The Rooftop Cinema
One Year Bible May 27, 2022
2 Samuel 12:1-31.
The Rooftop Cinema
Our family loves to go to “The Rooftop Cinema” in San Diego overlooking the ocean. Outside movie. Beach chairs. Cool Salt Breezes. Popcorn lofting in the air. What’s not to love?
I have also been at a hotel for an outside “Rooftop Massage”. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? However, there were no cool breezes as it was summertime in Tucson, Az.
Have you ever worn one of those thick, cozy, white robes provided for you in the swankiest of hotels? Aren’t they just the dreamiest???
Well, I have one of my very own! It was actually given to me personally by a FOUR STAR HOTEL. I know!!! Talk about winning the LOTTERY! They told me to just take it home with me and don’t even bother to bring it back. How cool is that?
Well, it wasn’t cool at all. When I got up, I passed out cold. They took me away in the ambulance and said, “Lady, keep the robe!” as that is ALL I had on…
Yesterday we talked about, “What can possibly go wrong?” Well, as you can see from my example, a lot, actually!
King David’s “Rooftop Cinema” opened a door for him that changed his ENTIRE LIFE!
Our story today has a lot in common with my Rooftop story. David’s collapse began on the rooftop also.
Bathsheba was minding her own business! But… she had nothing on! Not even the nice fluffy, cozy robe! It was the morning and she was ceremonially bathing when David looked upon her “from his palace rooftop”. Her privacy became “His Cinema”.
All my life I have had this image of Bathsheba on the rooftop. Perhaps, you have heard the story and it stuck in your brain like that also. Some have even suggested that perhaps she was a seductress who had ‘her eyes on the king’. Or was it just that ‘his eyes were on her’?
In case you missed some of yesterday’s information about this issue, you might want to go back and read yesterday’s comments.
There are a few important details that we need to remember here:
1) David was on the rooftop of the palace and he saw Bathsheba,
2) Bathsheba was following the OT cleansing rituals according to the Jewish rituals by God.
3) David “Saw” her and “Sent” for her.
4) He was the king and she came as ordered.
5) People were to obey the king and she did.
6) The prophet Nathan puts the blame squarely on David and calls Bathsheba the “little ewe lamb”.
7) Bathsheba’s husband was murdered to cover this up.
The question that comes to mind during this period of David’s life is, “How did this happen”? This man had EVERYTHING… Lottery Dream House, Dynasty, S.W.A.T. He had the whole network if you follow my drift.
How? Perhaps, that is the remorseful question asked by every person caught in the disastrous aftermath of adultery. But, is adultery really the word for this encounter as David pursued her and used his power and authority to get what he wanted?
The Jewish law considers “rape” to be involving a virgin, and this wasn’t that either.
What word should be used for this situation? The prophet Nathan said that David “Despised” the Lord with his actions. Sometimes we may think that God went a little tough on David for adultery, but this really wasn’t that, was it?
Let’s look at the word picture that the prophet gives to David about his sin, “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought”. (2 Samuel 12: 1FF)
We should take note that this story is being told to the shepherd David who would leave his sheep (as a boy) to go out and rescue the poor lost one. This was the same shepherd who would kill a lion or other wild animal to preserve the lives of the lambs under his care. This was that man!
Nathan goes on to tell him the rest of the story… This man had plenty but instead of using what he had he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.
David was touched by the story. He could certainly relate. His immediate response was, “As surely as the Lord lives any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” (12:5-6)
“You are that man!” Nathan told David. (vs. 7)
The man that would protect one lost sheep with courage, bravery, and the power of God was the very same man that sent “a sheep under his care” out to the head of the military line to be killed by the enemy to cover up his sin.
David was that man!
What a GRIEVOUS ACT that will have GRIEVOUS CONSEQUENCES!
This is what the Lord says: “You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” (12:12)
David’s punishment will be visible for all to see. God was sending David a message and the Israelite people as well. His sin will affect his family, beginning with the baby born out of his abomination.
While the baby has a deadly illness, David is grief-stricken, fasting, and pleading with the Lord to be gracious with him and let the child live.
After the child dies, David got up from the ground, washed himself, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. Then he ate food again in the palace. He stopped his mourning. How strange this may seem to us…
Look at what David says, “Why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” (12: 23)
David, who used to talk to God about everything seems to have been rather silent since moving into the palace. He seemed a lot more attentive when he was running for his life and hiding in caves.
The man who asked, “Lord, Will they betray me?” didn’t ask “Am I betraying you and the sheep you have put under my care?”
The sin that was done secretly involving Bathsheba and then the murder of her husband is now openly visible for all of Israel to see.
This is the Rooftop Cinema…
