May 15: 2 Samuel 13-15

May 15, 2 Samuel 13-15

May 15, 2 Samuel 13-15

2 Samuel 13 The next 7 chapters focus on what God had told David was going to happen for his sin - there will be evil in his own house, and it gets evil alright. We start out with a story of incest and rape, both forbidden in the Israelite community. Absalom was David’s oldest son and had a beautiful virgin sister, Tamar. Amnon, one of David’s other sons lusted after Tamar - so much so - that he became ill. Amnon had a ‘friend’ who came up with a scheme as to how Amnon could have Tamar. So, Amnon went about it and was finally alone with Tamar. He asked her at first, and she refused and told him this was not to be done, it was outrageous, she would be shamed, he would be seen a fool. Amnon would not listen so he raped her. When finished, he now hated her more than he ever lusted after her (modern psychologists call this ‘blame the victim mentality’), he sent her away. She pleaded that she stay and it was wrong to send her away. As God set it up, this act of rape required marriage and since he ruined her life, was now unable to marry any other, he was now responsible for her and suppose to marry her. She was forced to leave . Oh, poor Tamar. David heard about it and was angry - but that’s it! Instead of being a protective father, it seems as though he has lost his passionate zeal for God’s law, stained by his own lusts with Bathsheba, it seems as though he was unsure of how to deal with sexual immorality, of which he was once guilty. Sometimes our past sins are brought back up and remind us of our past, by those who follow the same path, and unless completely convicted on how to react, we seem to not handle it justly and be bias or overlook certain sins. We have a hint to why David also didn't do anything and in the Dead Sea Scrolls Septuagint it adds that "David didn't punish his son, Amnon because he loved him, and because he was his firstborn." Here we also see the overlooking of sin, because of favoritism, something that the Lord also doesn't do. Absalom on the other hand, David’s eldest, was furious. Tamar now shamed and unable to marry or have a household of her own, relied on Absalom and lived with him. Absalom took her in his home and took care of her, even honoring her by naming his daughter after her as we will read in the next chapter. Absalom hated Amnon for what he had done to his sister. 

2 years had passed, and Absalom had been scheming on how to get revenge for his sister. So, he throws a party, and at the party when Amnon is all liquored up, Absalom has his servants kill Amnon. David hears about it, it is reported to David that Absalom had killed all his sons. Clarity soon came, that it was not all David’s sons, only Amnon. The reason of the murder, was because of the rape of Tamar, something that David failed to deal with. Absalom fled to his grandpa’s place and stayed there three years. (delete - Was) David was over mourning the loss of Amnon, and David longed to see Absalom again - oh and he will…

2 Samuel 14 After this, Absalom got a little military together, including horses and chariots, obviously bitter at his father and his judgement of justice, and we find that Absalom felt he would be a better king than his father and started putting himself in front of the average people and making himself available to them. Absalom would greet people before they came to the King and basically tell them that he would be a good king, would hear their problems and bring peace - he was beginning to steal the hearts of the Israelites. Absalom asked David if he could leave so that he could go and keep his word to God, so that he could go and worship God in Hebron. But, at the same time, he also sent sent secret messengers all over Israel declaring that he was going after the throne and when they heard the trumpets blow, they would know that Absalom is king at Hebron. Absalom did offer sacrifices to God at Hebron, with his invited guests who had no idea what was actually going on. While he was doing the offering, he sent for David’s counsellor, Ahithophel. The conspiracy was growing, as did the followers of Absalom. 

A messenger came and told David that the hearts of Israel were now for Absalom, so David didn't want the city of Jerusalem destroyed or his people, so they left. He ended up leaving 10 concubines behind to take care of the palace. There was lots of weeping as the people left, and there were still some very loyal to that of David. David sent the ark back to Jerusalem, hoping that someday he would be able to see it and Jerusalem again. David at this point was submissive to God's hand in all of this, as David knew that this was the fulfillment of curse pronounced by Nathan by the Lord for the disobedience with Bathsheba and the killing of Uriah, stated in 2 Sam 12:11, of evil arising against David out of his own house. Here we see that David submitted to God's sovereignty, prayed for his returning as king, but also took action as well. David also learned that Ahithophel, his counsellor, was working now with Absalom and David prayed that Ahithophel’s counsel would be foolish counsel. Hushai, David’s friend, came to him and David wanted him to go and defeat the counsel of Ahithophel to Absalom and basically be David’s informant. Hushai did as David commanded. 

2 Samuel 15 After this, Absalom got a little military together, including horses and chariots. Absalom would greet people before they came to the King and basically tell them that he would be a good king, would hear their problems and bring peace - he was beginning to steal the hearts of the Israelites. Then Absalom pretended to be a follower of Yahweh and asked David if he could leave so that he could go and keep his word to God, so that he could go and worship God in Hebron. But, he sent sent secret messengers all over Israel declaring that he was going after the throne and when they heard the trumpets blow, they would know that Absalom is king at Hebron. Absalom did offer sacrifices to God at Hebron, with his invited guests who had no idea what was actually going on. While he was doing the offering, he sent for David’s counsellor, Ahithophel. The conspiracy was growing, as did the followers of Absalom. 

A messenger came and told David that the hearts of Israel were now for Absalom, so David didn't want the city of Jerusalem destroyed or his people, so they left. He ended up leaving 10 concubines behind to take care of the palace. There was lots of weeping as the people left, and there were still some very loyal to that of David. David sent the ark back to Jerusalem, hoping that someday he would be able to see it and Jerusalem again. David also learned that Ahithophel, his counsellor, was working now with Absalom and David prayed that Ahithophel’s counsel would be foolish counsel. Hushai, David’s friend, came to him and David wanted him to go and defeat the counsel of Ahithophel to Absalom and basically be David’s informant. Hushai did as David commanded. 

To sum it all up:

• Our sins have massive ripple effects that are far reaching. There is really no such thing as a private sin, and even ‘personal’ sins have devastating effects on those around you.
• Have you ever overlooked sin, because of favoritism or something sinful you did in the past? Remember that the Lord doesn't overlook sin, and neither should we...