Have you ever seen the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentleman?  If not, perhaps you know the story of Dorian Gray.  In the movie we are introduced to a cast of characters who are rather unique.  Sean Connery plays Allan Quatermain, a big game hunter introduced in King Solomon’s Mine.  Others were Tom Sawyer; Dr.Jekyll/Mr. Hyde; Captain Nemo;  Skinner, who stole the formula from the Invisible Man; Mina Harker (a vampire); and Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray is a fictional character created in The Picture of Dorian Gray, the only novel penned by Oscar Wilde.  Gray basically sells his soul so that he never grows old, but his picture does.  The portrait mirrored his own troubled soul, and became more hideous with each sin he committed.  In the movie Mina tricks him into looking at his portrait.  His youthful appearance simply masked a corrupt heart.

As I have been studying and preaching on the life of David, the adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, Uriah, cannot be avoided.   Because he was king he never suffered the death penalty that usually accompanies that act.  However, one of the realities that I have mentioned often in my sermons, and also here, is this:

THERE. IS. FALLOUT. FOR. SIN………NOW. OR. LATER.

We see it in our churches. We see it in our families.  We see it in our corporations. We see it in our workplace.  Hosea was right when he said, “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.”  (8:7a)  King David is no exception.  Even though he repented of his sin (Psalm 51), he had to face the consequences.  It is sort of like a teenager/adult who gets pregnant and is overcome with their sin and they repent.  That is all well and good, but the pregnancy doesn’t just disappear into thin air.  David’s life is proof of that.   Here take a gander:

Newborn son dies

Amnon rapes Tamar (incest)

Absalom hates Amnon (brothers)

Absalom murders Amnon

Absalom rebels and runs away

Absalom leads a conspiracy against David (his father)

Absalom violates David’s wives (in broad daylight)

Joab murders Absalom

WHEW!  For all who thought/think it is/was unfair that David seemed to “get away with murder,” there is your answer.   God has established some good laws and they are there for our good.  Not to take away our freedom and joy.  Imagine if David had listened to God’s Law against adultery.  Imagine how different his life would have been.

Please keep this in mind though: Becoming a Christ-follower is not synonymous with becoming a model of perfection.  Both the Christ-follower needs to remember that (he will fall and fail); and the non-believer needs to remember that as well,  stop expecting it, and taking cheap shots when we do.

Any thoughts you care to add?  I know I would appreciate your prayers.  I would also appreciate hearing your thoughts.  Have a great weekend.