Last Year’s It Girl

I mentioned the tragic David and Bathsheba adultery-murder story in a prior post, it’s an ugly tale that still manages to shock even this unshockable generation. But, as Paul Harvey used to say, what about the REST of the story? Let’s learn some “fight like a girl” tactics from a disenfranchised wife who contended for her son’s rights in the face of some extreme circumstances.

| A little backstory |
I won’t go into the sordid details (you can review them in 2 Samuel 11), but we can summarize the whole mess by saying King David spied on a pretty lady taking a rooftop bath, ordered her to come to him, got her pregnant, and had her husband (one of his famous mighty men!!) murdered in a vain cover-up attempt. After being confronted by Nathan the prophet, King David confessed his sin and accepted sad death of their firstborn as the Lord’s righteous chastisement. David promised Bathsheba that Solomon, their next son, would inherit the throne. Okay, now you’re up to speed.

We pick up the story years later, when King David is a very old man who can’t seem to stay warm in bed, no matter how many covers they pile on him. Here’s where the wheels fall off for me—his advisors come up with what they think is a terrific plan: Let’s comb the kingdom for the prettiest virgin to be a human hot water bottle for the chilly monarch. Are you hearing that record-scratch noise, too? Uh, what about the dozens of wives he already has? Can’t you recruit a big dog? Nope, apparently only a cutie-pie will do. The Cinderella scouting party soon returns with a little hottie named Abishag (honestly, these names!) who takes her place as the king’s ornamental warming pan and general handmaiden (the Bible hastens to tell us that the king and Abi were not intimate, just cuddle buds). While David’s staying toasty in the palace, he’s completely unaware that one of his OTHER sons is setting himself up as king in another part of town. Now, it’s up to some unlikely conspirators to save the day.

| Strange bedfellows |

Remember Nathan the prophet? The one who confronted David about his sin with Bathsheba? Well, he finds out about this latest mutiny and, weirdly, decides to conspire with Bathsheba—the very woman he ratted out decades prior! He lets her know she’s got to inform King David that the promised Solomon kingship is in danger, giving her the script and promising he will back her up. (1 Kings 1:11-14)

Bathsheba is no fool. She knows what happens to excess royalty so she immediately petitions to see the king. Let’s picture it. She comes into the king’s chambers, and there’s Lil’ Miss, smugly feeding peeled grapes to King David. Talk about humiliation! Bathsheba, once the “It Girl,” is now just another of David’s tossed-aside wives. But for the sake of her son and his promised inheritance, she humbles herself, maintains her dignity and states her case.

| Here’s how the Bible describes this awkward encounter |

So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him. Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.
“What is it you want?” the king asked.
She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. He has sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.”
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As per their plan, Nathan comes in while she’s still speaking and says precisely the same thing, as if they just ‘happened’ to show up on the same day. Bathsheba parks in the waiting room, fingers crossed. Just as they figured, this one-two punch wakes David up to his responsibilities and he starts barking commands.
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Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. The king then took an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, I will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.” Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!

Maybe you’re in a similar situation? You’re a one-time wife whose child is in danger of losing his royal inheritance. Yes, it’s possible. Are you divorced? Is there a new model parked in the family garage—maybe a younger, prettier one? Are your children apparently no longer in line to enjoy an inheritance as a child of the Heavenly King? It’s time for you to take a page of Bathsheba’s book and fight like a girl.

| How Bathsheba teaches us to fight like a girl |

1. She listens to God’s representative. Nathan here is a sort of earthly, symbolic stand-in for the Holy Spirit. He tells Bathsheba to ask David to make good on His promise to her about Solomon and then tells her exactly what to say. The Holy Spirit will prompt us to come humbly to our perfect, Heavenly King—who is never distracted by fleshly issues—and humbly remind Him of His promises.

2. She endures humiliation. She acts on this prompting, even though it’s personally humiliating. I’m sure I’m not the only divorced mother who’s had to swallow my pride at moments when our children’s futures are at stake. Look how Bathsheba approaches King David, even with Abi in the room—humbly, respectfully, keeping her focus on the priority—her son.

3. She respectfully reminds the king of his promise and pleads her case for her safety and Solomon’s. She knows she can do so because she is part of the king’s household, as is her son, by a binding covenant.

4. She steps aside when the Priest enters to make his petition. Bathsheba knows that Nathan is on her side and that his word will seal the deal. And she’s right. This foreshadows how Jesus petitions for us at the throne of the Heavenly Father. We can wait on His timing.

5. She obeys her king’s summons. Scripture says “...she came into his presence and stood before him.” Isn't that a wonderful example to us? After we’ve petitioned our King, we can just come into His presence and stand before Him, awaiting His word, His timing.

6. She praises her king when he acts on her behalf. "Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, 'May my lord King David live forever!'"

Bathsheba prostrates herself when she’s asking for the king’s promise to be fulfilled and when she’s thanking him for his renewed promise. She conquered her pride and fear and petitioned on behalf of her son, asking her king to perform what he promised. We see a very flawed, very weak king here, but he does deliver.

Let us humbly, confidently approach our strong, holy, and mighty King, trusting that we have a pure, holy and perfect Advocate, and let us stand, then bow before Him. Despite their sordid past and current imperfections, God blessed and honored His promises to David and Bathsheba that their son would be kept safe and ultimately take his place in the royal family. Let’s believe that for our children, too, shall we?

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to our sons, how much more will our Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” (Matthew 7:11)