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Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001814A
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00:01 Welcome to a new Carter Report series,
00:03 The Game Changers. 00:05 These rare individuals appear once in a lifetime. 00:09 Like a blazing meteor across the night sky, 00:12 they change the course of history. 00:15 They show us the way forward. 00:18 Welcome to The Game Changers. 00:25 Welcome back to The Game Changers, part two. 00:28 The hero today is King David, 00:33 and we are talking about his harem 00:36 when he became the king. 00:38 Some of the women in his life, 00:40 Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, 00:45 Haggith, Abital, Eglah, and Michal 00:51 and he had at least ten concubines. 00:55 Apparently, he was influenced by the customs of the times, 01:00 but if this tells me anything, it tells me 01:03 that God must be very, very patient. 01:08 But apparently, one was not enough 01:12 because one day, 01:14 David had a little nap and the Bible tells me 01:18 that he is looking out the window. 01:20 2 Samuel 11:2 says this, 01:24 "Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed 01:28 and walked on the roof of the king's house. 01:32 And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, 01:37 and the woman was 01:40 very beautiful to behold." 01:45 I might remind you today that the first look is not sin, 01:51 but the second one is. 01:53 I've been to that very location in Jerusalem, 01:56 her house was just below the palace. 02:00 Apparently, his 16 or 17 wives, 02:04 including concubines, 02:07 were not enough. 02:08 The carnal heart always wants more. 02:11 I saw a movie a number of years ago 02:14 and this villain in the program, 02:17 he's the member of the mafia, 02:19 he's asked this question, 02:21 "What do you want, Rocco?" 02:24 "What do you want, Rocco?" 02:25 Rocco says, "What do I want? 02:28 I want more!" 02:32 That's the cry of the carnal heart, 02:34 "Give me more. 02:36 Give me more." 02:38 "What do you want?" "I want more!" 02:41 Now 2 Samuel 11:3, 4, 5, 02:45 "So David sent and inquired about the woman. 02:48 Someone said, 'Is this not Bathsheba, 02:51 the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?' 02:56 Then David sent messengers, and took her, 02:58 and she came to him, and he lay with her, 03:01 for she was cleansed from her impurity, 03:04 and she returned to her house. 03:07 And the woman conceived, 03:10 so she sent and told David, and said, 03:13 'I am with child.'" 03:17 "And of course, nobody knew about it, 03:22 did they? 03:23 Now who was Uriah? 03:25 He was one of the king's bodyguards, 03:28 one of David's mighty men. 03:30 Was Bathsheba already known to the king? 03:33 I think so 03:35 because all the bodyguards would get together 03:37 with their wives and have parties. 03:41 So was she a sweet, innocent little thing 03:44 as I have been taught? 03:47 Did she have a choice? 03:48 I've had people say to me, "She had no choice at all." 03:54 I believe, my friend, in the power 03:58 and the potency of saying no. 04:03 If you read the Book of Esther, 04:04 you read there about Vashti and she said no. 04:09 And this woman 04:11 could have said no also. 04:14 Then David sends for Uriah, he gets him drunk, and says, 04:19 "Go home to your wife." 04:22 But he won't do it. 04:25 I wonder how many really knew about this. 04:28 And then what the king does, 04:30 he writes a letter 04:33 and the letter becomes 04:38 the execution of a good man. 04:43 He says, 04:44 "Put him in the front of the battle 04:46 and then withdraw and let him be killed." 04:51 And that's what happens. 04:53 All is good. 04:55 Bathsheba, the disloyal wife, who was hungry for power, 05:01 moves into the palace. 05:04 I guess, it is true to say, 05:07 she was not the first person 05:09 to sleep away to the top 05:12 and to get into the palace, 05:14 it's happened before, it may even happen again. 