Three R’s

Oct. 21, 2001                                                                                                 NW Bible Church

 

2 Sam. 13

Righteousness, rape, revenge

 

INTRO

This is another ugly chapter indeed.  Yet such is recorded by the Holy Spirit for our edification, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

 

 

1. TAMAR’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

Tamar - a woman of the ____________, a virtuous virgin.  She alone is righteous and blameless in this chapter. She is not about to compromise her gift of virginity to someone outside of marriage.

Her character is beyond reproach as seen by:

 

1) her __________________ to her brother.

 

2) her __________________ to his advances, she was both firm and biblical in her rebuff.  She said to Amnon:

1. a) that it would be a “disgraceful thing”, for him to do this (v. 12).
2. b) that it would be a violation of her (v. 12).
3. c) that is would permanently disgrace her (v. 13).
4. d) that he would be playing a wicked fool (v. 13).
5. e) that he should ask David for her in marriage (v. 13).
6. f) she tried to physically resisted him (v. 14).

 

No greater crime could be committed against a virtuous virgin than this.

 

PARENTING TIP:   Teach our daughters to prize their purity, Pr. 31:30.

 

 

1. AMNON’S RAPE

 

1. Amnon -  those ruled by their ________________ (vv. 1-2).   A man of lust, not love. Amnon acts like a pagan, or better yet an animal and a sexual terrorist.

 

LOVE                                                              LUST

gives                                                                takes

loves others                                                     loves only self

lasting                                                              temporary

sacrifices for others                                        makes others sacrifice for self

denies self                                                       gratifies self

has an eye for moral beauty                           infatuated with looks only

gentle                                                              forceful and abusive

kind                                                                 cruel - he kicked her out like a dog

 

Such people make lousy friends and worse marriage partners.

Their cure is to come to the __________________ and renounce their addictions and self-idolatry and seek pardon and grace from Christ.

 

PARENTING TIP:  we raise Amnons when we always give them what they want, always overdose them on their self esteem and never correct them or discipline them.

 

1. Jonadab - wisdom without _____________ (13:3-5).  Jonadab was Amnon’s friend and David’s nephew (3a).  He was also very shrewd, but a “worldly-wise man”.   His wisdom was “earthly, natural, demonic” (Jam. 3:15).  Jonadab suggested a deceptive plan to get Tamar to come to Amnon.  His wisdom is full of corruption.

 

As a friend, he will tell you what you want to hear, and help you get what your heart desires regardless of what it is.  Bad company corrupts good morals. 

Jonadab has no conscience.  Wisdom without virtue is downgraded to unethical craftiness.

 

PARENTING TIP:  Parents need to teach their children the moral reasons behind proper behavior.  They need to God’s word.

 

 

III.  ABSALOM’S REVENGE.

 

1. David - anger without ______________ (v. 21). He saw how he had been deceived and how his daughter had been raped.

 

1) David got very angry, he was furious, and full of righteous indignation, justifiably so, but the problem is that he did ________________.

 

2) Amnon should have been punished for what he did to Tamar.  The penalty for incest was death (Lev. 20:17).   As tamar was raped, so now justice gets raped.

 

            PARENTING TIP:  It does no good to yell and scream at kids and not punish them when they sin.  Being too tolerant, too lenient, too permissive will ruin our children.

See Prov. 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14

 

 

1. Absalom - anger with ________________ (vv. 22-29).   He has no regard for the Law of God for he wanted revenge more than justice and so planned to repay Amnon’s breach of the 7th commandment with is own breach of the 6th!

 

PARENTING TIP:  We need to teach our kids not to seek revenge against those who do them wrong.

 

 

1. PICKING UP THE PIECES.

 

1. God is ______________ to His word (12:10-11).

 

1. The sins of the parents can be _______________ in their children.

 

1) Avoid sin for the sake of our children

 

2) Pray for God to shield our children from our sins.

 

1. The call for _____________.   Let not any of us feel superior for we came from this same sick lump of humanity:

Titus 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

 

Let us be ever mindful of our weaknesses and call upon Christ to grant us grace to overcome them and live pure lives for His glory.