Uriah

The Tower of David in Jerusalem, the city where some of the sad events of Uriah’s life took place.

I am thinking this morning about a great man of God who most people hardly ever consider. His name was Uriah. He is said to be a Hittite, who were a people given to idolatry, that God had given instructions to Israel to not intermingle in marriage with them and avoid their gods. Somehow (may I be allowed to think, the providence of God among his elect?) he had settled in Jerusalem and was converted to the Jew’s religion and became a mighty man in the service of King David. He is listed as such in II Samuel 23:39. I am not sure whether he was given the name of Uriah before he came to Jerusalem of after he was there, because his name in the Hebrew means, "flame of Jehovah" or "my light is Jehovah". Nevertheless Uriah married a woman named Bathsheba whose father was also one of David's mighty men, named Eliam. Perhaps both Uriah and Bathsheba's father being among the "mighty men" was how they got to know one another and finally married. It is said that Bathsheba was a beautiful woman. Uriah and Bathsheba must have lived in a smaller house adjoining the King's house. While Uriah was off fighting in the war, Bathsheba was taking a bath on the top of her house, a custom in those days. King David, from the top of his house was able to see her as she bathed. Her beauty excited him and he commanded her to be brought to him and committed adultery with her. Satan seems to have had a glorious day for himself. She conceived and David devised a satanic scheme to clear himself. You can read the entire 11th chapter of second Samuel to get the whole story. The condensed version is, David commanded that Uriah be send home on leave and for sure he would think that the child was from his loins while on leave. However, Uriah was such a faithful man he would not have the pleasure of his wife while the the army was living in the fields and suffering. So Uriah slept at the Kings door. David then sent him back and told the captain of the army to put Uriah in the front of the battle and when it was heavy, withdraw the men from around him, which they did and Uriah was killed. Much teaching about King David's sins could be written, but let us remember this poor servant who the King had his wife and had him killed and he only was on fire to serve the Lord.

God bless us with a few men like Uriah in these latter days.

- Elder Jerry M. Hunt, Sr.