Week 3 - Bathsheba and Mary – Mothers of the Son of
David
We’ve
looked at Eve and Sarah, mothers of promise, as well as Rahab and Ruth, mothers
from the nations. Tonight we consider
two women who share a common distinction, but otherwise might at first seem
very different – Bathsheba and Mary. But
as we look closer, we’ll see that they maybe aren’t that different at all. Nor are we, who are also in Christ, the Son
of David.
Bathsheba’s
tale is a sordid story of adultery, unplanned pregnancy, conspiracy and murder,
followed by a cover-up. We didn’t hear
all of the gory details this evening, but even Scripture doesn’t spell out
every last detail – but leaves some to our imagination.
One debate
that continues to run is what was Bathsheba’s culpability in the whole
affair? How much of a victim was
she? How much of a seductress? Did she act out of fear before a powerful
man, or did she play the game for her own ends, willingly participating in the
sin (or at least, not protesting as she might have)? Maybe one day in heaven we will know.
But one
thing is for sure, she was caught up in this web of sin. And she, like all of us, was a sinner. Whether a #metoo victim of toxic masculinity
or a woman who worked it all to her advantage (or, perhaps even some of each of
these), the fact is that Bathsheba was part of a big mess of sin.
Sometimes
we are responsible, directly, for the messes we find ourselves in. Sometimes we truly are the victim, for evil
also comes from the devil and the sinful world around us.
If it’s
your own sin that got you into trouble, then there’s only one thing to do –
repent! We should pray to see our own
sin clearly, to have the word which shows it to us (that word of law), and also
that our pride would not hinder us from confession. For yes, even we Christians can willfully
participate in evil deeds of the flesh.
Sins of lust and greed and lies and even murder, if only in our
hearts. And often enough, those sins
don’t seem to have consequences. We seem
to get away with it. No harm, no foul,
right? No, for the Lord sees even the
secret sins of the heart.
And then
sometimes, often when you least expect it, that secret sin is laid bare. It’s not so secret anymore. Judging eyes can now see what a scoundrel you
are. The cat’s out of the bag. The fig leaf didn’t do its job. And what do you have left but excuses and equivocations,
rationalizations and blame. But none of
that really works. The only rescue is
repentance, confession, forgiveness.
But then
there are other times when you find yourself knee-deep in a quagmire of sin and
its consequences, and none of it is yours!
You are the victim of some other sinner.
You are the target of some satanic plan.
Or perhaps you simply fall, for whatever reason, under some aspect of
this broken world of chaos – and disaster, disease, or even death comes to
visit. Here, too, the Christian is not
without hope! Here too, we have good
news from Christ. For he is with us,
working for the good of his people in all things – all things! Even that which seems so ugly, and may well
be.
Whether
she was complicit or not, Bathsheba knew the bitterness of sin’s consequences,
when on the 7th day after birth, the child she had with David
died. Not even old enough to be
baptized, just a day shy. And while
scripture records David’s grief leading up to the child’s death, we can imagine
Bathsheba grieved it too, like only a mother can.
And yet,
God brought them blessing. He brought
forth good from this whole mess. For
Bathsheba would bear David another son, the boy Solomon. And Solomon would reign in superlative
wisdom, and build the temple, the house of God, and be a great king in his own
right. But even more – Solomon, this
first surviving Son of David would continue the line of promise that culminated
with THE Son of David, even Christ our Lord.
The
Christ, who by his own death would destroy death. The Christ, who with a wisdom greater than
Solomon and a faith stronger than David, would turn this sinful world order on
its head, and deal with sin like only he could. Thanks be to God for the son of
Bathsheba, the Son of David, Jesus Christ our Lord.
And then,
Mary. Dear Mary, the God-bearer. Beloved and honored by Christians from the
beginning, for as she herself sang, “all generations will call me blessed”.
Hard to
think of any woman who stands in greater contrast to Bathsheba than Mary. The adulteress (willing or not) versus the
virgin pure and mild. The woman who rose
to a seat of power, and became mother of an of the king’s child – or the humble
maiden from Nazareth. We don’t see Mary
as sinless, though many Christians wrongly make that claim. But we do see in her a great faith that is
worthy of imitation, a humility that we can aspire to. When Mary was told the news that she would
bear the Lord Jesus, she gave no objection or argument, only, “Let it be to me
as you have said. I am the servant of
the Lord!”
And we
sing, even tonight, the song of Mary – the Magnificat! A joyous response of praise and thanks to
the God who remembers his mercy. The God
of our fathers, who raises the lowly and brings down the mighty. A God of tender mercy who remembers his
promises. And of course, there is no
greater promise than the seed of the woman who comes to crush the serpent. God was bringing this promise to fulfillment,
and it would begin here, with faithful Mary.
But Mary
wasn’t all good and Bathsheba wasn’t all bad.
Both of these sinner/saints had a role in the salvation story. Both were mothers of the Son of David. Bathsheba, in the most mundane and earthly
way. Mary, in the most blessed and
miraculous way. Bathsheba’s Son of David
was a great man, but Mary’s Son of David was the God-man.
Son of
David. What a loaded term. Of course David was the king of Israel’s
glory days. Even today with the modern
nation of Israel, we see the “Star of David” on their flag. David was king over a united kingdom which
saw wealth and success, victory over enemies, and had the respect of the
nations. This only grew under Solomon,
until his two sons tore the kingdom apart.
But God
had made a promise – that the throne of David would be forever. That a Son of David would reign forever. And if you only looked outwardly at history,
you’d have to say that promise failed when the last Davidic king of Judah was
deposed in 587 BC. But God’s promise was
not for an earthly king, but for much more.
When Jesus
came to Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, on that Sunday when they spread their
palms – they also welcomed him with the accolade, “Son of David! Hosanna!
Save us now!” A shot across the
bow to the established rulers, for this “Son of David” talk was the moniker of
a king.
But Jesus’
kingdom is not of this world. And yes,
he would rule on David’s throne, but not some paltry earthly kingdom. He would be enthroned on the cross, crowned
with thorns, buried with the rich in death.
But then he would retake his true power and majesty, returning to the
throne of heaven, where he now rules all things for us, his people. Now, he can and truly does answer the
Hosannas of all his people. Now, and
forever, the true and ultimate Son of David will save us.
But he had
to be both God and man to do all this.
And so God made provision, that in the womb of the Virgin Mary, heaven
and earth would meet, and a Divine Nature would become one with a lowly human
nature. So David’s son is David’s
Lord. And he is Bathsheba’s lord, and
Mary’s savior, and ours.
You see
the one common thread the truly connects all these women, Eve and Sarah, Rahab
and Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary – is their offspring Jesus Christ. Christ who shared his human bloodline with
them, but in whose holy precious blood they and all who share Adam’s blood are
saved. Jesus the fulfillment of promise,
the savior of the nations, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Thanks be
to God for his long-awaited promises that informed the faith of the Old
Testament saints. Thanks be to God for
bringing those promise to fruition through the fruit of Mary’s womb. Thanks be to God for the Son of David who
brings us into his everlasting kingdom.
And Thanks be to God that the Jesus who has come will come again to
bring us final victory, resurrection, and a place in eternal glory.
A blessed
Advent and Christmas to you all. In
Jesus Christ, Amen.
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