05:19 If you notice 2 Samuel 11:26, 05:22 and 27, 2 Samuel, 05:27 "When the wife of Uriah heard that 05:30 Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband, 05:34 And when her mourning was over, 05:36 David sent and brought her to his house, 05:40 and she became his wife and bore him a son. 05:45 But the thing that David had done 05:49 displeased the Lord." 05:51 There was somebody who was watching, 05:56 just as somebody is watching you 06:00 and watching me. 06:02 A church leader in Southern California, 06:04 discussing somewhat of a scandal in the church, 06:08 said this, "We must never forget 06:11 that the tape recorder is always running. 06:16 It's always running." 06:18 There's a record kept of every life 06:22 and there is a judgment day 06:24 and you can fool everybody, including your spouse, 06:29 but you can't fool God. 06:34 The Prophet Nathan goes to David, 06:36 he tells the story of two men, 06:38 one very, very rich 06:39 who's got lots and lots of sheep 06:41 and a poor man 06:42 who's only got one little baby ewe lamb. 06:47 And there is a visitor coming and the wealthy man needs 06:51 to put on a feast and so what he does, 06:54 rather than take one of his sheep, 06:57 he goes and steals from the poor man. 07:01 He tells the story to King David 07:03 and David becomes righteously indignant 07:07 and he says, 07:08 "The man who did this must die." 07:13 And the prophet said to him, 07:16 "You are the man." 07:20 Just as well, it was David and wasn't King Saul 07:25 because for all of his sins, 07:28 David had a heart for God 07:31 and David repented 07:34 and his repentance was sincere. 07:37 You can read about it in Psalm 51:1-4, 07:42 and David wrote most of the Psalms, 07:43 "Have mercy upon me, O God, 07:45 According to Your loving kindness, 07:47 According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, 07:49 Blot out my transgressions. 07:51 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 07:54 And cleanse me from my sin. 07:56 For I acknowledge my transgressions, 07:59 And my sin is always before me. 08:01 Against You, You only, have I sinned, 08:04 And done this evil in Your sight 08:06 That You may be found just when You speak, 08:09 And blameless when You judge. 08:12 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, 08:16 Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." 08:21 David had in the midst of his sin, 08:25 a heart for God 08:28 and God can save a man or a woman, 08:32 if they will repent. 08:36 But if David can be saved, 08:38 there's hope for every one of us 08:40 because of God's amazing grace. 08:43 However, listen to this, 08:47 while sin may be forgiven 08:49 as it was in the case of David... 08:56 God does not remove the consequences. 09:00 Well, you say, "No, no, no. I can't believe it." 09:02 While sin may be forgiven, God does not remove 09:04 the consequences. 09:07 Uriah, a good and a brave man dies. 09:11 What did Bathsheba think in the palace? 09:15 The baby dies. 09:18 David prays for the baby for seven days, 09:22 he won't eat, he's on the floor, 09:25 they think he is going to die. 09:29 But on the seventh day, the baby dies. 09:34 Why does the innocent suffer? 09:37 The innocent often suffers because of the sins of others, 09:42 not always, of course. 09:46 Now listen to this, 09:48 David had a number of sons. 09:51 One son is a young man by the name of Amnon, 09:57 he has a half-sister by the name of Tamar 10:01 and she is beautiful, a half-sister. 10:06 2 Samuel 13:1, 2, look at it in the Bible, 10:12 "After this Absalom 10:15 the son of David had a lovely sister, 10:18 whose name was Tamar, 10:21 and Amnon the son of David loved her." 10:24 Had no right to love her. 10:27 "Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar 10:31 that he became sick, for she was a virgin. 10:35 And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her." 10:41 But Amnon is a schemer and a conniver. 