Would Uriah's House in Heaven Be Right Next to King David's? (And What Would You Say to David if You Were Uriah?)

If Uriah is in heaven, he has forgiven David. He had every reason to hate David bitterly... and the only reason he needs to forgive David completely: because God in Christ forgave him.

I sometimes wonder about how God works that all out. Is there a time when we greet the ones we knew, and who hurt us, or whom we hurt? Do we talk it all through? Or is it just "fixed"? I have horrid visions of holding hands and singing "Friends Are Friends Forever" ... please, just NO.

I might be a bit leery of seeing certain people, knowing that my sinful actions affected them. I know we're supposed to forgive others, but I don't presume that others forgive me.

Hey Everyone,

Mandatory Disclaimer: if you're in a cheerful upbeat Christmas mood (and I sure hope you are), please do not read this thread, because it is anything but cheerful or upbeat.

This is just something that's been on my mind for some time, and I just felt the need to get it out.

In a recent church sermon, the pastor mentioned the story of David's sin with Bathsheba, and emphasized how much wrong was done to Uriah (Bathsheba's husband), in the process.

Just as a recap (found in 2 Samuel 11) -- David saw Bathsheba and sent for her, but she was already married to Uriah. Uriah was part of David's army, but that didn't stop David. David got Bathsheba pregnant, and then tried to cover it up by trying to send Uriah home to spend time with her, but Uriah answered David (v. 11): "The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab (the leader of David's army) and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat, drink, and spend time with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing," so instead, Uriah chose to "lie down on his bed with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house" (or home to his wife, v. 13.)

And so, David wrote to Joab, Uriah's commanding officer, telling him to put Uriah where the fighting was fiercest, then abruptly withdraw, leaving Uriah there to die alone.

Afterwards, David took Bathsheba home as his own wife, and although the child they first conceived died, David and Bathsheba later produced Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest king of all time.

I know that even as a child, I always felt bad for Uriah, but this time around, the message seemed to especially hit home.

Now, I'm assuming that both Uriah and David went to heaven, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of exchange the two would have when David got there. "Oh hi... You're the guy who was the king that fathered a child with my wife while I was out protecting you and our people. When you couldn't pass off your child as mine, you had me murdered in a gruesome, violent way so that you could claim my wife as your own and then later spawn the most famous king of the Bible... Welcome home, neighbor! So glad to finally see you again."

The reason I thought about this is because even though some events from my life are long past (and I could most certainly NEVER claim to have suffered even a small fraction of the betrayal Uriah endured), God sometimes "reminds" me of these events with a dream, in order to see how I react. I had such a dream earlier this week. In the past, I would feel angry, sad, and/or severely depressed for days, but this time, I just tried to push it out of my head completely.

Tonight's Christmas Eve church service included taking communion, and when the pastor reminded us that we should be partaking with a clean heart, I told God, "God? I don't feel anything. Normally, I would feel anger or depression, but I truly don't feel anything. How does one get a clean heart if their heart isn't even responding?"

And so, this is something I'm trying to work out with God right now, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. In order to avoid feeling angry, sad, or depressed (especially at people from my past), I just try not to feel anything at all, lest I slip and feel anger at anyone who has long since passed out of my life (and is best left there.)

I wonder what kind of conversation Uriah had with God about David when Uriah got to heaven. After all, it is David who is constantly praised both in the Bible and in Christian circles as, "The Man After God's Own Heart."

Someday, when you get to heaven, if you find yourself seated next to the person(s) who hurt and betrayed you most in this life, what would you find yourself saying to them, or telling God about them?

Someday, when you get to heaven, if you find yourself seated next to the person(s) who hurt and betrayed you most in this life, what would you find yourself saying to them, or telling God about them?

Dear Seoulsearch, I so appreciate you. You open yourself up even when it hurts or the answer isn't apparent.

Hey Everyone,

Mandatory Disclaimer: if you're in a cheerful upbeat Christmas mood (and I sure hope you are), please do not read this thread, because it is anything but cheerful or upbeat.

This is just something that's been on my mind for some time, and I just felt the need to get it out.

In a recent church sermon, the pastor mentioned the story of David's sin with Bathsheba, and emphasized how much wrong was done to Uriah (Bathsheba's husband), in the process.

Just as a recap (found in 2 Samuel 11) -- David saw Bathsheba and sent for her, but she was already married to Uriah. Uriah was part of David's army, but that didn't stop David. David got Bathsheba pregnant, and then tried to cover it up by trying to send Uriah home to spend time with her, but Uriah answered David (v. 11): "The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab (the leader of David's army) and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat, drink, and spend time with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing," so instead, Uriah chose to "lie down on his bed with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house" (or home to his wife, v. 13.)

And so, David wrote to Joab, Uriah's commanding officer, telling him to put Uriah where the fighting was fiercest, then abruptly withdraw, leaving Uriah there to die alone.

Afterwards, David took Bathsheba home as his own wife, and although the child they first conceived died, David and Bathsheba later produced Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest king of all time.

I know that even as a child, I always felt bad for Uriah, but this time around, the message seemed to especially hit home.

Now, I'm assuming that both Uriah and David went to heaven, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of exchange the two would have when David got there. "Oh hi... You're the guy who was the king that fathered a child with my wife while I was out protecting you and our people. When you couldn't pass off your child as mine, you had me murdered in a gruesome, violent way so that you could claim my wife as your own and then later spawn the most famous king of the Bible... Welcome home, neighbor! So glad to finally see you again."

