The Case of the Open Window Shade, Part 3

Today from Chuck Swindoll. If you are playing with sand as it relates to the sins of the flesh your living on borrowed time as a child of God. There is nothing as stinging and sins of the flesh. There is nothing that gives the nation sandals statements toward the Church of God then that kind of compromise. The Bible never flatters its hero and that's certainly true of the flawed giant were looking at today for several weeks on inside for living. We've embarked on an in-depth study on the life of David during the next half-hour.

Chuck Swindoll concludes a message we started on Monday and Tuesday he's teaching from second Samuel chapter 11 in this passage we find the tragic moment of compromise when King David succumbed to temptation and his failure ignited a sequence of painful consequences.

Chuck titled his message the case of the open window is not working hard is when we have a lot of leisure time on her hands were bored in the spring of the year when were yawning and stretching and get the sleep out of our eyes and we can't sleep at night and we make those fateful decisions that haunt us.

It's a spring of the year and David's indulging himself beyond the place of wisdom.

So I pushed the bedspread back not able to sleep any thought well I need to take a walk.

It looks like a nice night to be out the air so he walks on the roof pushes aside the drape steps out and he hears in the distance and splashing in perhaps the humming on the lips of this very beautiful woman living just beyond the palace just with insight of his own backyard. The verse reads from the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful in appearance palace as it stood perhaps four weeks before and no one else around.

He lost all cognizance of who he was or what would happen if he fell into that sin. He forgot that he was the king of Israel. Verse three David said and inquired about the woman noticed the report. Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Ely M the wife of Uriah the Hittite. I don't believe David lingered long enough to even record that in his mind until later when that name Uriah would haunt him when he sent messengers and took her and when she came to him. He lay with her and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness. She returned to her house, but she comes to discover the inevitable verse five she conceived sent and told David. I am pregnant. When David got the news he had a decision he could take one of two courses he could call and his counselors and openly admit as a man of integrity. What do and God would have dealt with him one way all the consequences wouldn't have been erased, but certainly there would have been a maintenance of integrity or and he chose the second, he could've gone the route of deception and hypocrisy, which ultimately would lead to murder.

Verse six David said to Joab, saying, send me Uriah the Hittite. So Joab sent Uriah to David. I got understand Joab is not naïve selling Joab's body. Joab is bright and he's clever and is malicious and he can be malignant, and so he sees the report any sensitive center, but remember that now.

Keep your mind Joab send Uriah gave the husband a Bathsheba comes home. Verse seven David asked concerning the welfare of Joab and the people in the state of the war on ask you something didn't care about the people or the state of the war how Joab is doing care less about those guys but he's faking it. See when you and cover-up you fake it.

It's always asking his friend Uriah over need evening together a stay in the know that lovely trimmings in the in the enjoyable night candlelight how things going.

Uriah's little Cpl. sitting there that everything is great. David is terrific. I was really going well. Uriah must wonder what's all this about verse eight.

So David said here I go down your house and wash your feet dry. When the king's house and present from the king was sent out after is not cheap. Send in the present.

Oh, did you get the flowers now and we got the flowers. Verse nine Uriah slept at the door. The king's house with all the servants of his lord and didn't go down to his house, put yourself in David sandals what's up the next morning pushes the door and can't get it open looks outside there's Uriah down where you want your I want to hear why with his wife Uriah was good to go this way because Uriah is a faithful soldier, whose heart is with the man in the field and Uriah's wondering what was going on, what's it all about. Verse 10 David said Uriah did it.

If you not come from a journey. Why did you go to your house. Uriah said to David, the ark of Israel and Judah were staying in temporary shelters, my Lord Joab service of my Lord, are capping an open field shall either go out to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife by your life and the life of your soul's day. Here is little Cpl. and the Israelis finest. This is David. I can't break my integrity with God. Yes, he felt a twinge of guilt.

The king, the commander-in-chief rebuked about the integrity of a nobody man who was from his head to his feet, committed to the nation into the God of the nation. Look at how David handled. David said you stay here today and tomorrow. I'll let you go so Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day in the next.

David called him and him and he ate and drank before Mindy made him drunk in the evening he he went out to live his bed with his Lord's servants, but it didn't go down to his house. The last straw. Here's a here's a panic written king mad with rage over this of falling plan. Any strategy he can still alive but he can't manipulate a man because the Lord God of heaven is is working and that Uriah will not cooperate in verse 14 turns the plan to put yourself back in the boots of Joab in the field.

We are now came about in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab and send by the hand of Uriah Massey, did he trust Uriah.

He said his own death warrant in the hand of Uriah Is What Red Pl., Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from so that he may be struck down and die.

