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AMMON AND TAMAR (2 SAMUEL 13:1-22)

REFLECTION

“Ammon and Tamar” is the theme for our reflection. Ammon and Tamar are half siblings and children of King David. Ammon raped Tamar. We shall reflect on the fact that

1. Self-control and godliness enable us to overcome temptations.
2. Bad company corrupts good character.
3. We must be the voice of the voiceless in our society.

Firstly, without self-control and godliness, we shall fall in the face of temptations. Ammon lacked self-control and godliness therefore “he refused to listen to her, (Tamar), and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.” (2 Samuel 13:14) Dear friend, being in tune with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to have self-control and godliness. Temptations will always come our way but Jesus has taught us in Luke 4:1-12 that with the power of the Holy Spirit and obedience to Scripture, we shall overcome the temptations of the devil.

Secondly, we need to watch the kind of people we associate ourselves with because a bad company can corrupt or mislead us. Ammon had a bad adviser who encouraged him to do the forbidden. “Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4 He asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5 “Go to bed and pretend to be ill,” Jonadab said. “When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand.” (2 Samuel 13:3-6). Dear friend, we are greatly admonished in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”  The Psalmist assures us that “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.” (Psalms 1:1-2)

Thirdly, as believers and children of God, we must be the voice of the voiceless. We shall observe that after Tamar was raped or sexually abused by Ammon, David was furious but took no decisive action. We are told, “Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman. 21 When King David heard all this, he was furious. 22 And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.” (2 Samuel 13:20-22) Beloved in the Lord, we must be the voice of the voiceless and call for justice for the victims of abuse and violation of human right and dignity. Being furious is not enough but taking decisive and legal actions and ensuring that the wicked are made to account for their evil deeds through a just and legal means. The church and for that matter Christians must be the voice of the voiceless in the world. Wherever the church exists, evildoers must feel uncomfortable. We must champion the course of the poor, vulnerable and victims of injustice. This is what Jesus stood for when He proclaimed “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4:18-19)

In summary, we have learnt that self-control and godliness enable us to overcome temptations, bad company corrupts, last but not least, we must be the voice of the voiceless in our society. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, strengthen us to overcome the temptations and desires of the flesh and help us to glorify God in everything we do. Amen.