Peace and grace from our Lord Jesus Christ may be multiplied in your life on this wonderful day! I pray for the Word of God to strengthen you in your spirit, soul and body.So based on the examples of Abel and Joseph, we saw that not only the individual’s sins, but also the sins of others often cause tragedies and suffering in his or her life. We talked about the fact that Bible contains many examples of how innocent people and children suffered because someone else only thought and cared for himself. Today let’s look at a man named Uriah and how and why he died.The Bible tells us that King David killed his faithful, loyal servant Uriah because he wanted to satisfy his lust. There were other people that lost their lives because of this same reason.
«It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, „is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.” Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered. And David said to Uriah, „Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go to his house. So when they told David, saying, „Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, „Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” And Uriah said to David, „The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, „Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of the lord, but he did not go down to his house. In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, „Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.” So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also» (2 Samuel, 11:1-17).
Here, in this passage of Scripture we see the progression of David’s sins: he saw something that did not belong to him – he lusted for it – he committed adultery – he lied – he killed.See, why God says that you body is not for fornication, but for the Lord. When this harmony is broken, then someone will suffer. David’s family suffered because of his sins. Also, a totally innocent child died. After he committed all of these sins and killed, adultery and murder became a common occurrence in David’s family. Let’s look at some more verses of Scripture that talk about the consequences of David’s sins. «Then Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God fro the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!» (2 Samuel, 12:15-18).
«Than Amnon said to Tamar, „Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, „Come, lie with me, my sister.” But she answered him, „No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger that she, he forced her and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, „Arise, be gone!”» (2 Samuel, 13:10-15).
Sin has its consequences! How much suffering there is in the world because of the irresponsibility of fathers and mothers! How many children suffer today because of some addiction of their parents who because of their own satisfaction abandon their families and their children! Sin is the main cause of sufferings, tragedies and illnesses on earth.Jesus came into the world to give Himself for the sins of the whole humanity; He came to destroy sin and its consequences. That is the reason why the Church exists as the Embassy and representation of the Heavenly Kingdom. Through the Cross God demonstrated that He cares for human suffering. Now, through our faith in God and personal relationship with Him we can minimize tragedies and misery on earth.You also need to care for people’s sufferings. Spread the light of Gospel to other people; it is able to turn sadness into joy, to turn illness into health, to turn tragedy into triumph.I wish you abundant God’s blessings!Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
