warped out of context
 

I find it interesting that the Pearls have any credibility. I have CTBHHM and I decided to look up the verses that they are twisting in support of their heresies. For example, there is a story about a woman who thought that she was more spiritual than her dh, she told him what to do and wasn't submitting to him. The Pearls said that her odd behaviors (She was ranting and raving, accusing her dh of being unfaithful with all the young women in the church) were the result of the Lord striking her with madness, per Deuteronomy 28:28. I read a couple of chapters prior to that verse. There is NOTHING in there about being struck w/ madness for not submitting to dh. It talks about the curses upon the children of Israel if they do not follow the law that God gave to Moses.

There is a part where they talk about Bathsheeba, how it was her lack of modesty and discretion which caused David to succumb to lust and commit adultery w/ her and cause the fall of all of David's household. Except that there was no such thing as indoor plumbing for Bathsheeba to bathe herself. And, being up on one's roof was not an anomality. Even now at least in Syria people go to the top of their roofs where it is cooler.

Re: warped out of context
 

Additionally, we just did a study on David at church and one thing that the teacher (we have a pastor/teaching team approach) made VERY clear was that Bathsheba was NOT on her roof - David was on the roof, she was in her own room minding her own business. He also said it was made very clear in the text that the sin was David's NOT Bathsheba's. Pearl is just so off it's not funny.:mad

Re: warped out of context
 

What little I decided to look up in TTAUC made me so :mad. It really, really bothers me that they warp Scripture in such a terrible way.

---------- Post added at 04:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:19 PM ----------

I'm shocked that there are people who think that Bathsheba was the one who sinned! I thought Scripture was pretty clear that it was David's sin, not Bathsheba.

Re: warped out of context
 

My bad, it *was* David who was up on the roof. We have a flat in Syria and from the balcony (we are on the 9th floor), we have quite a view, generally of laundry hanging out to dry in other people's flats. Women tend to put on their scarves even on their own balconies because anyone *could* see them. I wonder if they had separate public baths at that time? I've seen some in Damascus, where they are located though I've never been inside one.

I'll have to post more of their warped verse interpretations...

Re: warped out of context
 

No, no... this is how the Pearls and MANY pastor's preach this text. Your point was very valid.

Re: warped out of context
 

My pastor always points out how the verse starts out saying that it was the time of year when the kings go out to war. David's army was out at war and he was staying home when he was supposed to be leading his army. That was the start of his sin.

Re: warped out of context
 

According to our sermon about it, the start of his sin was actually before that. It mentions 'while he was in x, ....' six different sons where born to six of his wives. Our pastor was saying that David was taking a wife based on lust and going against the advice set in Deut. He said that by the time we get to Bathsheba, David was not only NOT controling his lust, but has become accustomed to having whatever woman he lusts after. Before this, he could marry them, but he has indulged himself to the point that even her marriage does not deter him. The pastor also mentions David not going to war and wondered if his guilty conscious was what had him on the roof.

THIS is why God said they didn't want a King!! Unlimited power means no accountability. :doh

Re: warped out of context
 

Good points. :yes

Re: warped out of context
 

And David's sin didn't stop with Bathsheeba, either. He compuounded his sin by committing other wrongs to cover it up.

Re: warped out of context
 

I have a very difficult time reading the text of the David and Bathsheba story as anything other than a rape. He was a king with unlimited power and authority. Saying no to him could have resulted in her being put to death. He was obviously not above murdering her husband.

Re: warped out of context
 

It strikes me as odd that even with all that, David was still considered as a man after God's own heart.

Re: warped out of context
 

To me, it speaks volumes about God's grace and the importance of true repentance.

Re: warped out of context
 

yes, this. When Nathan came to David and told him the story of the man who took his neighbor's pet lamb, David was enraged that anyone would do such a thing.

And when Nathan told David that the man was HIM, David wept bitterly. IIRC, David spent time in full mourning to demonstrate his repentance. He was entirely broken before GOd.

Re: warped out of context
 

I'm troubled by the fact that he never makes amends with his son after the rape of his daughter Tamar. I still think that situation was predominately a symptom of the flaws of being a king and the pressures that that kind of power and responsibility places on a single man.


But.... back to the OP and the Pearls... the idea that a helpless woman bares the responsibility of the situation and is a valid chastisement for any wife is horrific.

Re: warped out of context
 

Oh, I was taught they both sinned - Bathsheba for tempting David & David for succumbing. :-/