Interview with Old Testament Figures – Queen Bathsheba: There is no place in the Holy Bible where God’s mercy is as evident as in the story of King David and Queen Bathsheba. Before the LORD delivered me from self-righteousness, I used to be angry with both of them for the way they conducted themselves, particularly given the circumstances of the death of Uriah, her husband. The truth is, none of us dares to cast a stone at another sinner when the Holy Spirit exposes the darkness in our own hearts.
I understood this in depth the day it occurred to me that I am not morally qualified to condemn Hitler who killed more than 60 million Jews during the Holocaust. Roman 3:23 affirms that all humans have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Therefore, I have no right to condemn King David, nor Bathsheba who later became his wife. Today, the Queen has graciously agreed to share her own side of the story with us.
Shepherd Heart: Thank you for honouring us with your presence Queen Bathsheba.
Queen Bathsheba: The pleasure is mine. Thanks for having me.
Shepherd Heart: Kindly tell our readers whatever you want them to know about you.
Queen Bathsheba: I was the daughter of Eliam, and granddaughter of Ahithophel the Gilohite. I was married to Uriah the Hittite before I met King David.
Shepherd Heart: Does that imply that you originally hailed from Giloh?
Queen Sheba: Sure. Giloh was a city in Judah. In your generation, it is identified with Beit Jala in Judea, known by anti-Israeli elements as the West Bank. On the other hand, my first husband, Uriah was not from any of the twelve tribes of Israel. His people, the Hittites, had a cordial relationship with Israelites. That was why my parents endorsed our marriage. Moreover, he was a decorated soldier in the Israeli army.
Shepherd Heart: Were you ever introduced to King David before the day he saw you bathing from his balcony?
Queen Bathsheba: That is a very important question because some people in my day and yours insinuate that I set out to entrap the king by exposing my body to his gaze. Nothing is further from the truth! How could I have known that the man would be on the balcony of his house? Did I lure him there through telepathy? I simply did what I had been doing since my husband took me to his barracks in Jerusalem – wash my body like most normal humans do every day. I did not have any inkling of what came to be the most devastating time in my life.
Shepherd Heart: Most people would love know why you did not say no to the king.
Queen Bathsheba: I did not have much time to process the quagmire I was in, because kings in my days had absolute powers. Perhaps, I was flattered that he found me attractive enough to want a relationship with me.
Shepherd Heart: Were you not in love with your husband?
Queen Bathsheba: Uriah was not a bad man. I loved and respected him. Sometimes, things happen that destabilise the human brain and causes it to malfunction. I know that I acted stupidly. God saw my heart and I believe that He granted me mercy because of His great compassion for weak humans like me.
Shepherd Heart: I am glad that you have not tried to justify your mistakes nor blame them on the devil. Many people in our generation do not take ownership of theirs. It is either than parents’ faults that they goofed; or that the society did not provide them with enough emotional support to overcome their weaknesses. What advice would you give to any young woman confronted with similar temptation?
Queen Bathsheba: Whatever I saw now would be coloured by my experiences in heaven. My perspective is different from the that height, than it was as a human with flesh and blood. There is no reason for anyone to yield to temptation that could destroy the family unit, or cost a life like that of my husband Uriah.
With the benefit of a hindsight, I would have said no to the king and suffered the consequence. So, my advice to anyone facing any temptation, big or small is, remember that God is omnipresent and knows your thoughts afar off. If you believe that He is more important to you than the source of the temptation, be courageous enough to stand your ground and say no to the devil.
Shepherd Heart: Sometimes, many humans succumb to temptations, not because they fear that anyone could punish them with death. Satan is an adept in seduction and many people are too gullible to discern his tricks. In 1 Corinthians 10, verse 13, Paul the apostle assured Christian believers that God will not allow them to be tempted or tried beyond their capacity to resist. What was your relationship with God like at the time of the incident?
Queen Bathsheba: (Laughs) People in your generation always try to judge those in the Old Testament with New Testament standards. It may interest you to note that only few Israelites had any meaningful relationship with God. Most of us had our religion with all its rituals. Psalm 103:7 explains that God made known His ways to Moses and His acts to the children of Israel. It was not God’s desire to do so.
When they came out of Egypt, He said in Exodus 19:5-6, “Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all nations – for the whole earth is mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” We all fell short of His standard by our debauchery and idolatry; hence, the enactment of a New Covenant that incorporates both Jews and Gentiles as stated in Isaiah 49:6. To return to your question, I did not have a personal relationship with God.
Shepherd Heart: Do you have any last word for us that can help us serve God better in our generation?
Queen Bathsheba: As I said earlier, I can only advice you as one of the cloud of witnesses. There is nothing more fulfilling than having an intimate relationship with God. Many people in your generation want to be spoon fed by their spiritual mothers and fathers. That is why Christianity has lost much of its light.
When those who should be matured believers are feeding on milk, not even the milk of the word; how can they be living epistles of Christ? You must be willing to pay the price of building an enduring relationship with the King of the universe. He does not desire your money but your heart and time. Spend quality time getting to know Him in His word, with the help of the Holy Spirit and He will do great things in you and with you.
Shepherd Heart: Thank you very much for these nuggets of gold. We appreciate the time spent with you.
Queen Bathsheba: I have enjoyed every minute of the chat. Thanks once again for having me.