Carolyne Rivera - Was King David a Hero or a Villain?

King David is remembered as one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, defeating an enemy giant when he was a young man and eventually became son-in-law to the king when he married King Saul's daughter. He was a strong warrior, single-handedly defeating a lion and bear while shepherding his father's ship. He was a powerful fighter and excellent war general after becoming king and led Israel into an age of prosperity and wealth, as well as being one of the godliest kings in Israel's history. Despite his love for God and his fantastic leadership style, he made several mistakes, one of them that would forever impact himself and his family.

During a time he should have been on the front lines of battle, he saw a woman bathing on her rooftop, and she happened to be the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers. He lusted after her and requested she be brought to his palace, and she ended up becoming pregnant. David, desperate to hide his adultery, tried to send his soldier Uriah to be with his wife so he would think the baby was his but Uriah refused to go to her so he could be ready again for battle. Finally David sent a message in Uriah's hand to his general, demanding that Uriah be placed on the front lines where he would certainly die. He did so and was killed and David married Uriah's wife to keep suspicion away from her pregnancy. 

King David is considered one of the greatest kings in Israel's history, but even someone as strong and heroic as he was fell extraordinarily far. He became an adulterer, liar, and murderer, as he killed his loyal friend and God cursed his son to die a few days after birth. However, even with a fall this deep, David was not suddenly cast away or declared an unrighteous king, but he was forgiven by God and was redeemed. Every hero faces a point in their lives where they stumble BADLY, but even so, this does not mean they can never be restored or redeemed, but they must learn from their mistakes and suffer the consequences and keep moving forward.

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