No 8

(Bath Sheba)

When someone’s name is in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ, that person is important; I mean that person is one of our Saviour’s ancestors!! Bath-Sheba was such a person. Her name does not actually appear in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1 but the text refers to “the wife of Uriah” (v6); she was the mother of King Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24). There was however, much controversy as to her status when we first meet her in the Bible. She was likely King David’s neighbour and one night, while she was minding her own business, David saw her and lusted after her. This was a difficult period for the king of Israel because not only did he commit the sin of fornication with her but he also got rid of her husband by sending him to certain death on the battlefield (2 Samuel 11). Bath-Sheba conceived a boy-child “I am with child” (2 Sam 11:2-5) through this illicit encounter but the Lord did not permit him to live because of the circumstances of his birth. However, as well as we know David who was a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22), he repented of the sin and wrote Psalm 51 “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (v4). The Lord forgave him and blessed him with another son who became the richest and wisest king that Israel ever had. Bath-Sheba was used by God to accomplish His plan and I’m sure that she did not know that she was to be one of Jesus Christ’s ancestors.

Now, if I had written the Bible, I would’ve probably left this story out; and many others also. But thank God that I didn’t write the Bible because we read about wonderful examples of how our great God forgives the repentant heart.