Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house
Pro.17.13.NKJV
“……Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then, pull back so that he will be killed.”….(2 Samuel 11:15 NLT)…….
The above verse of scripture is culled from a story that presents an appropriate illustration of the concept of repaying evil for good. It was the content of the letter sent by King David to Joab, the commander of his army with respect to the Uriah the Hittite. Little may have been known about Uriah, who was married to Bathseheba. We can, however, infer from 2 Samuel 23:29 that Uriah was no ordinary soldier in David’s army. He was listed among Davids 37 mighty men.
Not only this, he was so committed to David and God that he will not even sleep one evening in the comfort of his own home with his wife while the rest of the troops were at the war front. Surely, such a man would pass for an asset and not a liability that could easily be disposed of.
What then could have earned him a death sentence from King David – a man who had shown great integrity in his previous dealings with his fellow man, especially with Saul?
The entire story of how, as king, David used his position of power and authority to exploit a woman he had seen bathing while walking on the roof of his Palace is in 2 Samuel chapter 11.
King David didn’t resist or flee from the temptation but gave in to his lust and slept with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. Later, the news that Bathsheba was pregnant threw David into a series of ploys, lies, and intrigues as means to cover up his sin. However, when these all failed, David resorted to murder to continue the cover-up. David’s callous heart was even further exposed by his sending the death sentence in the hands of Uriah himself, thus rewarding loyalty and steadfastness with evil.
The tragic consequences of David’s sin were far-reaching, affecting many people, especially his immediate family (2 Samuel 11:17, 12:11, 14-18). The sword (evil) did not depart from David’s house, according to the word of the Lord through Prophet Nathan.
Though we live in a world where many people experience being taken for granted or their good spoken of as evil by others, believers must not join this band wagon. Even when we are at the receiving end, scriptures admonish us not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good, talk less of repaying good with evil ( Romans 12:21) Love is to be the guiding principle in Christian relationships not only with fellow believers, but with enemies as well.
By God’s standard, it is plainly wrong to give evil to those who deserve good. It discourages those who do good and encourages those who do not. Know that God sees when His moral order is offended and will answer it. So let us be guided, that even in this dispensation of grace, the one who gives evil to the good can expect their own troubles, its just a matter of time, for the word of God can not fail.
And for you that has been repaid with evil for your good, here is a word of comfort for you from
1 Peter 2:20-21 NLT…….
Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps….. God’s grace abounds.
