Village Church Annandale (Sydney) sermons

Janet was the mother of Catherine Steele and David Dibdin.

Mother in Law to Dominic Steele and Liz Dibdin. Grandmother of Hannah Thiem, Solomon Steele, Abraham Steele, Tom Dibdin and Ben Dibdin.

She was a member of St Lukes Miranda for over thirty years.

She is now at peace with her Lord Jesus in heaven, and buried at Woronora Cemetery with her husband Wilf (who died in 1974).

Vengeance is mine says the Lord. It is not up to us to take justice and vengeance into our own hands. Here we see David, the rightful ruler, fail to bring justice for his daughter Tamar. But we also see his third son Absolom wrongly take justice into his own hands.

I feel tempted to criticise David and cheer on Absolom. But actually the wider bible narrative holds up both their actions as failures.

Rather I am to trust that when the human government fails to bring justice, as all will, I should trust that the judge of all the earth will eventually put all right. I am to pray with the Lord Jesus, Your Kingdom Come. (Matthew 6).

2 Samuel 13:21 When King David heard about all these things, he was furious.[d] 22 Absalom didn’t say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.

23 Two years later, Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired sheepshearers. Will the king and his servants please come with your servant?”

25 The king replied to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he wasn’t willing to go, though he did bless him.

26 “If not,” Absalom said, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.”

The king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons.[e]

28 Now Absalom commanded his young men, “Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and valiant!” 29 So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the rest of the king’s sons got up, and each fled on his mule.

30 While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom struck down all the king’s sons; not even one of them survived!” 31 In response the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

32 But Jonadab, son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, because only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this[f] ever since the day Amnon disgraced his sister Tamar. 33 So now, my lord the king, don’t take seriously the report that says all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

34 Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain.[g] 35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons have come! It’s exactly like your servant said.” 36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons entered and wept loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly. 37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son[h] every day.

38 After Absalom had fled to Geshur and had been there three years, 39 King David[i] longed to go to Absalom, for David had finished grieving over Amnon’s death.

Today we confront the terrible rape of Tamar in all it's awfulness by her half brother Amnon.

Anna Carter Laurence, says Tamar's speech is probably the most rhetorically perfect argument in scripture: the case against rape, start to finish, in seven irrefutable points.

1. No. I’m saying no.

2. You’re my brother.

3. We don’t do this in Israel. It’s not who we are.

4. This act has an adjective: vile.

5. What would happen to me? I would have nowhere to go.

6. What would happen to you? You would be one of the scoundrels in Israel.

7. If it has to happen, if it’s really about to happen, at least talk to Dad first—because we both know he won’t withhold me from you.

2 Samuel 13:12-20

12 “Don’t, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t disgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don’t commit this outrage! 13 Where could I ever go with my humiliation? And you—you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won’t keep me from you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he disgraced her by raping her. 15 So Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that the hatred he hated her with was greater than the love he had loved her with. “Get out of here!” he said.

16 “No,” she cried, “sending me away is much worse than the great wrong you’ve already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her. 17 Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him, “Get this away from me, throw her out, and bolt the door behind her!” 18 Amnon’s servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved robe, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out.

20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

It is a confronting passage today. The rape of Tamar by her half brother, Amnon. The eldest of David's sons.

Issues of sexual assault and the related betrayal of trust are raised by this passage. There are warnings. But also that there is the possibility of forgiveness of sins.

Do see also www.villagechurch.sydney/abuse for a fuller treatment on Domestic Violence.

2 Samuel 13:1-13
13 Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Amnon was infatuated with her. 2 Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to her. 3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man, 4 and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king’s son, so miserable every morning? Won’t you tell me?”

Amnon replied, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare a meal in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.’”

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my presence so I can eat from her hand.”

7 David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare a meal for him.”

8 Then Tamar went to his house while Amnon was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked them. 9 She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Everyone leave me!” And everyone left him. 10 “Bring the meal to the bedroom,” Amnon told Tamar, “so I can eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom. 11 When she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said,[a] “Come sleep with me, my sister!”

12 “Don’t, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t disgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don’t commit this outrage! 13 Where could I ever go with my humiliation? And you—you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won’t keep me from you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he disgraced her by raping her.

