2 Samuel 13 (Part 2) Bible Study (Absalom Murders Amnon & Flees to Geshur) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

I wanna read this just before we start because this verse came to my mind just as I was, praying, meditating for tonight. It's very, very important to rehearse over ourselves what Jesus Christ purchased for us, just the riches of his glory and the blessings that have been made available through the cross. Just you don't have to turn there. Just listen to what I have to say from this text, and realize that Jesus purchased this for you, and it is yours because of faith. It's by grace.

This is your future. This is where you're headed because you're in Christ, and just let it melt your heart. Let it rejuvenate you and bring hope to you. In Revelation 21 verse three, John says, and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

He, not an angel, not seraphim, not cherubim, he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. No more funerals, no more early premature loss, no more loved ones gone for long periods of time. Death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, behold, I am making all things new.

That's gonna be the headline of the dawn of eternity. Behold, I am making all things new. Also he said, write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. You know what that means? They're really really true.

Trustworthy and true. You can count on it. You can surrender your life on it. You can believe it with every faculty of your being. These words are trustworthy and true, and the same words in Revelation that are trustworthy and true are the same words from the same author in second Samuel chapter 13.

Would you meet me there? Second Samuel 13. And as you turn there, we're gonna put our finger together at verse 18. Last week, you and I candidly discussed the tragic desecration of one of David's precious daughters named I used the pronunciation of Tamar, but in actuality, it is Tamar. And so I'm gonna borrow that for this bible study.

Tamar, who was violated by one of David's sons, namely the eldest son Amnon. And we looked at that in great detail, and we concluded our time together last week by examining the attitude of Amnon after that evil act had been committed. And we looked at what had happened to him after this great crime came about, And we realized that there was insight there about the deception of sin and how the true face of iniquity tends to only reveal itself after we buy into its lies. And in Amnon's case, what had happened to him, though it is an extreme example, his sexual sin created emotional confusion, and it incurred upon himself psychological damage among other things. And those are the things that were apparent.

But Amnon was not the only one who had a reaction to this atrocious act. The Holy Spirit preserves for us in his wisdom three other other reactions to what Enon had done, and they are connected very closely to who he is. And these three reactions prove to us how one's unhinged selfishness has collateral damage, damage beyond control, damage beyond what we calculated or planned. And we are going to look at these three reactions briefly, And it won't be a pleasant bible study per se, just like last week's, but I am under the persuasion that it is extremely necessary. Clearly, it's in the word of God.

And can I share with you what my prayer has been for this segment, this chapter, this portion, and really for the rest of second Samuel? It is that you and I as God's people would grow in a particular way. We would grow in our hatred for sin. That you and I would have such a sour taste in our mouths based on what we study that it would create a greater resistance and discernment and strength in your fight against temptation, in my fight against temptation, that we would be appalled, and we would see through one of the Bible's most detailed description of the horrors of sin just how deplorable giving into our flesh can really be. And so let this bible study tonight inspire a fresh zeal to fight against that which lies to you, that which put our savior on the cross, that which has created all the mess that we are enduring here in this world, in our universe altogether.

And that's what we're going to do. We're going to dive right in and examine these three responses and then we are going to, because the Holy Spirit is gonna lead us in this direction, highlight one of these responses and expand on them because it will teach us, really really will teach us of the the folly of giving into one particular sin, and that is retaliation, seeking revenge, harboring bitterness and unforgiveness, imagining taking things into your own hands. The bible here will show us just how foolish that is, And so be prepared. As we read here in verse 18, we look at our first response, apart from amnance, to this evil, this evil of rape, this evil of a young man who targeted his half sister and took advantage of her to satiate lust. And our first response, predictably, is that of Tamar.

What do we see here in verse 18? Let's look at it briefly. Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. Remember, that was the last thing that we saw.

We saw Ammon kick her out of the room and calling one of his servants to do that. And in verse 19, and Talmud put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore, and she laid her hand on her head and went away crying aloud as she went. It's so sad to read this. It's very heavy, but it's also pretty predictable because her open grief here, this screech of sorrow is really the expression of loss. It's something that you would see even with the ashes and the ripping of garments.

It's something that you would see in the scriptures when somebody loses somebody that they really loved and respected. Somebody had died. And so this is extreme pain. This is deep. This is significant.

And it does speak of a pain connected to a loss, but not a loss from or for someone, but of something. What did this woman lose? Her purity, her chastity. That which she guarded, that which she protected, that which provided her a sense of a safe future has been taken from her because of one moment of a man who had unbridled lust, perversion taking over. And with his power and with his position, he took advantage of this young lady, and she symbolized her misery very plainly and obviously by ripping off those sleeves which signified her purity.

And she throws them away and she declares from that moment on, I am I'm unclean. I'm destroyed. My future is gone. It will never be the same. And you get a hint of the bleakness of her future.

