I'm reading Proverbs 31 and I think Bathsheba wrote it. Were these the things she was not?...instructing her son King Lemuel into finding a godly woman.
Then I started thinking about how David took her and slept with her. I feel bad for what her life became and what happened to her husband but that's not my point...
When the King says "sleep with me"...is that a command or did she have an option to fight or die?
r christians aloud to only marry christians n what is a godly woman
Is is not reasonable to assume that Bathsheba knew she lived next door to the King? And further, when she bathed, did she not know that she could have been seen by the King? Now, none of that changes what David did, but I think it is reasonable to assume that David was tempted and fell for it...........Frank
If the king said 'sleep with me' it was a command,woman did not have a choice, as with Esther.
There is teaching today, and we've had it many times at our church, that Esther entered a beauty contest and won the King and her queenship! what nonsense! She did not even want to be there.
Read also 1 Samuel 25;2 Samuel 3 v 13-16; 2 Samuel 13 for example.
Women were regarded as posessions by men and the woman's role was to serve and obey. With this in mind read again the account of Queen Vashti in Esther. She was a woman who refused to allow the drunken king to shame her in front of his guests and was banished as a result. Because of the Kings' sheer embarrasment at Vashti's refusal he issued a decree that all women were to give honour to their husbands, he feared an uprising from women who would follows Vashti's example. Esther 1.
Notice how God punished David not only by taking the child that was born, but also that 'a neighbour shall lie with your wives' 2 Samuel 12 v 11. This came to pass in 2 Samuel 16 v 21-22.
When Jesus came along though, as you read through the Gospels, he elevated women, treating them as individuals and with respect and not as objects to be owned.
Shy1
Have sent you a PM. I did a thorough bible study with our young people on the subject of marrying unbelievers and why we shouldn't. I can email you my notes.
With regards to what a Godly person is, My mam was called a godly woman by many, she had such a close relationship with the Lord that she carried His presence.
She lived her life for the Lord and was full of love and compassion for people, always putting others before herself, many turned to her for prayer and advice and the fruit of the spirit shone through.
She had read the bible through countless times and was always there with a passage of scripture for anyone in any situation.
As she was on her way to be with the Lord, fifteen of us were around her bed and a man visiting a young woman in the bay opposite came across and intoduced himself, telling us he's a Christian and a Pastor. He asked if he could share a prayer with us.
He stood at mam's head looking down at her and emotionally said "she is one Godly lady, she is one Godly lady! I can feel the presence of the Lord here" he then raised his hands and prayed and worshipped God.
A true Godly person will carry the presence of the Lord with them and affect those around them - even in death!
The fruit of the spirit will shine out and be very evident in their lives.
I agree with Ceri. I will go one step further and declare that David was guilty of rape. The law said that if a woman is attacked she is to cry out for help. If Bathsheba had cried out, who would have been there to render her aid? The King? you gotta be kidding! He was the offender plus the ruler who welded absolute authority!!
Also God never held her responsible or accountable for her role. The judgement God gave on this sin was against David. If you notice how Nathan challenged David concerning this sin, his words - given to him by God - were in sympathy to Bathsheba. The law stipulated that a couple caught in adultery were to be killed. Leviticus 20:10. Deuteronomy 22:22-30.
This act of God extending mercy to a man who was guilty of gross sin, punishable by death, would give definition to 'the sure mercies of David.' David deserved to be killed for this horrendous sin but God showed mercy because David admitted it (and did not justify it either, btw). Today we are the recipients of the 'sure mercies of David' when we recognize our sin and repent of it.
My understanding ....
ginnyrose
r christians aloud to only marry christians n what is a godly woman
Yes, only Christians are allowed to marry Christians. 2 Corinthians 6:14 is usually used to support this principle.
Titus 2:3-5 gives one brief instructions what a godly woman is to be like. There are other scriptures one can check out. Proverbs 31 stands out as the all time classic of the (EDIT) description of the character of a godly woman.
Hope this helps..
ginnyrose
The law was already present, not only in Deuteronomy but also found in the charecter of Joseph,
She should have shouted out if David was forceing himself on her, but more than Likely she was Awed by David and gave herself to him willingly.
And they both should have been stoned to death publicly.
Yet God was merciful to both of them. But there were consequences and a large price to pay not only for them but for the nation.
When presented with temptation, or seemingly forced sin, we always have a choice, the problem with most of us, "me"
is we try and save our lives instead of loose our lives for HIM.
I thanks God for his long suffering, and pray he will show me the grace to come to my senses, like the prodigal who came to his senses.