He wrote that note he fold it up started an envelope and said Uriah take this to Joab if he trust Uriah all the way. Uriah came and Joab opened it up the field and guess who put two and two together so I think your reading into that truck. I think your adding to it. Let's let's see, let's read on Joab was keeping watch on the city. Verse 16 he put Uriah at the place where he knew there would be valiant men in the middle of the city went out and fought against Joab and some of the people among David servants fell in Uriah the Hittite also died.

Joab sent reported to David all the events of the war. I get this, he charged the messenger saying when you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king if it happens, the king's wrath rises and he says do you want to go sit near the city to fight you not know that they would shoot from the wall quotes from some historic event struck down Abimelech son of Jerusha did not. A woman throwing up a millstone on it from the walls of the Don Davis wanted to go sit near the wall, then you shall say your servant Uriah the Hittite also as a wily old soldier out there in the field gets a note send Uriah Uriah goes Joab knows Uriah knows his wife knows the family Uriah because boxes kill Uriah knows David is in the murder had so many sins and report back. He says tell them. Mission accomplished. I did is deed. And guess who has the tools for blackmail joy). Once the king and one day he will rise up and make the king rue the day he made that decision so you kill Uriah, are you keeping count the sins lost adultery, hypocrisy, murder, and the whole scene of cover-up in the kingdom that Israel has never known under David. How could a man stoop to such a level that that's not hard to understand if you're honest with your own soul pause right here before going further and say tonight is the night to come to terms with your life. If you are playing with sand as it relates to the sands of the flesh you're living on borrowed time as a child of God.

There is nothing as stinging.

There's nothing as damning to the life than sins of the flesh. There is nothing that gives the enemy greater ammunition to sandals blasphemous statements toward the church of God, then that kind of compromise. You can also be part and parcel of it just indirectly without taking a stand against one of the young ladies with whom we share our home in years past to bore her child out of wedlock and had adopted was a young lady on the campus who was such a fine young woman and she made a bad decision on a given night in which she yielded to sexual temptation and in only one act. That evening she conceived. The only time she had ever known a man outside of marriage. She's now married and that one night, grew as a lasting reminder in her mind of the impact of that kind of healing abortionists is acceptable in our day and it adds to the freedom that some of you have, to live as you please.

But not before God long before there is the birth or the abortion.

There is an act, and there are thoughts that lead up to that act, that like that like that neglected seawall begin to break down the life to finally it's crumbled into the ocean and then you become easy prey and cheap something is lost. Ultimately down the line in your marriage.

The greatest gift you can give to your husband young women is your purity that your greatest gift the greatest gift you can give to your bride young man security. To this day. It stands as the, the finest of all wedding gifts and it is rare.

The messenger came to David side and declared the news and David listened with bated breath for one statement and he hears it in verse 21, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. That's the statement that Joab gave and you'll notice in verse 24 that is the statement that is given your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also, and adding the ultimate act of hypocrisy. David said of the messenger advisors will say to Joab this thing displease you for the sword devours one as well as another major battle against the city stronger and overthrow it and encourage good old Joab nonsense. Did you read the account in chapter 11 verse 17 verses 24, 25 Uriah the fell in battle other men as well pay the price for that active illicit lust way back in here they are falling on the battlefield. David on rather than falling before God, declaring himself guilty of this crime he moves right on. In fact, after little bit of morning verse 26 David sent brought her into his house and she became his wife and she bore him a son, don't ask you something doesn't sound simple, but it's not why in the world did he murder Uriah when the game I think about that if you live in come home from battle and found his wife pregnant. Who would've ever connected it to David, it's doubtful she would never said a word doublet would leak from the kingdom.

And furthermore, when Uriah is kill David snaps her up and marries her almost before the grass growing over the grave, and most people can count to nine I mean is he hiding it from you what happened when you act in panic. You don't think logically you cover up and cover-up and smear over and clout over and deny, and you find yourself in the midst of the pack allies in this nest you can never recover from, until finally you face someone honest enough like Nathan to say, thou art the man that's next week. David what he did was evil in the sight of the Lord in the chapter closes with the.

They don't you forget 11 a neat little package with a ribbon on top boxed and stamped and sealed ready to give you and a conclusion. I want to leave the package an open and in the raw open sewage of David's life. I want you to see like the Puritans said all the moisture of heaven. It lapsed into drought. Everything was dry and barren in his soul. This sweet singer of Israel was now in a minor key. This passionate good-looking redheaded King.

This this exemplary leader is not crippled in his health. He now lives in the shadows of his own palace in his travels and it turns into something. He was never designed to be because he compromise with wrong and he covered it over with murder, my phone rang sometime ago and on the other end of the line was a young woman.

