Sunday, June 5, 2022

The Fall of King David (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51) QUESTIONS

A few important events to give context to today’s post:

·         The Lord killed Nabal, and David ended up marrying Abigail.

·         King Saul and his son Prince Jonathan were both killed in battle by the Philistines.

·         David is eventually crowned King of all Israel - he finally defeats the local Canaanite tribes to usher in Israel’s “Golden Age”.

·         David continued to push to expand the borders of his kingdom, fighting the Syrians and Ammonites.

 

King David and Bathsheba

READ 2 Samuel 10:17-18 and 11:1

What was the King’s duty during wartime?

What is David doing?

 

READ 2 Samuel 11:2

What is the lesson to be learned from this verse?

After having seen the beautiful woman bathing, what is David’s best next step?

Is Bathsheba at fault for David’s reaction to her?

 

READ 2 Samuel 11:3

What did David do instead?

 

READ 2 Samuel 11:4

What does David do when he learns that Bathsheba is married?

What does David think will come of this deed?

If David doesn’t think he’ll be found out, what does this imply about his faith?

 

READ 2 Samuel 11:5

What is the consequence of David’s action?

 

READ Alma 39:5,9 and Mosiah 4:30

How could David have avoided the Bathsheba incident?

 

 

Adultery is an Abomination

READ Jacob 2:24

How does the Lord feel about adultery and fornication?

What is the relationship between David’s behavior with Bathsheba and his attitude towards adding more wives?

Remember Abigail was also David’s wife at this time; how does David’s faithlessness to Abigail mirror our relationship with Christ?

 

 

The Valiant Men

After learning Bathsheba is pregnant, King David is in a panic - first he brings Bathsheba’s husband home from battle to attempt to appear to make him appear to be the father.  When Uriah refuses to go down to his house because his soldiers are at war where he should be, David concocts a truly evil plan.

 

READ 1 Samuel 11:14-17

Is this murder?

 

There is another account, not found in the King James Version, where Joab read David’s letter in front of Uriah and his men. 

What does “valiant” mean?

 

My favorite scene in my favorite movie, “The Lord of the Rings,” is King Theoden’s speech to his cavalry as they look down at dawn on the battle before the gates of the besieged White City.  Between them and the city is an enemy host ten times their number.  The king rides back and forth in front of his troops, many of whom are about to die, and says, “Forth! And fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Théoden! Spears shall be shaken; shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... and the sun rises! Ride now... Ride now... Ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death! Death!!  Death!!! Forth Eorlingas!”  To me, this is the ultimate definition of valiance, embodied in Theoden and his riders: to knowingly sacrifice your life to save another. 

If valiance is to quietly and without fanfare put your life, your reputation, and your will on the line and sacrifice it for a cause worth dying for…what does it mean to be valiant in the Testimony of Jesus?



The Parable of the Ewe Lamb

READ 2 Samuel 12:1-6

What is the Lord trying to teach David in this parable?

 

READ 2 Samuel 12:7-10

What do these verses teach us about the Lord’s blessings?

Was David a Prophet-King and what do we learn from his fall?

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