Gospel Reflections #1084: When Sin Feels so Attractive

2 Samuel 11:24 ‘The archers shot at us from the ramparts; some of the king’s men were killed, and Uriah the Hittite, one of the king’s servants, also died.’

This scene depicts the moment when news of the death of Uriah, a loyal servant, reaches King David, following the execution of the assassination plot he had devised to cover up his own sin of adultery.

Whilst his subordinate Uriah was away at the front, King David had an adulterous affair with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, and she became pregnant.

Fearing that his sin would be exposed, David attempted to conceal the affair by recalling Uriah from the front temporarily; however, the deeply loyal Uriah refused to return home out of concern for his comrades-in-arms.

When his plan failed, David, as a last resort, sent a letter to General Joab, issuing a cruel order to assassinate Uriah: ‘Place Uriah on the front line of a fierce battle, then withdraw whilst leaving him behind, so that he is killed in action.’

Verse 24 marks the climax of the battle report, announcing that Uriah had indeed been killed in action, just as planned. 

The messenger, whilst reporting the fierce fighting in the town of Rabbah, also announced, ‘Uriah is dead.’

For David, this was the moment when ‘the obstacle had been removed as planned, and his cover-up of the adultery had succeeded’.

From a human perspective, it appeared as though David’s scheme had been a complete success.

Because they had come too close to the city walls, not only Uriah but also ‘some of the king’s men (other soldiers)’ were caught in the crossfire and killed.

To conceal his one sin, David sacrificed not only Uriah’s life but also the lives of other innocent soldiers fighting for their country.

This is a classic biblical depiction of how sin begets further sin and causes the damage to escalate. 

This report also serves as a message from General Joab to David.

Joab carried out the king’s order knowing full well that it amounted to an unjust assassination.

Consequently, the king’s weakness was held over him by his subordinates, laying the groundwork for the subsequent distortion of the power structure within King David’s royal household and the tragedies that would unfold within his family. 

Satan makes sin appear attractive.

However, through His mercy, God enables us to realise that the consequences of sin are not prosperity or increased happiness, but misery, sorrow and death.

Everything God does is an act of love and mercy intended to lead us back to Him.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.