Summary: <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Did you know that when God replaced Saul as king of Israel with David that He referred to David as “a man after His own heart” ()? Did you also know that later David would also be known as liar, adulterer and murderer? Stick around and we’ll talk about it here on 5 minutes of truth.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Most Believers and indeed some non-believers are at least a little familiar with the life and times of Israel’s second King…King David. We are familiar with his being the youngest son Jesse and as such would have been the least likely of his children to be selected to follow Saul to the throne of Israel.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>We are familiar with David’s exploits in the Israelite’s war with the Philistines and his unlikely victory over Goliath who stood over nine feet tall…though David himself was merely a boy in his mid-teens.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>We are familiar with his undying loyalty to King Saul despite the fact that Saul sought numerous times to kill David. In fact, in one instance as Saul was alone and in the most vulnerable position imaginable, David had means and opportunity to kill Saul himself. </b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>When David’s warriors pointed out this fact and alluded to the idea that God had delivered “your enemy into your hand”, David did not act on the opportunity.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Instead, David responded by saying, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing…seeing he is the anointed of the Lord” (). </b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>His allegiance to God and His sovereignty were so strong that David was not even willing to take the life of the man who was trying to unjustly kill him. David’s honor, faith, strength and courage are clearly seen throughout God’s Word. It is then no wonder why God referred to David as a man after His own heart.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>But as Paul Harvey used to say…here is the rest of the story.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Once David succeeded Saul as king, Israel experienced an extended time of hope and prosperity. David won battles; reclaimed Jerusalem; and even showed kindness to Saul’s remaining family. Unfortunately it was not to last.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>While his soldiers were at battle, David, while taking a walk on his balcony spied a young woman named Bathsheba bathing. After inquiring about her, David discovered that she was the wife of one of his own soldiers, a man named Uriah, who at that moment was out in the field defending his homeland.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Not willing to simply walk away, David had Bathsheba escorted to his home where they embarked in an adulterous relationship. Soon after, it was to become obvious that it was going to be difficult to hide the relationship when Bathsheba announced that she was pregnant. </b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>In a panic, David decided on a course of action that, if successful, would hide his sin. He sent for Uriah to come home from the battle. The idea would be that Uriah would consequently sleep with his wife and the pregnancy could be easily explained. Problem solved. </b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>The one thing that David did not count on was that Uriah would act more honorably than the man after God’s own heart. Upon arrival, Uriah refused to sleep at his home because he didn’t think it right…when his fellow soldiers could not do the same.</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Even more panicked, David sought a more conclusive solution. He sent a letter with Uriah back to the front alerting David’s commander that in the battle to follow, Uriah should be placed at the front. Just in case the location would not ensure Uriah’s death, David ordered his commander to “retreat from him,</b></span></p>