10:47 He says to the king, "I'm sick, 10:51 have my sister come and give me something to eat." 10:54 So the king sends the beautiful Tamar 10:58 and she cooks him some food 11:01 and she feeds him with her own hand. 11:06 And Amnon says, 11:07 "Have everybody leave the room." 11:11 And the Bible says, 11:13 "Because he was stronger than she, 11:18 he raped her." 11:22 Now I've heard people say to me, 11:24 "But it was only his half-sister 11:27 and it was okay back then to have relationships 11:32 with family members, sort of." 11:37 That is not true, read the Book of Leviticus, 11:42 where it is the curse of God. 11:45 Not only did this man violate his sister, half-sister, 11:50 by the act of rape, 11:52 he committed incest, 11:57 an unnatural sin. 12:04 It is an ugly story but it's not over. 12:09 The king hears about it, 12:11 the king is angry as anything, he's fighting mad. 12:16 But you know what he says? 12:20 He's mad 12:24 but he says nothing, 12:26 how can he? 12:28 He's lost his moral authority. 12:31 And look at 1 King 2 12:33 or rather 2 Samuel 13:21, 22. 12:39 2 Samuel 13:21, 22 12:42 "But when King David heard of all these things, 12:45 he was very angry." 12:48 Oh, isn't that good? 12:50 "And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon 12:53 neither good nor bad. 12:56 For Absalom hated Amnon, 12:59 because he had forced his sister Tamar." 13:02 Now Tamar's brother 13:05 was the best-looking man 13:07 in Israel, Absalom. 13:13 What should the king have done? 13:15 Now let me remind you of this, 13:18 the king had a dual role. 13:21 He was a father 13:24 and a father loves his children, 13:27 but that's not enough. 13:29 As the king, 13:31 he was the upholder of the law of God, 13:35 and therefore he should've upheld 13:38 the law and punished 13:41 the violator of Tamar. 13:46 You see, God has got a dual role too. 13:47 Did you know this? 13:49 He's a father 13:50 but he is the upholder of the law. 13:52 Thank God that God did a better job 13:56 of his dual responsibilities than did King David. 14:01 Why is David so silent? 14:04 Now we think for a moment of the tragedy of silence. 14:10 David is silent because of his double sin, 14:14 because of his adultery and his murder. 14:19 He has lost his moral authority and therefore, 14:23 his lips are sealed. 14:25 Have you ever wondered 14:27 why all the lying that goes on 14:31 in the world is not rebuked? 14:36 Because it's hard for liars 14:38 to rebuke liars, that's why. 14:42 No moral authority. 14:44 The adulterer and adulterer 14:46 will not condemn an adulterer. 14:51 You just apply that to your own times, please. 14:54 An adulterer will not condemn an adulterer. 14:58 A pedophile will not condemn a pedophile. 15:03 And I've sat on boards 15:06 where people have been slow to speak 15:09 and I have wondered 15:11 what dirty secrets 15:13 are they covering themselves? 15:17 So the king won't say anything, didn't say anything 15:21 about the rape of his daughter. 15:25 A liar won't condemn a liar. 15:28 Bathsheba had silenced the king. 15:37 And David was forgiven, I want you all to know this. 15:40 David was redeemed, 15:43 but the clock of consequences was ticking. 15:47 This is not something we want to hear. 15:50 I've been a pastor for more than 50 years 15:53 and virtually every person in all of my churches 15:57 has not accepted the truth 15:59 that even though we may be forgiven, 16:02 God doesn't stop the clock of consequences. 16:05 People say, " Oh, no, no. 16:07 God takes away the consequences too." 16:08 Now that is not so. 16:11 God will forgive 16:14 but He doesn't stop the consequences. 16:18 The Apostle Paul said these words, 16:22 "Whatever a man sows 16:25 that he will also reap." 16:29 And David was reaping, 16:32 David was now about to do a lot of reaping. 16:37 Amnon rapes his sister Tamar, David remains silent, 16:43 Absalom is righteously indignant. 16:46 Has he got a reason to be angry? 