Most of us are familiar with the story of David standing on a rooftop looking down at Bathsheba while she was bathing and being filled with lust. There are other elements of the story that we need to consider.

Bathsheba was the wife of a man named Uriah. As David watched Bathsheba bathing, he sent servants to bring her back to him, where he committed adultery with her.

In an attempt to cover his sin, David tried to get Uriah to come back home from battle for a night to have him sleep with Bathsheba to cover his sin, but Uriah had integrity. He refused. David then commanded that Uriah be positioned on the front lines, hoping he would die in battle to cover his sin. Uriah would die in that battle.

This story is a sad reflection on one of God’s leaders. There are reasons for David’s sin, reasons that affect us all if we are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites” II Samuel 11:1. David, not Joab, was supposed to lead the army into battle. A greater battle than the war with the Ammonites was also taking place within David. Instead of going into war, “David stayed behind in Jerusalem” (vs. 11). He was in a compromised place because he was not in the battle where kings are normally supposed to be at that time of year. Being out of place and out of God’s timing made David a target for a hidden sin seeking a place to reveal itself.

The story of David’s downfall happened for several reasons. First, he was not where he was supposed to be. He should have been fighting a war against the Ammonites. David had allowed his protected status as king to give him a fail sense of security that he could get away with doing what his lust demanded. After the act of adultery took place, it also challenged Bathsheba’s impression of what a righteous king would do. David allowed his protected status as king to give him a fail sense of security that he could get away with doing what his lust required of him.

In any position of leadership, from leading a home to leading a nation, our assumptions will eventually be exposed, many times with very sad results. This usually happens at a single moment when we think we are safe to follow our lust. We are never in a safe place to commit any sin. God’s love for David was revealed when Nathan the prophet confronted him. When we think we have all our bases covered, God’s Spirit has a way of revealing our sin for the purpose of our redemption.

David’s sin was also exposed to others, not just to David, Bathsheba, and Nathan. It was exposed to the servants whom David told to bring Bathsheba to him. The servants knew what was happening. So did Joab, the soldier who took David’s place in battle, and who was told to put Uriah on the frontlines.

The messenger who gave a battle report to David also realized a cover-up was taking place. David gave the messenger a flippant response about Uriah’s death: “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time and conquer the city!” (vs.25.

The final indication that something was amiss was David’s flippancy when it came to the sin he was trying to hide. No sin is without repercussions. David would suffer those repercussions. But in all that would happen in and through David, he would still be considered a man after God’s own heart.

Our sins, though grievous at times, do not derail what the Lord thinks of us if we are willing to confess our sins to Him and set the record straight. Only by living an open and transparent relationship with God are we protected from the sins that want to destroy us and derail our destiny.