In verse 20, if you read the last part of verse 20, we read, so Tamad lived a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house, and that's the last time you're gonna hear of her. She now lives with her brother, her full brother, and that that's it. You never you never see any mention of Tamad again. So you get the impression this is how she lives the rest of her life. We don't know if she she finds somebody.

We don't know if somebody takes her in. We don't know if she has a family. Just this. And and and that bleakness is supposed to make an impression on us. And it seems unfair, but last week, you heard me say, and it's worth saying again, that the brokenness, the extent of our brokenness in our world due to sin extends even to harming, destroying, polluting even those who are innocent in various and grievous ways.

That's what we see with this woman. And according to the Holy Spirit of God, you know this very well, there is only one solution to ensuring that we decrease trauma and pain and wounds caused by selfishness, caused by sin, and that is found in the summary of one command. Is it really that simple, brother? It's actually really that simple, though the command is very demanding on our flesh, hence why it must be supernaturally generated and induced by the Holy Spirit of God. I wanna show you how in one simple verse with one simple command, most and not all of our problems in this world can be solved.

Can I show it to you? It's in Galatians five. Galatians five, and I want you to see it in verse 14. There are a lot of commands in the bible, a lot of commands. We're more familiar with the big 10, but there are more than the big 10.

And there is a law, the law of Christ on top of that. And look what Paul says by the spirit in Galatians five fourteen. So for the whole law is fulfilled in one word. The whole law is fulfilled in one word. You know what it is?

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. You know what Paul is saying here? The the solution or the motivation for every law that you can think of, especially horizontally, to knowing its fulfillment and consistency is in Christ's spirit transforming the inner man and producing in that heart a love, a divine love, an agape love. So think about it. Do not commit adultery.

Do not steal. Do not covet. Do not bear false witness. Think about gossip, jealousy, envy, backbiting, pride, all these different things. All of that can be solved when making that claim of faith and putting your trust in Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit through that faith to enter in and to renew you from the inside out.

We can see the the whole scope of harmony and peace be reduced to nothing if this is perfectly kept. And we know it's not perfectly kept. We're gonna know perfection when we when we come to perfection. But the principle still lies true that there is a call to pursue that kind of love. And in pursuing that kind of love, there is a victory over that which destroys.

And in the very next verse of what Paul says here, you get the reverse of a failure. The failure of pursuing that kind of love opens us up to this kind of a world. And what is that? Look at verse 15. But if you if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

So if this love is missing in us and if it's not being actively pursued by the believer, this is what you can expect in your world, in your home, in our schools, in our government, in our churches. Biting and devouring one another. Biting and devouring, that has beastly connotations. And that is exactly what is is being described here. Only animals bite and devour one another.

I mean, nowadays, humans who claim that their animals might do it, I guess. But it's clear. This is not human behavior. But void of this love, we can be reduced to such behavior. This is the contrast to the previous verse.

When God's love goes missing, when it is void, humans are capable of acting and acting and treating one another to the point where you become like irrational beast and actually cause some kind of extinction until you completely what? Consume one another. And that's what we see in local churches. We see local churches consumed. Here's the scariest part about what I'm presenting you today.

Paul is not writing an epistle to the heathens in Galatia. He's writing to the Christians of Galatia. So this is a warning. This is an encouragement and a warning to the believers in Galatia, which tells me that believers are capable of verse 15. It's believers that are capable of biting and devouring one another, not the world.

Now if if that is possible, in this lovely place with lovely songs, lovely music, lovely messages, then what would become of the world that is devoid of the spirit? And I think you and I are gonna depends what you believe about the tribulation, whether you're there or here, you're gonna perceive what the world will look like when the Holy Spirit chooses to distance himself from actively working in our world. There was gonna be there is now and there will be an intensification of biting and devouring one another. You're saying, well, what does that look like? Well, here's a little glimpse what what Amnon did to Tamar or Tamar.

That's what happens. And so Tamar shows us, Tamar reminds us that when this godlike love is void, then pure, innocent, lovely people like her get hurt. And there's a biting and devouring and destroying. But now we come to the second reaction to this atrocious act, and it's found in verse 20. We looked at Tamar briefly.

Now we look at her brother. Verse 20, and her brother Absalom said to her, has Amnon your brother been with you? Makes you wonder how we put the pieces together. Makes you wonder what kind of reputation Amnon had. Has Amnon, your brother, been with you?

Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this to heart. Now come here and look at verse 22 in connection to that. But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

So you and I were prepared to be introduced to this man because in the very first verse of chapter 13, he is mentioned. And so we finally now see him in action, and his initial words are directed towards his exploited sister. And this is some kind of an attempt, I guess, to to comfort her, to put her at ease, and it seems like he's downplaying what happened. And it's not because he is insensitive, though you can make that case, but it's because he has a plan. Absalom is instructing his sister to do this very thing, to hush her, so to speak, because Absalom has a hope in his own heart, and he was very quickly inspired.