16:50 Yes, he does. 16:55 Little while later, Absalom, the brother of Tamar, 16:59 takes the law into his own hands. 17:02 There's a big feast. 17:05 Absalom, the most handsome man in Israel 17:08 goes to the king and says, 17:10 "Will you come to our great feast?" 17:12 He says, "I can't come, my son." 17:14 He says, "Then can this king's sons come?" 17:17 "All right" All the king's sons come 17:20 and then when they are all 17:23 well fed and drunk, 17:27 the command is given by Absalom, 17:31 kill Amnon, 17:33 and the swords are out 17:36 and the rapist 17:39 is put to death. 17:44 The clock of consequences. 17:48 Now if you look at 2 Samuel 13:37, 17:52 it says this, 17:55 "But Absalom fled and" he runs away, 17:59 "Went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. 18:04 And David mourned for his son every day." 18:09 Now David is good at mourning 18:12 and he's good at getting mad, 18:16 but he has become a very indulgent father 18:21 and every time he goes to bed at night, 18:25 he's got a reason 18:28 to feel a little bit guilty. 18:32 David had two roles, I want you to learn this, 18:34 I want to teach this to you. 18:36 He was a father, therefore a father should love. 18:41 You're not a good father 18:43 unless you really love your children. 18:46 He's also the upholder of the law of God. 18:50 He's like God, when the human race sinned, 18:55 God had a problem. 18:56 He was our father, He loved us 18:59 but He also had to uphold the law. 19:02 You know how He does it? 19:05 Christ loves us and He goes to the cross 19:10 and He bears the curse of the law, 19:13 that's what kills Him. 19:18 So the son of David 19:19 did a much better job than David. 19:23 Absalom is allowed to return to Jerusalem after a while. 19:27 He's a very good-looking boy, 19:30 his hair weighs six pounds when it's cut. 19:35 When they cut off his hair, 19:39 the locks weigh six pounds. 19:43 In 2 Samuel 15:5, 6 tell us this, 19:47 "And so it was, 19:49 whenever anyone came near 19:53 to bow down to him," 19:55 This is Absalom, 19:57 "That he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. 20:01 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel 20:06 who came to the king for judgment, 20:08 so Absalom stole the hearts 20:12 of the men of Israel." 20:15 He's a con artist, 20:17 and there are many con artists today, 20:21 and many people are taken in 20:23 by smooth talk. 20:27 So when people come, he puts his arms around 20:30 and he smooches them, he kisses them, 20:32 he hugs them, he says, 20:34 "You know, if I was only the king, 20:35 things would be so much better." 20:38 And people are so gullible and we are all gullible 20:43 without the common sense that comes 20:45 from the reading of Scripture. 20:49 And almost all of the Israelites 20:52 forsake David and want Absalom as king. 20:56 Did you know, you can't be too hard on human beings, 20:59 one-third of the angels 21:02 joined against God in rebellion 21:05 through the Absalom, who was called Satan. 21:10 Only God, my friends, can give us wisdom, 21:13 and wisdom is a gift 21:15 from God given to people who search the scriptures. 21:21 Most of Israel joined Absalom in rebellion against David. 21:24 It all started when David slept with Bathsheba 21:30 and murdered Uriah. 21:32 What goes around comes around. 21:35 David flees for his life. 21:37 Absalom comes into Jerusalem, 21:39 he goes in to the king's concubines. 21:42 There is war. 21:43 And then there is a tremendous battle 21:47 out in the forest. 21:49 The soldiers of King David, they think he's going to lose. 21:53 Absalom comes out with a tremendous army. 21:58 But at the end of the day, 22:00 the rebellion is over 22:02 and there are 20,000 men killed, 22:07 there are 20,000 widows 22:09 and probably 40,000 children 22:13 without fathers. 22:16 Absalom, the charmer, is riding a mule. 22:20 He rides under a terebinth tree. 22:23 He's caught up in the oak tree, 22:26 hanging there with his long hair. 22:29 Joab he's about... 