“And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.” (2 Samuel 11:11)

When examining the life of a hero, there is no better example than Uriah the Hittite. The major characteristics of Uriah are worthy of study for any child of God seeking to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Uriah’s background, his dedication to duty and to his king, his position and cause are outstanding in being a good and faithful servant to his superior, King David, and his commander Joab. Note the following about Uriah:

His Background: Uriah was a nobody Gentile until he gained recognition in David’s army. Uriah was so faithful and good as a soldier, that he was numbered among the 37 Mighty Men of Valor in David’s personal honor guard. So, it is for the Gentiles today that have been called into Christ’s army. Uriah was not a Jew, or of the lineage of Abraham. Nor were any the Gentiles; BUT God graffed the Gentiles into the vine (Rom. 9:22-33; 11:17)

(Eph. 2:11-13) (11) “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

(12)  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

(13)  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”       

In the Old Testament, and up to (Mt. 21:43), God’s primary witnesses of the Love, the Grace, and the Mercy of God were revealed to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and to his twelve sons, which made up the nation of Israel, and to their posterity; through the Law, its sacrifice, and its Priesthood; and not to the Gentiles. But, God used the Apostle Paul, the God-called missionary to the Gentiles, to prove the Gentiles were also included in the covenant of Grace (Rom. 9:23-24; Acts 13:46-48; Gal. 3:25-29).

Read (1Co 1:26-31):

(26) “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

(27)  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

(28)  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

(29)  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

(30)  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

(31)  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

The word to write is, “Hallelujah” worthy is the Lamb of God, the Sin-Bearer for all His People (Jn. 1:29), Jew and Gentile. Uriah, and every person that God calls unto Himself in salvation, is not full of pride on their part; but, are full of humility, praising God for calling such a sin-cursed wretch unto Righteousness; knowing that man has no merits to merit the Grace of God; but, all is owing to Jesus Christ, the Sacrifice, Substitute and Savior of His people from their sins (Mt. 1:21; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 3:24-25).

Uriah, and all of God’s called people to be a soldier in His army, are not “complainers” – but, are people that have been humbled by the Grace of God; a people that are servants (or slaves) unto Jesus Christ, made willing in the day of His Power (Ps. 110:4); a people that are thankful and praise Him constantly for coming to the knowledge that they are sons of God (Rom. 8:14-16); a people that know (have an understanding; by the experience of regeneration and conversion; 1 Jn. 5:20) that they also have been included in the family of God, and have the sure hope of eternal life in Christ. The true people of God have no complaints; but, are daily praising God for Grace and Mercy in Christ; knowing that He lives and abides in them; knowing that they are the Temple of God on earth; knowing that it was not their nationality, color, heritage; no, not anything, but God’s Amazing Grace and His Divine Love that brought them into the Church of God and the Hope of Glory.

This knowledge, this humility, this appreciation, this gratitude, on the part of Uriah, and all that have been chosen, justified and called, cause them to possess only one posture, and that is “obedience”; complete obedience to the King, Jesus. Their eyes are focused, not on this world, but, upon the will of the King. The controlling factor in the soldier of Jesus Christ is his surrender to the Sovereignty of God; his submission to the Will of God; his obedience to the Word of God; and his endurance to the same.

When the Jews were hard on the man that Jesus had healed of his blindness and even excommunicated him (John 9:1-); he stood to their face, unafraid and unashamed, and said, (John 9:25) “…Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

Therefore, the good soldier of Jesus Christ is not afraid of the enemy; and he is not ashamed of being a soldier in the Army of Christ. When you are in the Army of Christ, you are not focused on color, gender, nationality, or creed; you are one happy camper to be numbered among the Mighty Men of Valor of King Jesus, as was Uriah, in King David’s honor guard of Mighty Warriors.

Reader, have you ever met a true child of God that desires to go back from where God called him; which was spiritual death, spiritual blindness, and no power to over-come sin dwelling in him? How many “complainers” have you met of God’s eternal and everlasting love of their God-chosen, God-called position of “son” and “servant” and “soldier”?

Uriah had many things in the flesh that he could have complained about; but not one Scripture records any complaint from Uriah. He could have said to the king: (a) This war is foolish. (b) What is the goal in this war? (c) The men are over-worked, under-fed, under-paid and tired. (c) King, sir, you are asking too much of the army. (d) The people back home don’t care about this war. Obviously, there could be many, many complaints by Uriah, or by any child of God. Yes, Christ, as you set on Your throne, we are the ones on the battlefield, and we are tired of this war between the flesh and the spirit. You never told us it would be this difficult. Christ, why does some of the army get to sit on the side line, and some of us are at the forefront of the battle?

On and on the complaints could be – however, the true mature soldier of Jesus Christ never questions God on Why or How; but, says: Yes, Lord, Your will is my duty and my dedication unto the end. Isaiah said, “…Then said I, Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8c); this can only be a person’s primary goal, if and when the Love of God has been shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5).