The reason I thought about this is because even though some events from my life are long past (and I could most certainly NEVER claim to have suffered even a small fraction of the betrayal Uriah endured), God sometimes "reminds" me of these events with a dream, in order to see how I react. I had such a dream earlier this week. In the past, I would feel angry, sad, and/or severely depressed for days, but this time, I just tried to push it out of my head completely.

Tonight's Christmas Eve church service included taking communion, and when the pastor reminded us that we should be partaking with a clean heart, I told God, "God? I don't feel anything. Normally, I would feel anger or depression, but I truly don't feel anything. How does one get a clean heart if their heart isn't even responding?"

And so, this is something I'm trying to work out with God right now, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. In order to avoid feeling angry, sad, or depressed (especially at people from my past), I just try not to feel anything at all, lest I slip and feel anger at anyone who has long since passed out of my life (and is best left there.)

I wonder what kind of conversation Uriah had with God about David when Uriah got to heaven. After all, it is David who is constantly praised both in the Bible and in Christian circles as, "The Man After God's Own Heart."

Someday, when you get to heaven, if you find yourself seated next to the person(s) who hurt and betrayed you most in this life, what would you find yourself saying to them, or telling God about them?

Hey Everyone,

Mandatory Disclaimer: if you're in a cheerful upbeat Christmas mood (and I sure hope you are), please do not read this thread, because it is anything but cheerful or upbeat.

This is just something that's been on my mind for some time, and I just felt the need to get it out.

In a recent church sermon, the pastor mentioned the story of David's sin with Bathsheba, and emphasized how much wrong was done to Uriah (Bathsheba's husband), in the process.

Just as a recap (found in 2 Samuel 11) -- David saw Bathsheba and sent for her, but she was already married to Uriah. Uriah was part of David's army, but that didn't stop David. David got Bathsheba pregnant, and then tried to cover it up by trying to send Uriah home to spend time with her, but Uriah answered David (v. 11): "The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab (the leader of David's army) and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat, drink, and spend time with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing," so instead, Uriah chose to "lie down on his bed with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house" (or home to his wife, v. 13.)

And so, David wrote to Joab, Uriah's commanding officer, telling him to put Uriah where the fighting was fiercest, then abruptly withdraw, leaving Uriah there to die alone.

Afterwards, David took Bathsheba home as his own wife, and although the child they first conceived died, David and Bathsheba later produced Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest king of all time.

I know that even as a child, I always felt bad for Uriah, but this time around, the message seemed to especially hit home.

Now, I'm assuming that both Uriah and David went to heaven, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of exchange the two would have when David got there. "Oh hi... You're the guy who was the king that fathered a child with my wife while I was out protecting you and our people. When you couldn't pass off your child as mine, you had me murdered in a gruesome, violent way so that you could claim my wife as your own and then later spawn the most famous king of the Bible... Welcome home, neighbor! So glad to finally see you again."

The reason I thought about this is because even though some events from my life are long past (and I could most certainly NEVER claim to have suffered even a small fraction of the betrayal Uriah endured), God sometimes "reminds" me of these events with a dream, in order to see how I react. I had such a dream earlier this week. In the past, I would feel angry, sad, and/or severely depressed for days, but this time, I just tried to push it out of my head completely.

Tonight's Christmas Eve church service included taking communion, and when the pastor reminded us that we should be partaking with a clean heart, I told God, "God? I don't feel anything. Normally, I would feel anger or depression, but I truly don't feel anything. How does one get a clean heart if their heart isn't even responding?"

And so, this is something I'm trying to work out with God right now, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. In order to avoid feeling angry, sad, or depressed (especially at people from my past), I just try not to feel anything at all, lest I slip and feel anger at anyone who has long since passed out of my life (and is best left there.)

I wonder what kind of conversation Uriah had with God about David when Uriah got to heaven. After all, it is David who is constantly praised both in the Bible and in Christian circles as, "The Man After God's Own Heart."

Someday, when you get to heaven, if you find yourself seated next to the person(s) who hurt and betrayed you most in this life, what would you find yourself saying to them, or telling God about them?

It is about believing God, trusting God and repenting when you are convicted by God of the things you need to repent of.. David believed God and trusted in God and when he was confronted by the Prophet Nathan about his evil deeds in regard to Bathsheba and Uriah he emediatly admited his guilt and aknowedged He had sinned against God..

The rather interesting thing about this idea, is that Nathan didn't confront David until the baby was born. Which means that was like 9 months after David's sin. You have to wonder what David's perspective was during those 9 months. Was he busy justifying his actions to himself? Did he say that any of the surrounding pagan kings would have done the same and he was no worse than they? Was Bathsheeba in love with Uriah and did she mourn him privately and did David have to watch that and know he caused her tears and pain? Did David feel trapped, that he hated what he'd done but couldn't have done otherwise and now couldn't let anyone know, at least publicly, what he'd done? Did the whole city know and how did that affect David's ability to rule?

I don't think there's a whole lot of explanation or answer for any of that in the Bible, but a whole lot of people sure were affected by that one personal sin (or as the squeamish about sin would say.... personal indulgence).