If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. (Prov 17:13)

 

    God's grace is for all but indiscipline will cause one to live below his abilities, substandard manifestation of gifts or nothing at all. Many come to this world laden with various gifts that will change the world, but return to sender with all of them. One of the judgments for mankind will be: What you did do with what I gave you? Did you fulfil your purpose?

If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. You will always have to deal with evil. You may be blessed and highly favoured but you will need more grace from God to deal with the foothold of evil you have invited into your house.

There's something about the forbidden fruit that stirs some people's loins with particular vigour. The story of David and Bathsheba is one example of one of the greatest kings of all time. In one of his battles with the Philistines, he was cornered by a giant who was too strong for him and had a new sward. The giant was just about to kill him when Abishai, his cousin came to his rescue and killed the giant. His cousin Joab and all his mighty men advised him to stay at home and never go on campaigns with them.

Bathsheba: One day after an afternoon nap, he was idly walking around on his balcony when he noticed a woman taking a bath down below. He was overcome with lustful desire, he even saw her as a woman of unnatural beauty. He sent for her. After talking to her he discovered that she was the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, one of his mighty men of valour. A brave soldier who had gained victory in several bitter battles for the king. Despite knowing she was another man’s wife, they had an affair and Bathsheba became pregnant. David tried to cover up his sin by bringing her husband Uriah back from the war and encouraging him to sleep with his wife so that the child would be presumed to be Uriah’s. But Uriah, being an honest man refused to do so, sighing he couldn’t enjoy such pleasures while his fellow soldiers are sleeping uncomfortably on the open battlefield.

Desperate to cover up his sin, David conspired with his cousin Joab to arrange Uriah’s death. Joab placed Uriah on the most fierce front lines of the battle where the enemy is strongest, near the city walls and ordered the rest of the soldiers to pull back leaving Uriah exposed to the enemy’s firing arrows. Uriah was killed and David took Bathsheba as his wife. Nathan the prophet confronted David about his sin and he repented. But the child couldn’t live, he died as punishment for David’s sin and evil never left David’s house. Though a man after God’s heart and highly favoured, evil never left his house. Some of his children will be killed for their sins for generations to come until the ultimate sacrifice for sin is made by one of his hears.

Amnon and Tamar: Lust is both an emotional and physical state that can transform a good person into a raging monster. David’s son Avshsalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her and Avshalom’s half-brother, fell desperately in love with her. He always had fluttery butterflies in his stomach each time he was around her. Tamar was still a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her. His lust turned into a sick obsession, so voracious as the glutton's appetite.  

Yonadav was Amnon’s cousin, the son of Shim’ah David’s brother, and a very crafty friend and a sleazebag. Together they devised a ploy to get Tamar into Amnon’s abode for him to rape her. Despite Tamar’s plea asking him to ask the king for her hand in marriage, Amnon wouldn’t listen. He went on with Yonadav’s plan and Tamar was raped. After the rape, Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. Ashamed, Tamar didn’t want to leave but Amnon ordered the servants to throw her out and lock the door behind her.

Avshalom: Tamar’s brother, Avhsalom heard about Amnon’s sin against his sister. Two years later, he too arranged for Amnon’s death by tricking him to attend his sheep-shearing feast. Amnon attended the feast. When he got drunk, Avshsolom ordered his servants to strike and kill him. And that is how he died. That is how evil never left the house of David until the Almighty One became the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.