The Power of Sexual Temptation

Hope that title got your attention. Today, as I was getting ready my talk for the Jr. Highers on Sunday, I stumbled across this verse:

2 Samuel 23:39 "Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all."

You may be thinking: "yea, so...what's this have to do with sexual temptation?" I answer: EVERYTHING!

Here's the big deal. Uriah in this verse is listed among David's Mighty Men. He was one of the guys who stood by David during the time where Saul hunted David down like a dog to be put down. These men risked their lives to hide David, protect David and one day see him King over all Israel. Uriah was one of those men. He was there when David cut a piece of Saul's robes when Saul was pooping (1 Samuel 24:3-7). Uriah saw David's heart BREAK for doing that little act. Uriah saw David spare Saul's life, saw David repent of his sins. Uriah followed after David who was a man after God's own heart.

Uriah was there alongside David in many battles. Uriah was there protecting the life of his King from evil after evil that sought to destroy him.

Uriah was also the husband to a gorgeous woman. That woman's name was Bathsheba. If Uriah had a vice it was that his wife was pleasing to the eye. David, when he should have been at war, looking at the battlefield was instead reclining at home, looking at one of his Mighty Men's wives.

Here's the whole scene: 2 Samuel 11:1-5

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

I think David knew who she was, when he asked. It was Uriah's house David! He would've known where his Mighty Men lived! We can see this in the response of the one who said: "Is not this Bathsheba...". A Modern day translation would be: "you seriously don't know David, isn't it Bathsheba?" David allowed sexual temptation to conquer him.

The power of this temptation was so great for David, that he would not only take another mans wife...but a man who was LOYAL to him. A Man who risked his LIFE for him and a man who was considered one of his Mighty Men!

Knowing that Uriah was one of David's Mighty Men has now changed this story for me forever! We as men must always be on our toes for this foe that is sexual temptation. David was in a place he shouldn't have been that opened the doors for this gross sin.

I hope this revelation has shocked you as much as it has me.