I attended a luncheon recently and the speaker asked us to think of our favorite mother in the Bible.
People around me mentioned Mary, Ruth and others, but I had a name going around in my head nobody was saying, in fact, I wondered why it was in my own mind. Let me take you on a little journey in the Bible as I try to convey what I was thinking that day.
So it was the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, but David opted this time to stay home. Perhaps his body hurt. Perhaps he was tired of seeing blood. So for whatever reason, King David stayed home. And one fateful night he saw a beautiful woman taking a bath out on a rooftop. He found out her name was Bathsheba and she was married to Uriah, one of his warriors. King David committed adultery with this married woman and she conceived a child. David hatched a plan to invite Uriah home so he’d have sex with his wife and would presume Bathsheba and David’s child was his own, but Uriah slept outside instead of with his wife. So David made arrangements for Uriah to be killed out on the battlefield and once that happened, David took Bathsheba as his own wife. Their baby ended up dying and a prophet of God exposed all of David’s sin.
So when many of us hear the name “Bathsheba,” this is the part of the story we think of. We think of adultery. We think of adultery’s consequences. Isn’t it the same when we think of Monica Lewinsky? Perhaps in the place you’re living, the person who comes to mind is one who once would have had a scarlet letter “A” adorning him or her. Perhaps that person is you. Or maybe it isn’t adultery, but some other sin you can’t seem to shake off of you. Maybe you made a serious mistake years ago and you think living in isolation is your penance. Whatever your story is, consider the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say.
The rest of the story is that Bathsheba conceived again. This time her legitimate baby lived. She and David named him Solomon and he became the wisest person who has ever lived.
But there’s more to this story. David had other sons who did not turn out so well. His son Absolom tried to claim the throne and kick David out. Eventually Absolom’s hair got caught in a tree and somebody came along and killed him. It seems like David wasn’t the best father. So what made Solomon different? Solomon had Bathsheba for a mom.
His mom had made mistakes, but apparently learned from them. So when God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon didn’t ask for vengeance on his enemies. Solomon asked for wisdom. I think Bathsheba’s influence had something to do with that.
And when David was getting old, it was Bathsheba who made sure it was Solomon who would be crowned king next. She claimed and stood on an inheritance for her son.
I think we can all learn from this example. We need to pray our children step into God’s plans for their lives. We need to boldly approach a throne of grace and ask God to accomplish His will in our lives and in our childrens’ lives.
So Solomon becomes king and because he has the wisdom of God, he prospers. He builds a temple that has yet to be surpassed in its beauty. He has servants who get along with one another and accomplish great things. Other kings and queens come to visit Solomon and they are blown away by his prosperity and his wisdom.
And then one day, Bathsheba comes to visit. Solomon doesn’t tell his mom he is too busy for her. No, he lets her sit on a throne beside him and not just beside him, but on his right hand, the place of influence and authority. The adulterer sat next to the king. The adulterer got to see firsthand all her son accomplished. The adulterer got to see her son sitting on the throne that she had secured for him.
Now of course, I have to tell you this story does have a sad ending. Solomon acquired many, many wives and eventually all these women turned his heart from the Lord, but the fact remains that Bathsheba played a big part in the success that Solomon had. Bathsheba got to play a part in God showing David grace. David repented of his adultery and murder and God forgave him and gave him a son through Bathsheba.
Bathsheba knew great loss. Her first husband died and then her baby died. I wonder too if her self respect died when she sinned with David. But then somewhere, somehow, she lifted out of all that sorrow, out of all that drama to become King Solomon’s mother.
Do you think you have failed so miserably that God can’t birth a Solomon out of your circumstances? My Bible says God is the same today as He was back then. Think what would have happened if Bathsheba had stopped living once she had committed adultery, if she had isolated herself and lived a life like Michal, another wife of David’s. Solomon would not have been born, maybe the temple would have never been built and certainly not in its splendor.
Bathsheba found the courage to rise out of the ashes and find life, that’s why she’s my favorite mom in the Bible.
Sandy Whittington says
July 24, 2016 at 6:34 pmSo many people stay because they think the abuser will change. Unfortunately, they usually get worse.