And that hope was to take measures into his own hands. And he knew that if Tamar tells the king or if she reports it or if she puts him on blast, this can become a public scandal very quickly. And he's not afraid of this marring his family's name. He's not concerned about that at all. You're gonna learn that he doesn't care about that very much.

What he is concerned about, though, is that this could possibly give him, or rather he can lose the opportunity to take this into his own hands and satisfy personal vengeance. And the reason why he doesn't do it right away is because the same way Tamar was not easily accessible, and so Amnon had to pull back a little bit and and come up with a plan, Absalom knows that he's gonna have to also come up with a plan, and sometimes a good plan takes some time. And so what's his strategy now? Well, what you just read in verse 20. Verse 22 rather.

He plays it cool. He pretends. He's casual. He doesn't say a word to his brother. He doesn't show any aggression.

He doesn't even reprove him. No reprimand. Nothing of the sort. He just goes along as nothing happened. He just moves day to day as though nothing had happened.

What can we learn from Absalom here? Here's what we can learn. There are many lessons, and this is the one that came to mind. Sin begets sin. I know that doesn't seem profound, but it's important.

Sin begets sin. And what I mean by that is the cycle of pain that we are realizing that you see before you, that you might be experiencing even tonight in your own world, that cycle of pain that doesn't seem to be ending, but is constantly being fueled, often survives because of the response of people to the response of other sins. Meaning, it's the sin that comes to me. Me responding to that sin with my own sin is what keeps this thing alive and going. It it keeps the cynicism, the danger, the temptation, the potential destruction alive and well.

And what he is prepared to do here is the total opposite of what you and I are called to. You know, you and I have a code according to God's law, and the code is very straightforward. We do not violate God's law in order to deal with sin around us or toward us. That's just a a no go zone. We don't cross that boundary.

We never entertain committing an evil to deal with any other evil. And so we see here that Absalom is prepared to do just that. He is going to now add to the fuel to the fire rather with his own fuel. And and if you wanna know how this works on a on a you might see it here on a microscopic scale, but you can see it on a societal scale even in the very city that you live in. Brothers, do you remember when we used to serve at Woodbridge?

One of the most astounding things that came to me when we used to minister among teenagers who were actively in gangs was when we asked them just straightforwardly, why do you do this? Why do you shoot people? Why do you kill? Why do you plot? Why do you take revenge?

And you know what the number one answer was? Well, because we have to pay them back. We have to pay them back. He took out my buddy. He took out my friend.

He took out my cousin. He took out my father. And I remember watching a news coverage of the shootings here in our own city, and the reporter told one of these gang members who had a mask on, didn't wanna reveal their his identity, why don't you just put the guns down? And it was just like an atrocious thought. Like, what are you talking about?

Put the guns down. So so the very news that you hear every single night, the sirens, the deaths, the funerals of teenagers is fueled by one main thing, retaliation. And if there was a generation who did understand that vengeance belongs to God and they did put it to a halt, we would see revival to some degree. And that's why when we we learned that, we came one one Thursday night, we came with our Bibles, and we gave him a Bible study about how God says vengeance is mine. And to take vengeance from God is to steal from God.

And we tried to convince him from the scriptures of the wisdom of allowing almighty God who is completely aware and and observant and taking into account everything that's being done, he will actually intervene. And he will stand for justice. And that that you can just see it on their face, you can see it in their in their questions, that demanded such great faith. Such great faith. You're telling me that God can defend me?

And so, yes, we're seeing it even here in our own city. What Absalom is ready to do is what people are doing tonight. And all it takes is that one truth that God is just. He is a judge. He can act.

He can defend. He can intervene for so much to be put aside, but people just don't believe. They don't believe. So much depends on faith, my friend. So much depends on faith.

It seems so simple, yet so hard at the same time, especially when the pain is so real. But but to say, I will take vengeance is to assume a prerogative that belongs to God alone. And so that's some kind of form of idolatry going on there. You're not God. You're not God.

And when you take vengeance into your own hands, you often go above and beyond what justice demands. Right? So you incur even more guilt, and more sin, and more chaos, and more and that's what we're about to see. But before we see how this is expanded, let's look at our third and final reaction to amnon sin, because sin is never one dimensional. Look at verse 21 now.

We look at David's reaction. The father of both Amnon and Tamad. Isn't it sad that it's only one verse? Verse 21. When king David heard all of these things, he was very angry, full stop.

What's missing? You would think so he would, or so he nothing. He was very angry, no action, only strong emotion on display, and then we cut back to to Absalom in verse 22. And this is extremely disappointing, and you and I should feel that disappointment. Because in the same way you and I heard that retaliation begets more problems and sin, so does injustice.

You know what David should have done what the law said to do, as difficult as it seems? In Leviticus 20 verse 17, we are told that when anybody is sexually intimate with an immediate family member, they are to be cut off. The guilty parties are to be cut off. That may sound severe, but that's the law. God knows best.

