CAUGHT OR TAUGHT

One Year Bible (May 28)

2 Samuel 13:1-30

Caught or Taught

“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying.--Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Do you see a familiar theme being played out once again in this family?

Nathan’s words will be lived out in today’s passage. As a prophet of God, he spoke truth to David, who admitted, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (12: 13)

Note, that David doesn’t say that he sinned against Bathsheba or Uriah, although he did wrong them, terribly. He said that he had sinned against The Lord.

Nathan replies, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you. You won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.” (12: 13)

The child conceived in a sinful act is gone to be with God, but God is not just “forgetting” David’s wrongdoing. All of Israel will watch the judgment of David lived out in front of them.

God tells David that HE will cause his own household to rebel against him and that Israel will watch this happening openly before their eyes. (12: 12)

Now David’s son, Absalom, had a beautiful sister named, Tamar. Amnon, her half-brother, fell desperately in love with her. He faked being sick so that she would bring him food. Then he raped her. Not only that but when she begged him to ask the king to marry her and make it right he was filled with hatred towards her. This beautiful virgin was defiled and her brother watched this sin.

Remember the word “adultery”? It really wasn’t that for David. Perhaps it wasn’t legally “Rape” according to their written laws as Bathsheba was not a virgin. However, God knew what David had done, and now this same lust is back again.

It is the “Rooftop Cinema” all over again. Only David is a captive to watch his sin from the painful broken place on his balcony. He is looking down and seeing it through the eyes of shame, regret, and remorse in the lives of his children.

Ahhhh, Bathsheba was someone’s daughter and grandaughter too…The visual is revealing, gutwrenching, and oh too familiar to David.

David’s other son, Absalom, Tamar’s brother, can not forget what he has seen either. He retaliates with the murder of his brother, Amnon, and his heart towards his father will never soften again. This grievous sin will divide and break the whole family. Trust me when I say that even “Dr. Phil” couldn’t have helped.

The story of the ‘one little lamb’ being taken away due to lust is now being lived out right in front of David’s eyes. He has been the murderer, and now he is watching the murder of his son and feeling the pain that he has caused the next generation.

God is sovereign and HE is the judge. Remember, the very beginning of this story and God’s reaction? “But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.” (2 Samuel 11:27)

David is basically losing four children with this one horrible sin. A daughter’s life is ruined. Two sons are broken by sin. The baby is dead, and now his other son is murdered. The remaining, living son is now “dead” to his father”.

The end of today’s story tells us this, “And King David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absolom.” (2 Samuel 13: 39)

David was forgiven, but there were huge consequences for his sin that affected his entire family!

What is interesting to me is how both the sin of father and son began with “the eyes”.

David looked and saw Bathsheba. He wasn’t out at war as a commander should be. He was home looking off his palace rooftop at another man’s wife. Amnon, was “gazing” upon his own half-sister with lust that would turn to rage and hate.

Instead of seeing others as someone, they were supposed to shepherd and care for, they saw them as an “entitlement”. Something they had to have…

People that we damage through our careless sin may forgive us, but the damage will not be forgotten and can cause lifetime effects.

If only David would has asked, “God, will I betray you?” Perhaps his eyes would have looked in another direction sparing a lifetime of pain and judgment.

David could not “un-see” what He lusted upon, and his children could not “un-see” what they watched in their father’s worst hour! It was imprinted in their hearts and minds.

There is an old children’s chorus that comes to mind. Perhaps you also sang it as a child.

“O be careful little eyes what you see. O be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down in love. So, be careful little eyes what you see.” (Children’s Chorus)

May we be very careful what “little eyes see in me”.

David’s family “Caught” what he “Taught” through his actions, and they were “Caught”!