The Perfect Murder....Almost

     I confess....I am not into soap opera type shows but I do love to read books and watch shows that tell about true crime and how the police solve the case.  I guess it comes from having a grandfather who was a celebrated criminal defense attorney.  I heard more about cases growing up than the average person.  Of course, real crime has been around for a long time.  Ever since the "Garden", murder, lust and greed have led to all types of law breaking.  In fact, the other day, I read again the story of a man "after God's own heart" and how he thought he had committed the perfect crime.

The Residence in Munich, Germany...a crown worn by
the royal family of the area.

     In the book of 2 Samuel in chapter 11 (please read the entire chapter), we find King David who should have been off to war with his troops staying at home instead.  One afternoon, he rises from his couch and looks down upon the city.  There he spies a beautiful woman bathing on her roof top.  Unlike Joseph who fled when his master's wife tempted him, David inquired about who this woman was.  When he was told that she was the wife of one of his soldiers, he should have let the matter drop. She was a married woman after all.  But David sent for her and lay with her.
     Later word came to King David that Bathsheba was pregnant, and now things are beginning to get very complicated.  David has to cover his tracks quickly because adultery is punishable by death.  With this in mind, he calls upon Joab his general in charge of the troops and asks him to send Uriah, the unsuspecting husband, back home.  When he arrives back in Jerusalem, David hoped he would go home and enjoy his wife so that her pregnancy could be explained; but Uriah threw a road block to that idea.  Being an honorable man and a loyal soldier, he refused to enjoy his home and wife while his brothers were fighting on the battlefield.
     Time was of the essence so David tried another tack.  He tried to get Uriah drunk so he would go home to be with his wife.  Yet again, Uriah foiled his efforts and slept with the servants in the King's house that night.  What honor in the face of such treachery!
     When everything had failed to remedy the situation, David decided he would have to have Uriah killed so he could take Bathsheba as his wife.  He, therefore, sent Uriah back to the field with orders to Joab that would lead to Uriah's death.  Uriah carried his own death warrant!  How great a king has fallen to the depths of depravity in order to cover his sin!

Another royal crown at The Residence in Munich, Germany

     King David's plan was for Joab to place Uriah in the heaviest fighting and then withdraw the other soldiers around him so he would be killed.  Joab did as the king requested and sent word back about the fighting along with the death of Uriah.  Now David was free to take Bathsheba as his wife.  He thought he had solved his problem.  No one would be the wiser.  Only Joab knew about this plan.  David forgot that God saw all that he had done.  In verse 27b, we read:  "But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord."
     David had abused his power and authority.  He had taken another man's wife out of lust and caused the innocent and loyal soldier to be killed to cover up the sin.  But God saw and knew it all.  There were consequences for his actions.
     Chapter 12 of 2 Samuel relates the visit of the Prophet Nathan to King David.  He came to tell David the story of a man who has a precious lamb that a rich man took to feed a guest even though he had plenty of sheep of his own.  This was a perfect story for David to hear as a former shepherd boy.  He was angry when he heard the story and said that the rich man should die.  Then, Nathan told him that he was the one the story was about.  Instantly, David knew his sin had been exposed by God.  He confessed his sin before Nathan and God.  Though he repented, there were to be consequences.  The baby which Bathsheba bore would die.  The sword would never depart David's house and within his own home, God would raise up evil against him.  Later in scripture, we know that it was Absalom his son who would rebel against him and take his father's wives.  Nathan said these words from the Lord:  "For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun" ( chap. 12:12).
     Despite this wicked deed, God did forgive David.  He spared his life, but God did make David face the consequences of his sin.  All that Nathan prophesied came to pass, and all of this could have been avoided if David had not allowed temptation to have free reign in his life.  So what can we learn from this Bible story?
     I think the first thing we all are aware of is that there is no such thing as a perfect murder or a perfect sin in general.  David thought he was pretty clever, but he forgot that God saw everything.  There is no sin which we commit that is not known by God, and as sure as the sun rises and sets each day, this evil will come out and be known.  It may not happen right away...but it will become known.
     Another factor we must consider is that even when the sin is forgiven after we repent, there will be consequences of our actions.  Things are never quite the same because sin leaves ugly scars upon the soul.  David lost his baby and paid a heavy price in his family relationships for the remainder of his days.  However, his relationship with God was restored through the forgiveness and mercy of the Lord.
     Finally, we must remember that temptation to sin lies in wait for all believers.  We must be aware of this and flee from it as surely as Joseph fled from sin.  Some will say, "Yes, but look at where Joseph ended up...in prison."  Ah, but in the end, Joseph rose to a position of prominence because he trusted himself to God's keeping rather than trying to run his life under his own power.  We must be careful to do likewise if we wish to remain in right relationship with God our heavenly Father.
     My true crime shows and books really do not offer more than what the Bible has already pictured for us.  Without Christ, we are lost, and even when Christ is our Savior, we are still prone to sin and temptation.  Therefore, we must always flee temptation and lean upon the Lord and His strength to avoid sinning against Him.  He sees and knows all that we are thinking, saying and doing on a daily basis.  Let us live to bring Him glory and fulfill the purpose for which He has created us.  Selah!