form
meetings and the sharing and quality, evolving into
of inner conflict, marital dark narcissism and
disappointment, and other horrifying cruelty. We don’t
deep hurts. And with that care who gets hurt as long
sharing, the relationship as we get what we want.
begins to shift. We’re And finally there is
suddenly two lonely people inevitable disclosure. First
in need of one another’s love. we deny: “There’s no one
Then comes the else!” Then we dissemble:
inevitable yielding, and “It’s only platonic.” And
with that yielding the need finally our deception
to justify the affair. We can’t is shouted from the
live with the dissonance. housetops. There’s no place
We have to rationalize to hide from the light.
our behavior by blaming When our seams have
someone or something been opened and our evil
else—the pressures of our deeds have been exposed,
business or the limitations God reminds us of His cross,
of our spouses. Others’ His forgiveness, and His
wrongdoing becomes our incomparable grace. Then
reason. Everything must He begins to make us new.
be made to look good. But there’s only one way to
31
know that forgiveness: might fall into sin again],

acknowledgment of the what longing [for purity],
awfulness of one’s sin and what concern [for all those
that old-fashioned word, damaged by our sin], what
repentance. We must hate readiness to see justice
what we’ve done, and turn [righteousness] done”
from it in disgust. (2 Cor. 7:11).
That’s what Paul calls As David himself learned,
“godly sorrow [that] brings “The sacrifices of God are a
repentance that leads to broken spirit; a broken and
salvation and leaves no contrite heart, O God, You
regret” (2 Cor. 7:10). Ungodly will not despise” (Ps. 51:17).
sorrow is the sorrow of being God discerns the possibilities
found out, or of suffering the even in our defilement,
consequences of being found forgives our sins, counteracts
out. The result is intensified our mistakes, and sets out to
guilt, anxiety, and make us better than we’ve
hopelessness. Godly sorrow, ever been before.
on the other hand, is sorrow Therefore, rather than
over sin itself and the harm mourn our humiliation, we
that it’s done to others. Godly must move on. Sin may have
sorrow asserts itself to set consequences with which
things right. we must live for the rest of
Here’s the way Paul our natural lives, but sin
put it: “See what this godly repented of can only work
sorrow has produced in you: for ultimate good. God takes
what earnestness [to obey], the worst that we can do and
what eagerness to clear makes it part of the good He
yourselves [of wrongdoing], has promised. He’s the God
what indignation [against of fools and failures and the
evil], what alarm [that we God of another chance.
32
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MANASSEH: way in the Rose Bowl!”

There is such a place. him among all the kings

Manasseh was blessed He rebuilt the high places

Manasseh’s sins are giving his devotion to the

obscene, and set it up in the much innocent blood that

THE REST OF told in the books of Kings.

God’s judgment did not incident related; or

said, “seeking the smallest kingdom. Then Manasseh

want to pass their as C. S. Lewis observed,

we can’t help it. Yet our [us] to God” (1 Pet. 3:18).

so He brought him back Manasseh destroyed his

a fierce determination to we travel, someone who will

Jeffrey Dahmer even after an inmate

DAVID: stand far off? Why do You

In the past, David talked single people have decided

soul is aroused to a love for this latter spirit, one can

family with him, and Achish gave him Ziklag,

alone—he also placed his asked, “Where did you go

verbs attacked, leave, and Israel, thinking David had

themselves with David and put away your sin, and

wives and sons and He should have left a few

DAVID’S “The Lord is my shepherd,

the poems he wrote on way. There are no

DAVID: young woman taking a bath.

am pregnant’” (11:4-5). all his master’s servants

repeated efforts to persuade Joab then sent a runner

described his feelings: at first he overreacted out of

When he was (1 Jn. 1:9). Happiness is

secret, but I will do this THE LAW OF

and our convictions erode. But our hearts know.

know that forgiveness: might fall into sin again],

To partner with us in sharing God’s Word, click this link

Many people, making even the smallest of donations,

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