And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. (2 Sam. 13:11-16)
And so, the intrigue began for the house of David. God had told him the sword would never leave his house because of his sin with Bathsheba, and Amnon’s taking of his half-sister led to a revenge killing by Absalom. Amnon lusted after Tamar, not to wife but simply to have her, and once he did, he made things worse by rejecting her, both of which angered, and rightfully so, her brother Absalom. All of Amnon’s actions were precipitated by his lust and sin and aggravated by his subtle advisor and cousin, Jonadab. That does not excuse Amnon, for his actions in the forcing of his half-sister were criminal and immoral and he was rightfully punished even if his death was revenge and not lawful. Tamar rightfully pointed out that Amnon was acting foolishly and even suggested that she would obey if the king ordered her marriage to Amnon. But Amnon did not want a wife, he wanted and took a conquest and died for his sin.
Amnon’s lust controlled him and made him easily manipulated by his cousin and advisor to orchestrate a foolish outcome. If Amnon had gone to the king who was also his father and sought Tamar all would have been well, but Amnon in his desire and sin would not wait for such things to come about, but upon the poor advice of Jonadab tricked Tamar into his room and forced her. Once he was done, Amnon rejected and hated Tamar, still seeing her as an object and now useless and unwanted, which Tamar correctly pointed out was worse than the rape. Amnon, having got what he wanted, and no longer wanting what he got, sent her away and precipitated his own death at the hands of his half-brother and Tamar’s full brother, Absalom, which would lead to further deaths among the household of David exactly as God had proclaimed in his judgment upon David.
While an unpleasant account, and Amnon was guilty of many sins, for the Christian it is a reminder that the wages of sin is death and all of us are guilty of sin and worthy of God’s wrath. Without the saving grace of God through repentance and faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are all dead men walking. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory in Him and His righteousness, not to continue in sin or sin more, but to live in Him a new life of righteousness and holiness. We cannot force God’s hand by any of our works, for our works are filthy rags compared to God’s righteousness, nor should we reject and spoil that which God has given us by living as if He did not exist and had no part in our lives. Salvation by God is not a magic formula nor is it control over God, but it is the gift of God because of His mercy and grace to those who repent of their sins and trust Him and Him alone to make us born again and redeemed from our sin. He will freely give all His gifts to those who seek Him humbly and not in their own strength, for we have none of our own to offer Him. He commands those who are His to reach the lost, teach all nations, and preach His Word that those who are lost and estranged from God may be restored and renewed, not to live their lives, but to live the life we were meant to live in Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us.
While we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
Amnon’s lust controlled him and made him easily manipulated by his cousin and advisor to orchestrate a foolish outcome. If Amnon had gone to the king who was also his father and sought Tamar all would have been well, but Amnon in his desire and sin would not wait for such things to come about, but upon the poor advice of Jonadab tricked Tamar into his room and forced her. Once he was done, Amnon rejected and hated Tamar, still seeing her as an object and now useless and unwanted, which Tamar correctly pointed out was worse than the rape. Amnon, having got what he wanted, and no longer wanting what he got, sent her away and precipitated his own death at the hands of his half-brother and Tamar’s full brother, Absalom, which would lead to further deaths among the household of David exactly as God had proclaimed in his judgment upon David.
While an unpleasant account, and Amnon was guilty of many sins, for the Christian it is a reminder that the wages of sin is death and all of us are guilty of sin and worthy of God’s wrath. Without the saving grace of God through repentance and faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are all dead men walking. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory in Him and His righteousness, not to continue in sin or sin more, but to live in Him a new life of righteousness and holiness. We cannot force God’s hand by any of our works, for our works are filthy rags compared to God’s righteousness, nor should we reject and spoil that which God has given us by living as if He did not exist and had no part in our lives. Salvation by God is not a magic formula nor is it control over God, but it is the gift of God because of His mercy and grace to those who repent of their sins and trust Him and Him alone to make us born again and redeemed from our sin. He will freely give all His gifts to those who seek Him humbly and not in their own strength, for we have none of our own to offer Him. He commands those who are His to reach the lost, teach all nations, and preach His Word that those who are lost and estranged from God may be restored and renewed, not to live their lives, but to live the life we were meant to live in Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us.
While we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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