And David doesn't do anything other sort. He doesn't even rebuke him. He doesn't even call him into his presence and threaten him. Nothing. He he just expresses frustration and anger, and he lets him go.

Lenient, careless, casual. He felt the right emotions, but it just stopped there. And that's a problem. And this being placed between Absalom's initial words to his sister Tamar and his demeanor towards his brother Amnon, the placement there sandwiched in between those suggests to us that David's unwillingness to do something encourage Absalom to take revenge. Okay.

Dad, if you're not gonna do anything, I'll do it. I'll do it. You don't wanna do anything about it? Then I'll do it gladly. And here's here's the principle for you and I to consider.

These are so important to to see. When evil is not confronted, and if it is not restrained by those who have been given god guaranteed to multiply. Guaranteed to multiply. And it's nothing short of dangerous for the home, for the church, and for society at large when its leaders turn a blind eye to willful sin and do nothing about it. So leaders of the home, leaders in the church, leaders in different spheres of society This is why you have to be careful craving or wanting to be a leader, because part of that job description is you being able to boldly face sin and do something about it.

To confront it, to rebuke it, to counsel it, whatever the case may be. But to leave it, blood is on our hands. And God will hold leaders accountable, like what we'll see here. And what we do here when we don't allow sin to be attacked by our leaders, and when leaders refuse to do that, it only emboldens the sinner to persist and even grow in that sin, intensify in that sin. And here's the here's the scariest part.

It even invites bystanders to eventually participate. Oh, nothing happened. Nothing happened. So maybe I can. And and then that just it just multiplies more and more and more.

I wanna show you actually an encouraging example of what happens when leaders do take a stand. And and when leaders, especially in God's house, do look at evil face to face and are not ashamed or afraid of the repercussions for standing for righteousness. And this is this is something you won't see or won't hear at a modern businesslike church growth program. Give you a heads up. So look at this.

This is in Acts chapter five. Right? In Acts chapter five, does that chapter remind you of an important incident in the early church? Who here knows their bible well? What happens in Acts chapter five?

Yes. Very good. Ananias and Sapphire thought they can go to church and lie about their offering, and they got in trouble with the Holy Spirit. And so how much trouble? Did they, like, not be able to come to the communion table for a couple weeks?

No. They weren't able to go to the communion table at all because they were killed. And so we read that, and then we come to this text in verse 12 of chapter five. Look at what we're told here about the early church. Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles, and they were all together in Solomon's portico.

Well, that's great. So after church discipline, in a very the most extreme way has been exercised, revival continues to break out. Miracles, signs, wonders, souls. But then what do you read in verse 13? None of the rest dared to join them, But the people held them in high esteem.

None of the people dared join them. But they held them in high esteem. So the culture, the city, the surrounding areas really respected Christians in the early church. High esteem. They were reverent.

They were not quick to say things about them or to them, at least at this point. But what what strikes interest to me is the fact that none of the rest there joined. That sounds like that sounds like a negative. That sounds like that sounds like the opposite of what you want your church to experience. Can you imagine here at NBC if we learn that in our neighborhood none would want to join us?

But this is very good. And the reason why it's very good is because those who not who dared not join them were those who already half hearted to begin with. These were the people who were very intrigued by what was happening with Jesus' message and Jesus' people, but they they were not sold out nor were they ready to sell out. They were not ready to give in everything that Christ demands. They were willing to participate.

They were willing to sign up. They were willing to be present. But then something had happened that totally discouraged them from signing up for the membership interview. What was it? It wasn't chap it wasn't verse 12.

Surely, it was what happened before verse 12. Ananias and Sapphira. So put the pieces together. Here's what happened. When you had a leader like Peter who was sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit to speak the truth and to confront leaven, corruption in the midst of a holy assembly, Something happens.

And as a result, it not only removed impurity, it protected the church from further corruption. So once the people outside of the walls heard, woah, that church is for real. They don't let you come and be a part of their church and hold on to sin willfully at the same time. I ain't signing up. You're saying, well, that that's good.

That's very good. And it's all contingent upon, again, the beginning of chapter five where you had a leadership that really believed in the high call of Christ and was unwilling to entertain or open up their assembly to those who could care less about being holy and being like Jesus. So none there joined them. I'm not interested. Leadership is so important.

The type of leadership is very important. And unfortunately here, David is lenient yet again, and he will continue to be lenient again in the coming weeks. You're gonna see it. And so we continue, but before we move on, let me ask you another question. Is there another possible reason why David was not so quick to say anything, not saying anything at all?

I'm actually asking you. Any idea? Yes. Did you hear it? Bathsheba.

Could it be that David here is paralyzed from his past? I think that's a good case to make. Here's what I mean by that. I sinned. Sexually, and I destroyed people in my own life.

What right do I have to say anything to my son? What right do I have to correct him or discipline him? And it could be that this man here is proving to us that sometimes, reproof and correction is lacking from those who have been authorized to administer righteousness and peace because their own hearts condemned them. Their own hearts condemned them. So, you know, you have some people who say, you know, when, when a pastor or a minister speaks on a certain sin, it's probably very likely that he's struggling with that same sin.

Okay? Maybe. But what about those who never speak on it? What is that in the Right. Now we can't make blanket statements and judge, only God knows.

But we have an example here with David who's very hesitant to say something, perhaps because he himself is guilty of the very or very similar crime. This main point isn't about hypocrisy, but it's worth speaking about it. Hypocrisy drains us of authority. It does. It it weakens our testimony.

It makes us cowards. It holds back boldness. But the point here is more about the power of past guilt. If guilt was the thing that was burdening David at this time, then this is a important truth in regards to how we manage guilt and how it visits us and what we should do with it. If you are not careful, guilt can paralyze you in many ways.

It can hold you back from so much. And so what's the most important thing in moving forward in your own walk with the Lord and even being a blessing to others is realizing if God has forgiven me, then God has forgiven me. And this is the most important thing that David needed to learn. The standard of righteousness was not his past experience or his present success. It's God's word.

We appeal to God's word. And so you have some friends that are unwilling to speak and to correct other friends because perhaps in the past they've dealt with something and they just feel like, well, what can I say to that person? You have parents who are even tempted to be like this and raising their own children. Because they've struggled as teenagers in a certain way, now they're seeing their own children struggle as teenagers. But who am I to say anything to them?

Because I was like that when I was 16, 18, 21. And so guilt paralyzes. But again, it's it's not your performance that determines your responsibility. It's God's word. And so you appeal to that in humility.

What David should have done is in humility, in brokenness, in an awareness of his own failures, still administer what God had called him to do as a father and as a judge. And so be careful. Be careful how guilt might determine the way you influence others, or how you even see yourself and how you walk in the call of God that he has for you. Some people, they felt so bad, they just they just determined, I'm I'm just forget it. I'm never gonna pursue it.

I'm never gonna do it. I'm not gonna serve in that capacity. I'm never gonna believe God for great things because this is where I'm at. But if it's been forgiven, it's been forgiven. And so be careful.

We see a clear example of a man who could not shake off his guilt, most likely. Now let's come back to our chapter, shall we? We've dealt with the three responses here to actions, but now we look at one and we magnify because that's what the Holy Spirit does. Look at this in verse 23. After two full years, I couldn't pass that phrase without much meditation.

After two full years, two full years go by, and here's an important thought, because we're about to see Absalom execute what started as a thought just a couple of verses ago. After two full years, you know what that tells me? This man has been meditating, plotting, visualizing for two full years what to do with his half brother. Two full years. Not two full weeks.

Not two full months. Two full years. And what started as a thought would now materialize, And it's very sobering for you and I to see that sin is very willing and comfortable to live in your heart as long as you tolerate it. And it's cancerous, and it's infectious, and it's this it's just poisonous. And we're seeing that very clearly with this man.

It's it's not very difficult to see how pride, and anger, and bitterness, and lust and a dishonest spirit, whatever the case be be, is is willing to remain there for decades, years on end. Because that is the that is the power of the clutch of sin. It will be like a leech that just remains there and sucks the life out of you slowly. And as you heard me say one solution to one point, here's the solution for this. The only remedy is when Christ comes in and cleans house.

That's the only remedy. He is the only one that can loosen that grip and go go beyond loosening that grip, and instill within you a different kind of heartbeat. And that is exactly what this man needed. It is so sad to see how for for so long, he was willing to stay in that place. And yet, it could be true tonight even.

That things have not changed. It's only grown over time. You see, what what started as a thought for Amden has now been perfected over time. Because that's what happens to you and I. If we're not guarded, you know what happens.

You know you know the the the the the sequence of how these things occur. It's a visited thought, and then what you do is you torment yourself. Here here's the point. The main sin that that the Holy Spirit is highlighting here is the issue of mishandling offense. When offense comes your way, that is a potential key to unlock a vault of critters that you don't want in the home of your heart.

Here's what happens. When offense comes, what we see here is that retaliation now is is being bred. And and what happens here is that if you're not careful, as much as it is satisfying to hold on to that pain, you in fact will cause yourself to be tormented. And here's how the torment looks. You replay that thing over and over again.

Right? When you get a moment's time where you're not actively doing something, you just rehearse that thing. And you remember, you even visualize the words and the actions and the feelings and the moment you found out or the moment it happened and you just keep going over and over and over. That can't be good for you. And if you're not careful, here's the next level.

Now you begin to imagine what you should have done. Right? Oh, if I can go back. If I can go back, I would have said this. I would have done this.

