«Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant»
(2 Samuel 13:28).
In those days, virgin women were very well guarded; they could not be seen by any man without a witness. A brother was normally assigned to be his sister’s guardian. In Tamar’s case, it seems that it was Absalom. «The members of the Lord ‘s family are to be wise and watchful, doing all in their power to save their weaker brethren from Satan’s concealed nets.”-This Day With God, p. 147, May 18.
On the advice of his cousin Jonadad, Amnon committed incest with his sister. Always evaluate biblically any advice you receive, even if it is coming from family members. Amnon was unconcerned about Tamar’s plea later, his obsession with her shifted from one extreme to the other. Her repulsion, remorse, and dread of punishment. Love and passion are not the same thing: love is patient, whereas passion demands immediate gratification. These feelings can be confusing at first, but one simple way to tell the difference is that if it can’t wait, it isn’t true love.
Amnon then rejected Tamar, which according to oriental customs, could never be married. The only person who could redeem her was Amnon, if he married her (see Deuteronomy 22:28, 29). By being put out of her home, Tamar was twice humiliated, because it seemed that she was the one who had proposed the encounter, and without witnesses (see 2 Samuel 13:9). So she was forced to live as a single woman the rest of her life (see 2 Samuel 13:20). Knowing her sentence, she tore her special royal garments, which represented her position and her virginity. Thus Absalom heard that his sister, who he was responsible for, had been abused and betrayed. He asked her not to raise a scandal, but he secretly planned his revenge. David disapproved of Amnon’s conduct, but because of his own guilty conscience he did not take any measures and let Amnon go unpunished.
«When parents or rulers neglect the duty of punishing iniquity, God Himself will take the case in hand. His restraining power will be in a measure removed from the agencies of evil, so that a train of circumstances will arise which will punish sin with in.”- Patriarchs and Prophets, ch. 72, p. 728.
Let us ask God to help us be honorable and fair mothers!
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate