Fri.’s Devo - Amnon and Tamar

Read: 2 Samuel 13:1-39; John 17:1-26; Psalm 119:81-96l Proverbs 16:6-7 The sin of David’s with Bathsheba opened a door in that area that manifested in his children. David had a son and daughter whose mother was the daughter of the king of Geshur. They were beautiful children. Absalom and Tamar were their names. David’s first born son was Amnon whose mother was Ahinoam. Amnon lusted after Tamar and was afraid to ask his father for her as a wife. Amnon was so affected by his feelings for Tamar that it made him sick. His friend helped him devise a wicked scheme to get Tamar alone. When it worked and they were alone, he raped her. She was humiliated and devastated. His affections toward her changed immediately and with the same fervor in which he had wanted her, he now hated her and had her thrown out. She was now no longer a virgin and her chances of marriage were diminished greatly. Women were considered property and had few rights. Tamar had no defense but God and her father on earth who should have come to her defense. I don’t know if David felt so responsible for his own sin that he didn’t feel qualified to judge or what. But, for some reason he never stepped up to rectify what had happened to his daughter, Tamar. When Absalom found out what Amnon had done to Tamar, he was furious. David learned of it too and was upset. Two years went by and nothing was done to punish Amnon, so Absalom decided to take matters into his own hands. He invited all Davids’ sons to come to a feast. He invited David also, but David reclined. Absalom, then asked his father if he could take Amnon with him. His father was curious as to why he would pick Amnon, but was persuaded by Absalom to let him. David finally relinquished. When Absalom got Amnon alone and away from Jerusalem, he had his men kill Amnon. David received word that Absalom had killed all of his sons, but then found out it was only Amnon. Absalom had been plotting this day since he raped his sister. All the other sons arrived weeping and upset. Absalom fled to his grandfather in Geshur and stayed there for three years. Geshur is in Syria. In John, Jesus was praying to his heavenly Father and let us hear his words. He explained that God had given him total authority to give whoever he willed eternal life. He was looking forward into entering back into the glory he had before he came to earth. He had done everything God asked him to do. He had passed his message to his disciples. He prayed for those that would be his on the earth for protection from the evil one and unity. He prayed that the Word of truth would make them holy so they could go into the world and be his witness. The world would not recognize them as special, just as they didn’t recognize Jesus as the Son of God, but God’s love would be in us like it was in Jesus. Lord, help us to fellowship in your sufferings that we might be conformed to Your will.