David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5:13
Whenever you hear of a moral calamity, there is always a back story. These things don’t just happen out of the blue at random.
The back story behind David’s sin with Bathsheba is clear: He already had more than one wife and concubines (5:13). That was what kings commonly did in those days, but it was a direct violation of the clear command of God. Through the mouth of Moses, God made it very clear that his king was to be different: “He shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away” (Deut. 17:17).
David had carved out an area of compromise in his life that had never been submitted to the Lord. And that area of compromise lay at the root of his sin. David clearly had a problem with lust, and the more he gave way to it, the more it controlled him. The sin he accommodated in his life grew, until one day, its power overwhelmed him.
The Bible makes it very clear that this is how sin works. It builds a position in your life over time as you compromise with it: “Desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:15). The more room you give to an evil desire, the more powerful it will become in your life. W. G. Blaikie says, “When an evil desire has scope for its exercise, instead of being satisfied, it becomes greedier and more lawless.”
Is there an area of compromise that is taking over more and more control of your life? Take steps today to guard your heart, because if you allow sin to capture your imagination, it will not be long before it masters your soul.