I would have preempted here. And if you're not careful, you'd now begin to think what you might do now or what you should do moving forward. And that's where things get crazy and really, really unless the Holy Spirit, through his word, through being in the presence of God's people, you actively discipline being with God. Unless you do that, you can you can be led into now where those things are just trickling here, begin to now pull on you where you you try to satisfy that because it's all so consuming and it manifests in one way or another. And that's exactly what's gonna happen here with Amnon.

He nurtures it. Instead of controlling it, it's it's going to get ugly. Another thing to consider those two years, and those two full years is not just Absalom, but Amnon. After two full years, the guy doesn't show any signs of repentance. Two years.

You would think that after evading judgment and any kind of reprimand after just going always scot free, that that would humble you as a sinner and you would come broken before God, say, god, the fact that I'm still here in one piece is by your mercy. I'm so undeserving. Please forgive me. No. He just thinks he's still a prince and thinks he can still get away with things, and he just, again, as though nothing had happened.

And I see these two years as a window of God's mercy even for a wretched man like Amnon. And the same man who was blinded by his lust, devouring his half sister, is the same man who was completely oblivious to the fact that God is extending kindness to him. Kindness to him. Like, just unexplainable kindness to him. Sinners are stubborn.

Sinners are stubborn. Let these two years, in light of Amnon, remind you that sinners are extremely stubborn. And because sinners are stubborn, you know what God's primary response is to the stubbornness of sinners? He's patient. He's patient.

Second Peter three nine tells us that his return is not slow. You have to understand it as patience. Because he desires for all to reach repentance, even with people like Amnon, as hard as that is to imagine. So two full years, there is no sign of change or conviction in this man's heart. And so, something takes place.

Moving on, Absalom is about to execute his plan. He found that this is the perfect time, and here's his plan. Verse 24. Let's finish to verse 23. Absalom had sheep shearers at Baal Hezor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

We we've seen this before when it was this time of the year where you would shear your sheep. It was a time of harvest. It was festive. And so you would have visitors come, family members come, and you would you would celebrate. And so Absalom now wants to host the party at his house.

So he wants to invite all the king's sons. And so he came to the king, it says here, Absalom came to the king and said, behold, your servant has sheep shears. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant. But the king said to Absalom, no, my son. Let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.

He pressed him, but he would not go, but gave him a blessing. Here's what you see. Absalom wants to invite David and everybody else. So if the reader is unfamiliar with the story, you think this is just fine. Right?

But he's he's a really good actor. He wants to make it seem as though there is nothing about to happen by inviting the king of all people to be in his presence. Hey, dad. I'm planning to have a party. You know, it's the season.

Come. Come. Bring the rest of the boys. Let's all let's all come. We'll have a great time.

And the father says, no. It's financially that'll be too much on you. You know how it is. If somebody inviting all these people over, it might be too much. I'll stay back.

Don't worry about no, dad, please, please. It'll be a great time. I have a bunch of servants. I have a bunch of stuff. It it was a wonderful fruitful year.

Just come. It'll be okay. No. I said, no, please. And he pressed them.

And what is he doing? He's deceiving. And so David denies it, and shouldn't our attendance be up? Haven't we seen this before? Let me let me let me remind you.

Who was it that asked the king for one of his kids to come to their home? Thank you. Amen. Didn't Amen do the same thing? He asked the king for Tamar to come over.

Our antenna should be up. This doesn't look good. We see here that he is employing a very similar tactic, a seemingly innocent invitation, and David is clearly not discerning enough to realize it until until he denies the request, and Absalom makes a more pointed request. Look at verse 26. Then Absalom said, if not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.

Uh-oh. And the king said to him, why should he go with you? Good job, David. Verse 27. But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

Can imagine what was racing through David's mind, that's a very strange request that you highlighted Amnon. He was probably just wishing for the best, hoping for the best, and he thought, you know, it's been two years. Nothing happened. Ammon is the eldest. He technically, if you look at the legality of things, he's next in line to be the king, and so his presence is is is an honorable thing.

Alright. You want Amnon and the rest to come? Let them go. And as we continue in the next scene, we quickly pick up on other familiar ingredients from a recent story. So now the scene shifts from David's palace to Absalom's home in verse 28.

Then Absalom commanded his servants. So maybe they're in the back room or something while everybody else is out in the the front or in the yard. Then Absalom commanded his servants, mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine. And when I say to you, strike Amnon, then kill him. Do not fear.

Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant. So here's the plot. Do we see a familiarity here? Think about the ingredients of the story.

It's not difficult to see the connection. Right? Yes. David. Did he not invite Uriah over to his house to feast?

Did he not intoxicate him? What did they say? When when his heart is merry with mind, strike him. And when that failed, what did David do? He called upon one of his servants, namely Joab, to have Uriah killed.

And you see here Absalom telling his servants to do the dirty work. When I tell you, kill him. So if Amnon replayed David's sexual sin before him, Absalom Absalom is resurfacing David's deceptive murder. But look at the words here of Absalom to his servants. The last part, he tells them, do not fear.

Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant. You might have similar words on a coffee mug at home. Do they not sound familiar? Where do they where does this come from?

Or at least where where does it ring from? Joshua one nine, when the Lord told his servant, have I not commanded you be strong and courageous? Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. I'm not saying Absalom is quoting him directly, but I am saying that there is a similarity in the language here, and there's a strategy behind the persuasion of this invitation. Hey, my servants, do not fear.

Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant. What's Absalom trying to do here? Can I tell you what I believe he's doing here? He's making sin more inviting by coding it and presenting it as an honorable cause.

He's making it seem like a noble cause by using this righteous language. He's making it seem like what they are going to do is virtuous. Don't be afraid. Be valiant. Be courageous.

Do not fear. And we look at that thing, well, that's quite interesting. And I'm trying to tell you today that our culture is convincing people to sin in the very same manner. Think think deeply, believer. Think deeply about how a text like this even applies to our culture today.

Think about the sins of our generation that are inviting a naive people, undiscerning, to believe that what they are participating in is is not just a matter of subjective morality, but is in fact right and good. So defending abortion Let's see if we'll stay on YouTube. Defending abortion is not supporting murder. You are advocating for a woman's right to choose. Doesn't that sound noble?

A woman's right to choose. That's what we're advocating for. What about coming out? Coming out as a homosexual, coming out as a transgender. What what is that packaged as?

Bravery. Bravery. Truth. Bold. Fearless.

Right? And not only that, if you if you do it, we might put you on a platform so that you can inspire others. So now this is the this is the trend. You know why it's a trend? Because it promises so much reward.

This is the thing to do. This is what people are doing. People are thinking, well, how is it that so many now are are are are are into this, are giving into this, are practicing this? And the culture's argument is, well, they've been in the closet this whole time. No.

It's because you persuaded them by packaging this kind of lifestyle as something that is virtuous and true and good for society and good for our psychological state and for our mental health and the prevention of suicide and self harm. So go, be brave. Nothing is new under the sun. Nothing is new under the sun. Here's Absalom telling his own servants, be courageous.

I have commanded you. Go forth. Be valiant. And we're echoing the same kind of tactic on a bunch of people who are void of truth, and they're eating it up. And so, there is a softening of the severity of sin through the language of deception that layers it in a certain way that makes it more palatable.

And that's why we have to use Bible language. That's why we gotta just use the Bible as it is because there's wisdom the way God colors these things and describes these things. I remember I told this story before, and I don't wanna repeat it because I don't wanna bore some of you, but I remember sitting at a large conference for ministers. And there is these ministers getting ordained, I guess, and so they were asking these young ministers what they should do in preparation for the new wave of the LGBTQ movement, and what should we do when they enter into our church. And this moderator, when he was preparing for the questions to be asked, instead of referring to homosexuality as a sin, he said, well, what will we do, and how should we respond to the church with those who and he stopped himself, and he says, who have an alternative lifestyle.

Do you see? Blur it. Dim it. Change it. It's more palatable.

Bible uses strong words and they use a strong words for a reason. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. There is something that is either awaken or dead and based on how you present what God says. And so God uses again strong words again in order for us to see it for what it is. Words like abomination.

Words like immorality. And it's it's it's purpose to shake us so that we can be met with words like grace and adoption and love and regeneration. And for the rest of the chapter, here's what happens. We will see the fruit of a man who could not resist the temptation of taking revenge. And let's look at them very briefly here.

Look at verse 29. So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded, and all the king's sons arose and each mounted his mule and fled. Panic broke out. Confusion broke out. Now the other sons are interpreting what just happened here, this assassination as, okay, Absalom technically is very close to the next person in line for the throne.

And so he he's maybe this is a coup. Right? He's now eliminating all his competition. Let's get out of here. So they get on their mules, and they jet.

Then we scroll down to verse 32 after the news came to David about his sons being all killed, and that was corrected by who? Verse 20 32 rather. But Jonadab, the son of Shemaiah, David's brother, said. So here's Jonadab. The last that we see in him, he was the one who planted the seed in the mind of Enna, and now he comes again.

And guess what? He's unscathed. He's safe. One of the key players in this whole mess is is here. He's still here.

He's a problem, and the problem is still here. And then you scroll down to verse 36. It says here, and as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came and lifted their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly. One of the king's son, the next one in line has died, has been killed by his own brother.

And so they they just break out into just absolute remorse and unbelief. And finally, here, look at verse three seven. But Absalom fled and went to Talmai, the son of Amihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. So Absalom fled and went to Gesher, and was there three years.

Gesher is where his mom is from. That's second Samuel three three, you realize that Absalom's grandfather from his mom's side was also a king. So he has royal blood on him on both sides. No wonder he he coveted the throne as you're gonna see in the next few chapters. But he flees now as an exile for three years.

