Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20021201.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part LII: Learning To Deal Wisely With Our Sin's Bad Example
(2 Samuel 13:1-39)
  1. Introduction
    1. Though a believer may be forgiven a sin, the effects of that sin can plague him in his life even then.
    2. However, we can deal wisely with sin's effects to minimize their destructiveness, a lesson we can learn from king David's FAILURE to deal wisely with his sin's bad example (as follows):
  2. Learning To Deal Wisely With Our Sin's Bad Example, 2 Samuel 13:1-39.
    1. God had warned David of the consequences of his own adultery and murder, claiming through Nathan the prophet that the sword would never depart from his own household, 2 Samuel 12:10a.
    2. When David as Israel's king and example committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then tried to conceal his sin by murdering her husband, these acts made it easier for others in Israel to sin in similar fashion.
    3. Thus, a situation developed where a heinous form of immorality would be performed, 2 Sam. 13:1-5:
      1. David's eldest son, Amnon developed a strong physical lust for his half sister, Tamar, 2 Samuel 13:1-2 with 2 Samuel 3:2-3. The example of David's unbiblical lust for Bathsheba, a woman the Mosaic Law forbade David to have in Exodus 20:14, 17 made it easier for Amnon to let himself similarly lust for a woman whom the Mosaic Law taught he likewise could not marry, cf. Leviticus 18:11.
      2. When Amnon's lust became known to Jonadab, an evil nephew of David's, Jonadab counseled Amnon to ask his father to order Tamar to Amnon's private chambers to have an affair, 2 Samuel 13:3-5. Apparently, David's own adultery made it easier for Jonadab to suggest such an evil thing as he undoubtedly felt David might have a tough time prosecuting Amnon for a sin so similar to his own!
    4. However, had David taken pains to guard against the effects of his own bad example on others, he could have dulled some of these anctions and their tragic results that came upon his family:
      1. David erred in failing to be vigilant to use his own past immodesty in his temptation toward adultery make him reject Amnon's request concerning Tamar's immodest assignment to his private chambers:
        1. Amnon heeded Jonadab's advice to ask David to send Tamar to his private room, 2 Samuel 13:5-6.
        2. This was usually a very immodest request, for virgins were very guarded so no question as to their purity would be allowed en route to arranging their weddings, Z.P.E.B., v. Five, p. 885-886.
        3. David should have been aware that his own temptation toward sexual immodesty regarding his experience with Bathsheba would have lowered the inhibitions of others around him, and thus readily rejected such a request, cf. 2 Samuel 11:1-2.
        4. However, David unwisely granted Amnon's request, and Amnon raped Tamar, 2 Samuel 13:7-14.
      2. David failed immediately to execute Amnon for rape in accord with the Law, 13:15-21 with Lev. 18:11, 29, and possibly because that sin was so similar to his own adultery for which he was not slain. Consequently, his inaction left Absalom tempted to take revenge in Tamar's behalf, 2 Sam. 13:15-22.
      3. David erred in failing to be vigilant to use his own past record of trying to use murder to offset the effects of his adultery to put him on guard to keep Absalom from avenging Tamar's rape, 13:23-27.
        1. Absalom (cf. 2 Samuel 13:4) planned to revenge Tamar's rape by murdering Amnon, 2 Sam. 13:23.
        2. To do so, he sought David's permission to invite Amnon to a festival, a request David sensed was a potential for trouble from what we read in 2 Samuel 13:24-26. David may have wondered about repurcussions to Amnon's sin especially from someone like Absalom who was so close to Tamar.
        3. Nevertheless, David gave in to Absalom's persistent appeals, and let Absalom invite Amnon along providing he took the rest of the king's sons to the festival, 2 Samuel 13:27.
        4. Thus, Absalom carried out his plan to murder Amnon much to David's grief, 2 Samuel 13:28-39.
Lesson: In keeping with God's prophecy about the effects of his sin, David's OWN FAILURE to GUARD against the MORAL LAXITY of his OWN BAD EXAMPLE of adultery and murder in turn allowed his bad example to ENCOURAGE OTHERS SIMILARY to SIN, producing great tragedy.

Application: Though our sins yield BAD EFFECTS, we can MINIMIZE them by being VIGILANT to ACT and SAY things to OFFSET the BAD EXAMPLE of our SINS so OTHERS will NOT copy them!