[Trying to normalize Bathsheba’s pregnancy,] David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. Then Joab sent a battle report to David. He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. But he might get angry then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’
2 Samuel 11:6-21, NLT
Hearing the death of Uriah, the Royal Advisor (and the uncle of King David) replied to the previous letter from Commander Joab as follow:
Dear Commander Joab,
I pen this letter in sorrow with a spirit chastened by the recent events. Your missive reached me months ago, voicing concerns about our king’s complacency. I confess I did not heed your words with the gravity they deserved. I thought of myself as the keeper of scrolls and the mentor to princes, not the corrector of kings. I beheld the king through a lens of trust and reverence, believing his inquiries and orders to be in the realm of royal duty. I was mistaken, and for that, I bear a burden of responsibility.
When King David’s gaze fell upon Bathsheba’s indiscretion, I was among those who sought to remind him of her identity as Uriah’s wife and Eliam’s daughter [1], trusting a man after God’s own heart could clearly see right from wrong. Yet, when he dispatched the royal couriers to her [2], I was lulled into a false sense of propriety, assuming the official protocols would safeguard the king’s conduct. This assumption was my failing, for it was not mere curiosity that drove David but a deeper, darker intent.
The subsequent events have laid bare the extent of David’s deception. He cloaked his sin in the garb of kingly authority. His orders to bring Uriah home, his feigned concern for the soldier’s well-being, and the orchestrated attempt to conceal his misdeed under the guise of normalcy were all masterstrokes of manipulation. In contrast, Uriah’s honor stood firm. Twice he refused to lay in his own bed, while his comrades lay in the open fields. His integrity casts a long shadow over the dark steps of the king.
Now, as the truth of Bathsheba’s pregnancy emerged, so too did the reality of my own negligence. I should have confronted David, should have seen through the facade of his actions. Instead, I remained silent, complicit in my inaction. And now, Uriah lies dead, a casualty not of war but of the sin that festers within this place of power. In hindsight, I was blinded by the glory of his crown, not seeing the shadows lurking beneath. Your letter was a clarion call, but I dismissed it to the detriment of us all. For that, I seek your forgiveness and that of the Almighty, whose laws we have all transgressed.
In this dark hour, I implore you to join me in prayer. May the Lord guide us in wisdom to stem the corruption that power can breed [3]. And may He lead us back to the path of righteousness. I intend to seek counsel with the Prophet Nathan, for his youthful eyes may see what we, in our familiarity, have overlooked. Together, perhaps God can use us to rekindle the light of truth and justice in the halls of our king.
In shared service and with a contrite heart,
Jonathan
Share with your friends “What steps can we take to ensure we do not fall into the trap of power?”
[1] Both Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, and Eliam, her father, are listed as David’s elite The Thirty warriors (2 Sam 23:34-39). Eliam is also the son of Ahithophel, David’s trusted counselor (2 Sam 16:23)
[2] The change from “sending someone” (2 Sam 11:3) to “sending messengers” ( מַלְאָכִ֜ים in 2 Sam 11:4) implies a shift from casual curiosity to deliberate action. Initially, David’s inquiry about Bathsheba seemed spontaneous and personal. But the use of messengers (plural) indicates a more official approach.
[3] Marcus Honeysett wrote a book on “Why Powerful Leaders Go Wrong?” even in church context and has a power audit here.
To avoid falling into the trap of power, we must confront the issue right away to avoid negligence. We also have to see past the person’s status and keep them accountable for their actions. This cannot be taken with a grain of salt. Within this process, we should continue to pray for them and hope that they will get back on their path of righteousness. Thankfully God is merciful to us in this way and will forgive the perpetrator for their sins.
From niki
“In this dark hour, I implore you to join me in prayer. May the Lord guide us in wisdom to stem the corruption that power can breed [3]. And may He lead us back to the path of righteousness. I intend to seek counsel with the Prophet Nathan, for his youthful eyes may see what we, in our familiarity, have overlooked. Together, perhaps God can use us to rekindle the light of truth and justice in the halls of our king.”
We need people who will hold us accountable, will pray for us, be close by to see our actions and growth, but also seek out advice from people like the Prophet Nathan so that a different set of eyes “may see what we, in our familiarity, have overlooked” and taken too lightly. As a friend we can not remain silent…we can not underestimate temptation, our ability to sin cuz Satan is smart and knows our weaknesses. And prayer is so important, reading his word and spending time with him and being in the community…God will keep our hearts in check when we are disciplined in our walk with Christ.
(from Roger)
Man this is a tough one. I believe that power corrupts all and even more so now that I’ve gotten into the Bible because the Bible tells us that all man is fallible. None of us are even close to holy and righteous like Jesus Christ. But I second all the things that Don has mentioned. I believe if we stay in the teachings of the Bible and pray on a regular basis and have a conscious contact with our higher power and do our best to remain spiritually fit and practice spiritual principles in all our affairs as NA talks abt, that we have a good chance to ward off the trap of power. If we fellowship with others who share our walk, who share our struggles and victories, then we can have genuine relationships that are intimate and reciprocal and most of all honest. As they say in the rooms, you don’t have to dance with everyone but in order to recover, you’re going to have to dance with someone. This I believe applies to the question posed to us today. I cannot get clean alone just as I cannot ward off the trap of power alone but if I really use the strength in the group and the power of god, I definitely have a chance. Once again, I think Don hit it on the head. There are some we must be transparent abt and take suggestions from along our path and that will definitely help keep us in line. Finally, we must learn to be honest with ourselves, with our innermost selves because self deception is probably stronger than many other external factors. Thanks guys. Can’t wait for everyone’s shares. Make it a great day! God is good
I would just humble myself or have others humble me and if people are falling into the trap of power I would humble them. Even if it might make me feel negative if someone called me out it would be better than to just let me stay this way. I may be blinded at the time by the power so I would need someone to tell me. Friends who humble you are the honest friends who want what’s best for you. You wouldn’t want people to lie to you and not tell you what’s wrong. I pray that I won’t fall into the pits of power and if I ever do God will be there to help me out and open my eyes
From Becky
In order to not fall into the trap of power we must be reminded of God’s word in
Phillipians 2:3-7
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed,but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant.”
Also, we need to pray for those in power like our president, the communists, our boss at work, etc… for God to change them and for them to come to know and surrender to God.
I think ways we can stay out of the trap of power is to stay grounded in God. Also to remember that everything you do and everything you have comes from God and that you shouldn’t take it for granted. I believe these are two very big things because by staying grounded to God you see the reliance you need with him, but also you show a sense of humbleness to God and even to others to show that you aren’t better than anyone.
David’s life serves as a cautionary story, illustrating how one sin led to another, starting from his affair with Bathsheba to the murder of Uriah. David, a mighty king, wielded his power to fulfill his desires. Although he began as a man of God, his journey demonstrates the corrupting influence of power. This story reminds us that if we fail to safeguard ourselves or heed the counsel of those around us, we too could become in the trap like David. This also serves as a remind of our imperfections and susceptibility to sin, underscoring our need for Jesus as our savior.
Power becomes dangerous when it’s not grounded in humility, so being rooted in God’s Word to remind us that we are in fact powerless and our works fruitless without Him. Having accountability with close friends who can speak truth in grace that you’re willing to listen to also helps us avoid clouding judgment with power
We’ve been seeing people using their power for personal profit. Power is something everyone desires, but using it to benefit others or treat them well is not an easy task. To avoid falling into the trap of power, we should be aware that the power we receive comes from God. This reminder can guide us to use our power correctly and bring glory to God.