Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

14 May 2024

Reading From II Samuel 13-15

“Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat.

“Send everyone out of here,” Amnon said. So everyone left him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.”

“No, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”

“No!” she said to him. “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.”

But he refused to listen to her. He called his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.” So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.”

–II Samuel 13:9-13

     This is one of the most difficult stories to read in all of Scripture.  I am grateful that when God inspired the writers of the Bible, they did not look the other way when recording difficult material.  We need to read accounts such as this.  We need to face issues like sexual violence head on, with sober judgement, clear vision, a strong insistence on justice, and hearts filled with compassion.  My heart breaks for Tamar. 

     While reading this horrific passage, I noticed several things.  First, I saw how Amnon’s lust burned within him to the point where he and a servant concocted this scheme to satisfy his wicked desires.  This reminded me of the wisdom found in Romans 13:14, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”  Every human wrestles with sinful desires, but it is important to not make a plan to give in to temptation.  I once heard a pastor give this counsel in a sermon, “What we feed will grow and what we starve will die.”

     Next, Amnon ordered his attendants to leave his chambers and asked Tamar to come into his bedroom.  Amnon was a prince and Tamar a princess and so they had servants and courtiers, an entourage wherever they went.  What the prince did was what most every predator does: he isolated his victim.  This is a huge red flag and a warning to all of us.  Be wary of someone who seems to create situations where they are alone with someone they shouldn’t be.  Accountability is vital.  This brings to mind Billy Graham’s practice of never meeting with a woman alone.

     Thirdly, Tamar’s level headed arguments she used while desperately pleading with her brother to do the right thing were exemplary for several reasons.  Her reasoning reminds us that there is a proper place for sexual expression and that is within a healthy, loving, marriage relationship.  In our modern times a marriage between half siblings is not appropriate.  I don’t believe that’s something God would have wanted even in an ancient context, but Amnon and Tamar lived in a world far removed from our own.  Perhaps that would have been culturally acceptable.  Also, she calls attention to her own feelings, worth, dignity and begs him to think of how this will affect her future.  Amnon is blind with lust and ignores all of this wisdom.  He is only thinking of here and now, she has the wisdom at the consequences.

     Finally, Amnon uses Tamar to get what he wanted and when he’s physically satisfied, he is done with her.  This is a man with no regard for anyone but himself and who sees people, in this case a woman of his own family, as objects to be used for his own selfish desires and then discarded.  Every human being is descended from Adam and Eve who were created in the spiritual image of Almighty God.  As such, we must treat each other as the image-bearers that we are.  Every man is someone’s son and every woman is someone’s daughter.  We must remember this in every interaction we have.

Reading this passage has inspired me to learn more about how I can help victims of violence and abuse. Every member of God’s eternal family is a minister of His message of love and justice and we have an obligation to seek wisdom and knowledge as to how to carefully handle difficult, delicate situations and bring healing and justice to those who desperately need it.

“God, this world is so full of wickedness and heartache.  Bring healing in every way to victims of sexual violence and justice to offenders.  Help Your people to push for justice now for You taught us to pray for Your will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.  I know that we will not have perfect justice while on this earth in our present reality, but part of the reason I must believe in You is that there has to be justice when You return to us.  Thank You that every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and every single human being who has every lived will be judged as only You can judge them.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus.  In Your Name I pray, Amen.”

He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.

–Job 12:22

But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.

–Hosea 12:6

Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.

–Proverbs 24:24-25

I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”

–Ecclesiastes 3:17

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

–Micah 6:8