22:30 Joab goes out and David has said, 22:35 "Deal kindly with the young man Absalom." 22:38 But Joab says, "I don't care." 22:40 He takes three darts and he throws them, 22:43 one, two, three into the heart of Absalom. 22:48 They cut him down, they find a big hole, 22:51 and they throw him into the hole, 22:53 and cover it over with stones. 22:58 How did this start? 23:00 20,000 plus widows. 23:03 God forgave David, 23:07 but let the consequences work out, 23:09 that's what he does with you and me. 23:12 Uriah was dead, the baby was dead 23:15 Tamar was raped, Amnon was murdered, 23:20 Absalom was executed, 20,000 soldiers were killed 23:25 and it started with an affair 23:27 that started with a look out of the window. 23:33 But Romans 5 gives us hope. 23:38 Romans 5:20, 23:41 "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. 23:45 But where sin abounded, 23:49 grace abounded 23:52 much more." 23:55 The mercy of God, 23:58 David was restored. 24:02 Romans 4:6, 7 say these words, 24:06 "Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man 24:10 to whom God imputes righteousness 24:13 apart from works, 24:15 'Blessed are those 24:16 whose lawless deeds are forgiven, 24:19 and whose sins are covered.'" 24:22 In spite of these terrible sins, 24:27 he was saved. 24:28 His son Solomon, by Bathsheba, 24:33 became the king after him and through his line, 24:37 the messiah was born. 24:40 Amazing, isn't it? 24:42 God knew how to handle His dual responsibilities. 24:45 As a father, He loves, as a law-giver, 24:49 He upholds the law. 24:51 On the cross, 24:54 all of David's sins and mine were laid on Him, 24:59 so the Son of God did much better than David. 25:02 He is the ultimate Game Changer. 25:05 So if you feel, look at me, 25:08 if you feel there's no hope for you, 25:13 remember this, 25:16 if God could save David, 25:19 He can save anybody. 25:23 When I was a boy at college a few years ago, 25:28 I learned this wonderful song. 25:31 Wonderful Grace of Jesus 25:34 Greater than all my sin 25:38 How shall my tongue describe it 25:41 Where shall its praise begin? 25:45 Taking away my burden 25:49 Setting my spirit free 25:53 For the wonderful grace 25:55 of Jesus reaches me 26:00 Remember, 26:02 where sin did abound, 26:06 grace did much more abound. 26:08 If God could save David, 26:12 He can save you 26:15 and He can save me. 26:24 Jesus said, 26:25 "All authority has been given to Me 26:27 in heaven and on earth. 26:30 Go, therefore, 26:31 and make disciples of all the nations, 26:34 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 26:37 and of the Son, 26:38 and of the Holy Spirit." 26:42 John Carter reports 26:44 we have seen God's power 26:45 as the Gospel of Christ 26:47 has been proclaimed in Africa, 26:51 India, 26:53 Russia, 26:56 Ukraine, 26:59 Cuba, 27:02 El Salvador, 27:03 and many other places. 27:05 We invite you to partner with us 27:08 in proclaiming Jesus Christ. 27:14 To God be the glory. 27:17 Great things He has done. 27:22 Write today to the Carter Report, 27:25 P.O. Box 1900 27:27 Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 27:32 That's the Carter Report, 27:34 P.O. Box 1900 27:37 Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 27:41 In Australia, write to the Carter Report, 27:45 P.O. Box 861 Terrigal, 27:48 New South Wales 2260. 27:52 That's the Carter Report, 27:54 P.O. Box 861 Terrigal, 27:58 New South Wales 2260. 28:01 Thank you for your generous support. 28:04 We look forward to hearing from you soon. 28:06 May God richly, bless you. 28:25 For a copy of today's program, 28:28 please contact us at P.O. Box 1900 28:31 Thousand Oaks, California 91358 28:35 or in Australia, contact us at P.O. Box 861, 28:40 Terrigal, New South Wales 2260. 28:45 This program is made possible through the generous support 28:48 of viewers like you. 28:49 We thank you for your continued support. 28:52 May God richly bless you. |
Revised 2018-06-28