Welcome to the InTouch podcast with Charles Stanley for Wednesday, July 5th.

Today, we continue the study of Second Samuel to see how David's mistakes can help us build a strong defense system that will shield us in our moments of weakness.

David now, at this point of his life, has been the king over all of Israel for about 20 years.

He's 50 years of age, he's come to the very pinnacle of his strength, the people of Israel are loyal to him, they love him.

He is the symbol of freedom, a liberator, a great commanding general, a man that will enhance them in character, eloquent surely in speech.

Read the Psalms and you'll know that there are qualities and characteristics of David that would cause anybody and everybody to look up to him.

But here's a man who's at the peak of his prosperity, the peak of his honor and glory and reign, and all of a sudden the shadow of emerality comes into his life.

He was guilty of adultery, he was guilty of murder because what he did when he couldn't get rid of Uriah in the other way and make him go to be with his wife, he sent him out and he sent a note to Joab, he said Joab, when you attack the city, get close to the walls of the city, but pull back from Uriah and be sure that he is slain in battle.

Imagine what Joab must have felt who had been the right-hand man of David all of these years while he was running from Saul.

He stood by, he would risk his life for him time after time, he went into battle with him, he defended him often times and only God knows how many times Joab may have saved David's life in battle.

And here Joab takes this note that says draw back the forces, move close to the wall, draw back the forces in order that Uriah who was a valiant warrior might be slain in battle.

That's exactly what it is, so he was guilty of adultery.

He was guilty of deliberate murder of one of his choices, soldiers.

He was guilty of lying, he was guilty of deceit, he was guilty of involving other people in his crime and in his sin.

He was guilty of bringing a mark and a shadow over the whole nation of Israel.

And when Nathan said to him, the sword will not depart out of your family if you look in verse 10 of chapter 12,

now therefore the sword shall never depart from the non-House because you despise me and have taken the wife of Uriah the head-type to be thou wife.

Nathan said, all the rest of your days as a result of the consequence of this sin, the sword shall never depart in your life.

And if you read from chapter 11, on to the rest of the end of this book of second asam, you'll find out how God did exactly what Nathan said.

The lasting consequence was not worth that.

Now think about this, I want to say this to young people as well as adults.

If in a moment of weakness you think in your heart I'm going to do it.

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