Three years. So collecting all of these snapshots together, here's the point that I want the Holy Spirit through his word to drive into our hearts. It's very clear. As tempting as revenge is, it never solves a problem. It only creates more of them.

As tempting as revenge is, it will never bring the relief that your aching soul is looking for. And the problems that it usually causes often falls on you. When God says vengeance is mine, he means many things by that. And one of the things he means is, if I leave it into your hands and if you take care of yourself, you're gonna make a big mess, my son. You're gonna make a big mess, my daughter.

I know exactly how to prescribe the justice that will satisfy my holiness and even your heart. And it's possible that some even who are listening are harboring pain that came from a mom or a dad, Maybe a spouse? What about a pastor? What about a group of people who church people? What about a business partner who really blew it and cost you years of setback.

From time to time, if not more than time to time, you are reminded, this guy, this person, who really did a work on me. If only I could. If only I could. Just let them get a taste of their own medicine. I just need a little bit.

It doesn't have to be eye for eye if it's just something. Give me your toe, and I'll be happy. I'm here to remind you tonight with this example that you will not be convinced after the matter that you've been healed. You only see that it was more more pain that you invited, more regret, more shame. Don't believe the lie, no matter how great the pain is.

Instead, let me conclude by giving you the advice of a man of God, and this is so amazing. I I found this a few days ago, and it so touched my heart that I tucked it in like Mary does. Right? She kept things in her heart. Tucked it.

I said, I'm putting that one in the armory. I don't know, Lord, when you're gonna have me use this, but I can't wait to to share it. This Bible study not knowing what the theme is gonna be about. And that quote said, Hey, I'm here. So, Yeah, you're coming right out.

You didn't stay too long. I'm gonna read it twice. As I read it, just snap out of whatever you're in. Focus because I know this will bless you. John Flavell, he's not alive.

I like a lot of dead guys. Those dead guys had a lot of insight into the word of God. And this man says something in light of what we've been hearing throughout this bible study that I believe is a perfect way of putting a period mark to our time together. Here's what he said. Quote, suppose that by revenge, you might destroy one enemy.

Yet, by exercising the Christian's temper, you might conquer three. One, your own lust. Two, Satan's temptation. And three, your enemy's heart. Quote, suppose that by revenge, you might destroy one enemy.

Yet, by exercising the Christian's temper, you might conquer three. One, your own lust. Two, Satan's temptation. And three, your enemy's heart. Ain't that powerful?

Oh, you would wish that Absalom would have trusted in God the same way that David trusted in God when Nabal scorned him, and he was ready to go and slice him up. I'm sure it would have felt good for the moment, but, oh, what would have happened to his name, his future, his reputation, his dynasty? And a wise woman said, don't do it. Trust in God. I wish this man took the same advice.

Who knows what would have come to his future? Who knows what kind of blessings would have fallen on him? Instead, for the next few chapters, we're only gonna see more turmoil and devastation. May God help us to forgive. May God help us to be liberated from that which haunts us because we we refuse to just put it in the hand of God and say, Lord, I'm done with this.

I I didn't control what happened to me. I didn't invite it. I'm gonna stop meditating on what I possibly did to bring it about, and I'm just gonna give it to you and continue to walk in what you have for my life and believe that you are the god who takes vengeance. If you are that person tonight, as we close in prayer, I invite you to give that to the lord and trust in this God. The same God who saves you, the same God who answers prayers, the same God who knows exactly when to defend your cause, and he will do it.

Let's pray. Lord, we have been equipped with an obvious theme that you have woven into these verses. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for my brothers and sisters who are here tonight. Lord, surely it blesses you to see your children gather around your word and to receive the full counsel of God. Lord, in this place, we've been reminded much again of sin, but we have also been reminded of the beautiful promises of trusting, putting our faith in everything, including in the pain that we receive from others, the wounds, the bruises, the trauma, the scars.

Lord, we pause to reflect on the forgiveness that we have in Jesus. And, Lord, we know that revenge can take on many faces. It can be just giving the a a hurtful word back after an argument, and it can even extend to murder. Lord, help us rise above the flesh. Help us to know as a reflex to bring every arrow to you, to lay it at your feet, to trust that you have the balm to bind us up, to make us whole again, to give us thick skin so that we can continue to endure the failures of others.

And, Lord, we ask that the cross would be ever before us. For if there is anyone who is innocent, it was you. Pure and holy, you and you alone. And yet you receive the greatest injustice that this world has ever known. But we sit back to reflect on the the gems of truth and wisdom that we have adorned our faith with.

Would they be intact? Would they be tight? Would they be worn outside of these walls and beyond the moments of singing? Lived out for people to see the Christian temper that brings true victory and satisfaction. Father, you are good.

We love you. We love your word, and we worship you now in closing. Jesus' name. Amen. Let's stand, saints.

Let's sing to the Lord together. Shall we? We?