In this message we will consider the old age and decease of David.
David not only became old but was also fading away. To fade away is different from being old, which is common. David's life had a good beginning, like the bright sun rising, and his life with his career became like the sun shining at noon. However, his indulgence in lust spoiled his career and caused his bright life to fade like the sunset in the evening. In David's old age there was nothing bright, excellent, or splendid.
David made Solomon the successor to his throne (1:5-53). However, Solomon's source was David's indulgence of lust. Solomon's mother was the wife of Uriah, a Gentile leader of David's army. David murdered Uriah and took his wife. As David was appointing Solomon as his successor, he could not have felt glorious. David's appointing of Solomon was strong evidence of God's forgiveness and unlimited grace, but David nevertheless must have felt a sense of shame about it.
Joab, the captain of David's army, who participated in Uriah's murder, might never have lost his negative feeling about David's sin. It might have been because of this that Joab joined Adonijah in his rebellion. By this we can see that our sinning is not a light matter. It spoils everything. David's indulgence greatly spoiled his name, his position, and even his ending. This was the fading, the sunset, of David's life.
David's indulgence became a seed which issued in the tragedy of the loss of the good land and the capture of the holy people. The effects of this tragedy have lasted even until today. This should serve as a warning to all the young people among us. We must not contact the other sex in a light way. As brothers and sisters in the church we cannot avoid contacting one another, but we must always keep a distance from the other sex. David's indulgence in sin began with just one look. His one glance caused him to fall to such an extent with such a tragic result.