She was crying almost to her. She couldn't talk she said I go to a local school, and she named it she said I have been going with a young man were not married and I'm I'm pregnant what to do can have an abortion.

I could marry him, but I don't know that 11 of the tele-parents. If anything, what to tell his parents don't know what to do about the school that particular school would had to deal with her if that is known whole truth. This is metastable never forget. She said practice window to talk on this more. She said I haven't missed a Sunday and probably two and half years. She's am not in any way implicating you were blaming you. She said I just want to say that maybe if something up and said would stop me.

So I've addressed tonight and want to never forget what you've heard ever. If you have the Holy Spirit you have all the power you need to say no, God is given us that simple little English monosyllabic word that flow so easily know and it works every time, every time I use it constantly. So, must you merely bow together. Let's be still for just a moment. This this message strikes some a lot harder than others. Some of you live in the relentless rage of lust you curse it but it's there. You don't want it, but it constantly winks that you like a beast with with venom bites into you and paralyzes your spiritual walk. Tonight you seen a display of where you come from or maybe where you are.

May God give you the grace to apply what you have heard and run and make it a habit to run in his power to flee. Very few people this day and age will be as honest as I've been with you tonight.

Most would laugh give you a way out tell you it's only natural. And I tell you it is only carnal outside of marriage.

It has no place in your life. If you've never met Jesus personally.

He's the source of the power that you need I point you to him right there where you're sitting is receiving now. Right now, but it's been a very eventful evening for some much more than for others. Written across a number of faces in this place are the kind of responses that say I understand what you're saying. That's my battle and I pray there might be a transfer of one word and that statement so that it now says that's our battle.

The Lord's and mine in the independence of our own lives in the privacy of her own bedroom.

It's easy for us to sell ourselves a bill of goods. It's happened since Adam's fall, and it will always continue until the enraptured, not pray for some young man and some young women here. Some older men and women who are living the lie in the been brought up short tonight with this life. I pray that you might turn their lives around and give them the ability to frame that word in their minds and on their lives as they face the temptations beginning as they leave this place. No, in the power of Christ. My answer is no more delay ourselves at your disposal, and we love you and we adore you and need count on you to do between past and Jesus you're listening to the Bible teaching of pastor and author Chuck Swindoll.

He titled today's study and second Samuel 11 the case of the open window shade.

If you'd like to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insightworld.org. We know that today's topic can be a trigger for many folks. Some are victims of a spouse's betrayal. Others are holding onto secrets that need to be addressed. Whatever the case, we want you to know that God hears your cry and he's capable to meet your every need. As you prepare to take your next steps. Let me point you to a classic devotional from Chuck. It's been an inspiration to so many readers it's called growing strong in the seasons of life. It contains 144 brief devotional chapters, making it the perfect choice over the summer months.

In fact, these highly practical chapters are a great choice for your teens and young adults as well to purchase Chuck's devotional book called growing strong in the seasons of life, go to insight.org/offer or call us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888.

Some have told us that Chuck's voice sounds a little different in this teaching series on David. That's because it was recorded several decades ago when he was much younger. It was during a period in Chuck's pastoral ministry. When the church was filled to overflowing, and to accommodate the growing audience. Chuck spoke five times every Sunday three services in the morning and two on Sunday night the David series was delivered during the evening service. I mentioned this interesting part of our history because it demonstrates the deep archive of sermons that insight for living has to share with we are stewarding thousands of Chuck's messages some going back to the 1970s and were able to share his teaching on this daily radio because of the generous support of our listening family to get in touch today. Call us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8880 online you can go to insight.org/travelers who want to take a tour to Israel have lots of choices, but you measure up to the thoughtful journey prepared by insight for living ministries with the proper mix of historical information and biblical context. We provide ample opportunities to pause and let the wonder in our goal is to create special moments when you deepen your love for the Bible and draw closer to your Lord experience an unforgettable 12 day tour to Israel with Chuck Swindoll and insight for living ministries March 5 through the 16th 2023. To help you grasp the significance of each slight you will be accompanied by handpicked Israeli guidance and we choose the best, along with seminary trained pastors and professors to enhance your spiritual journey, no organization I know of offers this level of exceptional in depth instruction and personal care for holy land travel to learn more or call 1-888-447-0444. Just imagine walking along sacred sites watching the Bible: life make your reservation by calling 1-888-447-0444 or go to insight.org/events insight for living ministries toward Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend Bill Meyer join us. When Chuck Swindoll tells the dramatic story about confronting David with his sin. Be sure to join us on Thursday to hear insight for living.

The preceding message the case of the open window shade was copyrighted in 1978, 1988, 1997 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited