Storyline: Bathsheba

The lineup of ladies in the lineage of Jesus is pretty amazing isn’t it?  We have Tamar – who prostituted herself to gain what was rightfully hers; Rahab – a prostitute who sheltered Israelite spies and bartered their safety for hers; Ruth – a Canaanite convert; and now, Bathsheba...  I’ve spent a good deal of time reading the biblical narrative, as well as researching several books and commentaries.  No one seems to agree completely on how much blame to place on King David, nor how much at fault Bathsheba may have been.  All we know for a fact is that 1) David wasn’t where he was supposed to be – he should have been at war like all the other kings; 2)  He had knowledge of who Bathsheba was – after all, she was the grand-daughter of one of his most trusted advisors, the daughter of one of his 30 “mighty men”, and the wife of another one of the “30”; 3) Bathsheba wasn’t exactly where she was supposed to be, either, as well as being indiscreet in the process; and 4) According to 2 Samuel 11:4, she “came to him,” indicating a willingness, if you look closely into the Hebrew word used in the text. While David took the blame, neither were without sin and blameless. The point is:  God doesn’t exactly pick the qualified, does He?  When it comes to the work that he does on earth for his Kingdom, more often than not, he chooses the least likely.  I’m so thankful...  To me, this is the lesson of Bathsheba.

So, what does God look for when he picks his vessels for Kingdom service?  That has become the looming question as I study many of the heroines of Scripture. When we get to the life of Jesus’ mother, we’ll discuss the answer to this question in more detail.  For now, I find myself overwhelmed that God has “picked me” with a specific purpose in mind.  It’s the same purpose he has for you.  To get the full picture we must go back in time...

Historically, kings were hand-picked by the gods.  At least that’s what everyone believed.  The king the gods picked were the ones who best exemplified “tselem” (the Hebrew word for “made in the image of”).  It was felt that the gods desired a man who would present a picture of the character and nature of themselves. Selfishly, according to this belief system, the gods wanted the lower classes to see a human who could mirror their true ruler.  Ah, but only the kings could be “tselem” and image the one who put him in power. 

But God changed everything with the Genesis account.  As the commoners began to read, and fully understand, what Genesis 1:26-27 meant, their lives were transformed.  Everyone, no matter their class, was “tselem” (made in the image and likeness of God).  Do you see what this meant?

                It gave value; “who I am” became clearly defined.

                Not only “who I am” but “what I do” came into the picture.  The creation account revealed our destiny.

Why are these important?  God’s plan for revelation of himself is as follows:

God placed His image in me, so the world can see who its ruler is; and, because everything God created was “good,” that means my purpose is to mirror His goodness to the world.

What I know and how talented I am has nothing to do with my “qualifications” for service.  It matters not how impressive my resume looks.   Whose I am, and who I am as a result, these form the basis of my qualification.  God just looks at people quite differently than the rest of the world does when it comes to making his choice.

Question:  How’s God’s plan working through you today?

Prayer:  Father God, you who call the last people anyone would expect, here I am. As under-qualified as I feel to do anything for your world, help me to do the work for which I was created. Give me the courage to hear and answer your call.  Let me remember if you call, you equip.  Amen.