Reading
- 2 Sam. 12:24-25
- 1 Chron. 3:4c-9
- 2 Sam. 13:1-14:24
Devotional
Recall that GOD told David through Nathan the prophet that "the sword will never depart from your house" (2 Sam. 12:1-12). In today's reading we see the beginning of this prophecy unfold. David had a son named Amnon. David had another son named Absalom by a different wife. Absalom had a sister named Tamar, who was very beautiful. In the course of time Amnon fell in love with Tamar, and he became very frustrated because she was his half-sister and therefore he thought she couldn't marry him.
Amnon's friend Jonadab came up with a very evil plot which he shared with Amnon could have Tamar. Amnon carried out this plot and he mistreated Tamar. Tamar was humiliated and went to live in her brother Absalom's house. Absalom was furious with his half-brother Amnon but he said nothing to him for two years. After that time Absalom came up with a plot where he had his servants kill Amnon after Amnon was drunk with wine. Absalom fled and lived for three years in Geshur. David mourned for Absalom every day while he was gone, and although he longed to go to him, he chose not to.
After this time Joab had a wise woman go to David with a fictional story to convince David to bring Absalom home, which he agreed to do. Sadly, this is only the beginning of a tragedy which will play out between David and Absalom. These unfortunate events are consequences for David's sin with Bathsheba and subsequent cover-up attempt. We can learn an important lesson from this: our actions are important and when we despise the commandment of the LORD as David had done with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah, then we will pay the consequences. GOD longs to bless us and when we make good choices our life will be a lot easier than if we rebel and follow our own thinking, as David had done. Yet no matter how bad the situation, we may always turn to GOD and ask for forgiveness.
