Hi Melach. Well here goes.
It is very tricky.
Sorry this is long but I do not want this left unsaid for many of the reasons below.
Out of all of the people in the Old Testament and the New Testament, apart from Jesus, all of them did something wrong (so at one time they could not have been following the True God at some points in their lives). Well apart from Joseph, but it depends if you call boasting about his dreams to his brothers causing jealousy "wrong". There isn't one person who did all they should at some point, including David, despite David being a “man after his own heart.''
David sinned (greatly) with the Uriah/Bathsheba incident. Solomon ignored God's word when he collected many horses, gold etc and was supposed to not take "many wives". He then went on and married 700 wives and didn't even up like any of them.
The Book of Ecclesiastes is pretty much an account of Solomons regret at doing wrong and failing God so much (despite him being “wise”) and how "pointless" it all was all his vanity.
That is why we have to be very careful quoting chapter and verse of the Scriptures at people, because if you do that, you could be quoting a lie. After all, in the Book of Job, which is said to be the oldest recorded book in the world, in the lengthy almost poetic verses that are written, one of them is lying (and God turns up in a tornado later and says as much). Satan has been given power over this world to all those who are not following God. That is why Satan even tells Jesus at the temptation, “as I have been given power to do so”.Jesus does not say “no you havent” as he knows Satan is the ruler of this world. That is why Jesus came to save the world.
I do not agree with all that some Pastors say but I do agree with John MacArthur on his famous quote "A text taken out of context becomes a pretext".
We cannot just pile up chapter and verse out of context and wave it in peoples faces, without it giving a correct view of how it was said, who it was said to and the circumstances under which these things were said or done. I guess that is why it says "Blessed are those that read". The more you read the Word, the more you find out the Truth. Seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will be open to you. You just have to look. Most people can't be bothered.
So what shall we say then? David was following Satan as following Satan's will is not God's will. People should not be “lukewarm” about who they follow as God says he doesn't like what is lukewarm (one foot in both camps or double minded) and he even tells the Laodicians he will “spew you out of my mouth” if you are lukewarm.
On Bob Dylan wrote lyrics and he sings
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are
You're gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody
Sounds about right.
Anyone who does not follow God is without the Truth and clearly some of these people did not at given times, even Kings (Saul with the Witch of Endor/David with Uriah/Bathsheba etc). Many point to when David numbered his army when he was instructed not to.
Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. (
1 Chronicles 21:1)
God didn't tell David to do that, yet we are sure that God is not the author of sin and He tempts no man to sin (
James 1:13).
David had angered God by doing this, so we can be sure that God isn't going to be angry with David unless he had disobeyed him. Clearly David is listening to two different "Lords". David’s order to count the people made God angry, and he punished Israel.
9 The Lord said to Gad, one of David’s prophets, 10 “Tell David that I will punish him in one of three ways. But he will have to choose which one it will be.”
11 Gad went to David and told him.
So all through the accounts of the OT and NT there are cases of disobedience. Clearly, even those who are able to "cast out demons in his name" or even “prophecy in my name” are ABLE to do so, but cannot come into the Kingdom of Heaven as Jesus says so.He says he doesn't even know them actually.
He even says whores and publicans will get in before others will because they have believed what they have seen, yet others who have seen clearly with their own eyes still did not believe. After all, didn't the rulers try to kill Lazarus again, after Jesus had raised him from the dead? They were denying even the truth so boldly when it was obvious. What was the point? Surely they would know if Jesus raised Lazarus and they saw Lazarus walking about after 4 days in the grave, why bother try kill him again? Their vanity had made them stupid.
Also, Jesus shows even each of his own denied him or betrayed him (even one of the 12 Jesus had chosen himself). Peter denied him and was actually called "Satan" one minute by Jesus and the next praised for getting it right because what he had next spoken in the very same conversation, could only have been revealed to him from Heaven.
Some of the followers departed from him as they didn't like his sayings when he said "eat my flesh and drink my blood" misunderstanding what Jesus meant. There are lots of cases in the OT and NT that show that these men are just that, men and Jesus knew what was in the hearts of men. Only Jesus and his Word can be trusted as a first base way to go when in doubt of who is right or wrong as he only speaks what the Father reveals to him. That is why when I said in one of my previous posts, that if anyone finds Scripture hard to understand or interpret, compare it to the Word of Jesus and if it does not fit, question everything.
You have to remember that this is one of the biggest bones of contention in belief or no belief in God. Richard Dawkins based his book "The God Delusion" based on how cruel and angry the OT God was. People always point to these horrific verses of injustice like the story of David, so that is why Bible Study is so important. Precept by Precept, Line by Line. I think we are just supposed to know the difference between good and evil. The Holy Ghost is there to tell us if in doubt.
Pay attention of these verses.
Luke 11 (kjv)
19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
Who are the judges Jesus talks of?
Also here
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
So when David did evil or any other, that means their whole body was full of darkness. AT THAT TIME.
Also
47 And that servant, which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask even more.
In other words, Jesus is talking about the servants which knew his Lords will yet even they are in danger of getting beaten with many stripes.
And do not think he is talking to those who are not of his own or non believers either.
As Peter asked “is he saying these things to even them?
Jesus replies
57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last farthing.
23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
I am not saying that any of the NT should be doubted if not spoken by Jesus, (God forbid) please do not twist my words people, but the Four Gospels are an account of his words at that time and some of the writers were actually there or knew Jesus himself, not some time later.
So if in doubt, who are you going to believe if you misunderstand the Scripture, Man or God? I do not think it is a trap to see who of us is listening or paying attention (or even studying at all) that is not what I am saying. But why take a chance? There were only 8 in the boat after all out of millions....and it does speak of a "snare". Isn't a snare a "trap"? Just be careful. No one wants to think after everything that they get to be heard by Jesus “I do not know you”. Do they? But Jesus clearly states that this is going to happen.
Luke 21 talks of a "snare".
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.