What’s Under Your Tent? Preparing for New Things – Lesson 1 (Hidden Sin)

Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 (ESV) “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters. Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10   

As we discussed last week, this is the year of New Things, however, we cannot see the new things until we deal with the things that are hindering our faith and walk with the Lord.  The things that are behind closed doors in the hallway of our lives that maybe we don’t even remember are in there.  The seemingly little sins or areas where the enemy has built a web of deceit or a stronghold.  “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.” Song of Solomon 2:15 (NLT) 

Over the coming weeks we will dive into the Word and see Biblical examples of people, who, like us, had things hidden under their tents.  We will look at the struggles they faced, their hearts posture toward the Lord, and the results of the sins being exposed.  Did they repent and find freedom?  How did they face the negative consequences for their actions?  What did God have to say about it all? 

First up is Hidden Sin.  These are sins we knowingly commit and try to hide.  Those things that only Jesus knows about outside of ourselves.  Hidden sins have an ugly way of being found out no matter how hard we try to hide them.  Even godly people can find themselves trapped in hidden sin.  This is not meant to condemn but to challenge and prayerfully help us find freedom.   

To start off we will look at a well-known scriptural narrative about King David. 

“Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, ‘She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite’ David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, ‘I’m pregnant.’” 2 Samuel 11:2-5 (NLT).  

For the sake of time and space I will recap the events following this announcement.   

David first sent for Uriah to come from the battlefield.  His pretense was to have Uriah deliver news of the battle from Joab to the king. Upon arriving in Jerusalem Uriah headed straight for the palace to see the king.  David asked for an update on the battle and the soldiers.  He then told Uriah to go home to his wife.  He hoped that Uriah would go and have intimacy with Bathsheba so that when news of her pregnancy spread it would appear to be Uriah’s child.   

David’s plan was foiled because Uriah was an upright man who would not consider going home to the comfort of his wife while Joab and the army of Israel were sleeping and fighting on the battlefield.  He instead slept at the entrance of the palace.   

The next day David tried to get Uriah drunk during dinner in order to get him to go home to his wife. However, even this did not work. Uriah again slept with the servants of the king.   

By this point David was desperate.  He had to find another way to keep the secret.  When deception did not work, he resorted to murder.  David sent orders to Joab, by the very hand of Uriah, to have Uriah placed on the front line of the battle then to have the army retreat behind him so he will be killed.   

Sadly, this worked, and David received word that Uriah was dead.  When the time for mourning was over, David took Bathsheba as his wife.  However, this was not the end of David’s trouble.  God sent word to David through the prophet Nathan that He had seen the sin and was going to hold David accountable for it.  The consequence for his sin was the death of the child Bathsheba had born to him. 

  

David fasted and pleaded with God to heal the child, however, on the seventh day of his illness the child died.  2 Samuel tells us that David comforted Bathsheba and she conceived and bore Solomon, who became the wisest man to ever live.   

Let’s evaluate the situation (hidden sin) found in 2 Samuel 11-12.  What was wrong in David’s situation/heart that led to his sin? I see a few things. 

First, this was the time of year when the kings went out to war.  We are not told why David was not with the army, however, we can surmise that if he had been he would not have seen Bathsheba bathing on her roof.   Sometimes we find ourselves introduced to sin because we allow ourselves to be in the wrong place or with the wrong people.  “Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 (AMPC) 

Second, David coveted another man’s wife.  Exodus 20:17 says, “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” (NLT) Allowing ourselves to dwell on thoughts that run contrary to the Word of God can lead us into sin.   

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV) 

Thirdly, David was not only the king of Israel; a man chosen by God; he was a married man.  The Jewish law gave specific instructions about the sexual sin of adultery.  Leviticus 20:10 states, “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.” (NLT) 

I’ve read the Bible through many times and never have I come across anywhere that says, “The Laws apply to everyone except _________________ “(fill in the blank).  All of God’s laws apply to every man, woman, and child ever born.  David didn’t have a free pass just because he was the king.  He knew this, that is why he tried to hide his sin. 

Finally, by “hiding” his sin David suffered the consequences of sin: death.  The innocent child who Bathsheba gave birth to died.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”  

I have good news, in spite of all of this, David was called a man after God’s own heart. “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’” (Acts 13:22 NLT) 

How can this be? Short answer, David was repentant and submitted to the discipline of the Lord without complaint. As a matter of fact, when his sin was “found out” he postured his heart in humility and repentance immediately. Psalm 51 was written by David after Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba. I encourage you to read the entire chapter, but I want to highlight some of it here:  

Psalm 51:1 (NLT) “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.” Here we see David acknowledged his sin. He asked God to have mercy on him and to remove the effects/stain of the sin from him.  

Vs. 3 “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.” David acknowledged that ultimately his sin was against God. Uriah and the child were victims of David’s sin, but the sin was a violation of his covenant with God. He also understands that whatever judgement God made against him would be right.  

Vs. 8 “Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice.” After confessing and repenting, David asked God to restore his joy. Repentance always leads to joy! Renewing our right standing with God brings us renewed joy. 

Vs. 10-12 “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” David then asks God to create a clean heart within him and asks that the Holy Spirit not be taken from him. He followed this up by asking that God make him willing to obey.  

Our hidden sin might not seem as “bad” as David’s. However, we, like David, must ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything hidden in our hearts and lives that is not pleasing to Him. We know that there is no sin that is bigger or smaller than any other. All of us bow on level ground before the Cross of Christ.  God’s desire for each of us is to be holy as He is holy. Leviticus 11:44a says, “For I am the Lord your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.” Hebrews 12:14 tells us, “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” Holiness is the standard by which we must live.  

In closing, I remind us again of the words of Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Thanks be to God that Jesus became the prefect, spotless, sinless lamb to pay the wages for our sin.   

Now the choice is ours: life or death. If we choose to crucify our flesh here on earth and live holy lives we will have eternal life, however, if we choose to live for our flesh here, harboring hidden sins, we will have death (eternal separation for God) for eternity.