I'm just wondering about this whole thing. How did David know her husband wasn't there? Did Bathsheba do it on purpose...being nude on the roof?
I guess if the Bible is silent on this issue then we can only wonder. In the details I mean.
I heard Carter Conlon allude to this in a sermon in which he was urging us to read the Bible every day, and set out with the intention of not being distracted.
You can tell from the narrative, that Joab and therefore Uriah are at war. I think it's the first time David wasn't with them. Certainly, it's one of the first. CC says 'he was on his bed in the afternoon', instead of being mentally and physically engaged with the war.
I'm not blaming Bathsheba for anything, because when you read the words of Christ with regard to everything to do with marriage, the onus is all the men and where they are looking. They have the natural headship under God - which is exactly God's point to David after he repented... that if he had wanted another wife, he had only to ask.
Bathsheba had probably bathed in the same place every time, and this was the first time David had seen, or noticed. She wasn't young either, which slightly explains her boldness in future conversations with David.
I agree with Alive to God. To add further to my earlier post and to also reply to Santana, the details are all there.
Bathsheba cannot be blamed. She was bathing at a time when most were sleeping during the afternoon siesta and was most likely routine to her. She would have assumed that she could not be seen.
Bathsheba would have also assumed that David had gone to war 'It was the spring of the year' March/April time, when the lands began to dry out after the rainy season and Kings went to war. This was also the time of Davids military success against the Ammonites.
The fact that David stayed behind at this time was very unusual, so Bathsheba was not in any way seducing him, this is the first mention of a leader of Israel staying off the battle field during a time of war.
David was either being irresponsible or had complete trust in Joab's skills in handling the war.
The fact that Bathsheba had a rooftop bath showed she was from a wealthy family as most women bathed in the river - even more public!
An important thing to mention here as well is that she was completing the purification process after her menstrual cycle - so David on finding out she was pregnant panicked knowing it was his - he called Uriah back from war on a weekend pass, desperatly trying to get him to sleep with his wife to cover it up, so people would then believe the child was her husbands.
David was in fear when Uriah refused to go home and 'relax' with his wife but stayed instead on duty with the King's guard.
Uriah knew it was a time of war and not of pleasure, but paid for his devotion to the King with his life - no wonder God was angry with David for such injustice and cover-up!
David could have had any wife he wanted but with Bathsheba he 'gazed' upon another man's only wife - he had the choice to look away.
David when confronted with his sin wept in repentance and after Bathsheba's time of mourning did the right thing in the eyes of the law and married her, giving her security for the rest of her life. At no time is Bthsheba regarded as a guilty party in need of repentance.
God in His mercy forgave David and blest them both with a Son - the wisest of all Kings - Solomon.
And I might add, of the line of Jesus himself. How amazing is our God. Certainly this gives us all hope that when we truly repent, as David did, that God will redeem even our most shameful things. But the emphasis is on truly repent, which David did.
I would imagine that part of our not understanding is not knowing the culture of the time. It is correct that most women bathed in the river and probably in the same fashion as Bathsheba did. If someone wants to sin they can find it anywhere. On bill boards, TV, at the river bank, on roof tops. The burden is in our hearts, do we turn away or partake? We become like what we behold, if we behold iniquity we become sinful. If we behold God we become holy.
As far as marrying an unsaved person. I would say never.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Life is rough enough without being challenged in your own home constantly. I know, because I got married before I was saved and now for 33 years with regards to spiritual matters, I walk alone. My husband is a wonderful man, but at times it is really difficult because he thinks I don't live in reality. I am supposed to get down in the mollygrubs with him and feel bad, etc. I just can't. God has given me a thankful heart and a rejoicing spirit and it makes him nuts at times.
I do believe that a virtuous woman is as was shared already and definitely Proverbs 31 speaks what a man really wants.
Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
It would be a rare thing to see someone who has self on the throne of their lives able to live this out. It is important here to understand that these verses are speaking of a woman fully committed to God not just a dabbler. If the woman is just going through the motions, or man for that matter, this fruit will not be evidenced in their lives. A virtuous woman lives the sermon on the mount, takes up her cross daily and follows Him. Is given to hospitality and kindness and has natural affection. Loves and respects her husband, she does not humiliate him in public, and tenderly cares for her children, makes sure there is food on the table, the house is clean, the laundry is done. She doesn't sit around watching soap operas and being a busibody in her neighbors house. She redeems and wisely uses her time.
Isn't this that kind of wife any real christian man would want? Crazy not to I'd say.
So how do you know you have truly repented. Do tears and mourning always follow?
It seems he repented only when he was confronted or when he knew he was going to be punished.
You know by walking in the opposite direction.
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