We see here life resume, with David’s now wife Bathsheeba giving birth to another son, this one she names Solomon, which has echoes of the Hebrew word Shalom, or peace. 

David is restored, forgiven, at peace with his God and at peace with his wife.

And in fact God gives him the victory over the city of Rabbah.

There are hints of trouble in David’s disproportionate treatment of the Ammonites.

But the chapter finishes with the nation at peace and the King in Jerusalem. 

2 Samuel 12:25 She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved him, 25 and he sent a message through the prophet Nathan, who named him Jedidiah, because of the Lord.

26 Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress. 27 Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured its water supply. 28 Now therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will be the one to capture the city, and it will be named after me.” 29 So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; he fought against it and captured it. 30 He took the crown from the head of their king, and it was placed on David’s head. The crown weighed seventy-five pounds of gold, and it had a precious stone in it. In addition, David took away a large quantity of plunder from the city. 31 He removed the people who were in the city and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to labor at brickmaking. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem. 

We see here the mercy and the judgement of God.

David pleads desperately for God to extend mercy to his son. Perhaps the man who had arranged the murder of Uriah in place of judgment on himself, now pleads to God for him to take his life in place of his son.

However, David's son does die. And then we witness both the forgiveness of God to David and the forgiveness of Bathsheeba to him as well. We see vertical and horizontal reconciliation for David.

It's amazingly refreshingly beautifully comforting. As we reflect on our own sin and the forgiveness that God makes available to us.

2 Samuel 12:15 The Lord struck the baby that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became deathly ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted, went home, and spent the night lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his house stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

18 On the seventh day the baby died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him the baby was dead. They said, “Look, while the baby was alive, we spoke to him, and he wouldn’t listen to us. So how can we tell him the baby is dead? He may do something desperate.”

19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, he guessed that the baby was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the baby dead?”

“He is dead,” they replied.

20 Then David got up from the ground. He washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the Lord’s house, and worshiped. Then he went home and requested something to eat. So they served him food, and he ate.

21 His servants asked him, “Why have you done this? While the baby was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate food.”

22 He answered, “While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let him live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I’ll go to him, but he will never return to me.”

The Birth of Solomon

24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went to her and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named[h] him Solomon.[i] The Lord loved him, 25 and he sent a message through the prophet Nathan, who named[j] him Jedidiah,[k] because of the Lord.

We see in 2 Samuel 12 the prophet speak truth, and bring the mercy and judgement of God to David.

The passage is confronting in many ways, as David's sin is exposed. What has been done in secret is brought into the light. And yet amidst it all there is the glistening beauty of the grace and mercy of God.

Then amidst it all there's a sobering line at the end, which will become our focus tomorrow.

2Samuel 12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he arrived, he said to him: There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very large flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised her, and she grew up with him and with his children. From his meager food she would eat, from his cup she would drink, and in his arms she would sleep. She was like a daughter to him. 4 Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man could not bring himself to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest. 5 David was infuriated with the man and said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 Because he has done this thing and shown no pity, he must pay four lambs for that lamb.”

7 Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. 9 Why then have you despised the Lord’s command by doing what I consider evil? You struck down Uriah the Hethite with the sword and took his wife as your own wife—you murdered him with the Ammonite’s sword. 10 Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hethite to be your own wife.’

11 “This is what the Lord says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you from your own family: I will take your wives and give them to another before your very eyes, and he will sleep with them in broad daylight. 12 You acted in secret, but I will do this before all Israel and in broad daylight.’”

13 David responded to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Then Nathan replied to David, “And the Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die. 14 However, because you treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son born to you will die.” 15 Then Nathan went home. (CSB)

John Woodhouse says that we might think the story that David, the adulterer and murder, marked a very low point tin the old testament.  In fact it marks the high point.  The promises that God made to David - that through David’s line God would establish a kingdom that would last for all temerity - were never to be forgotten. 

'Was that because of what a saint David was?' asks Dr Woodhouse. No, he says, it was because of what a great God, God is. In due course the Old Testament prophets bring the assurance that The Lord will keep his promise despite the failings of David. The grace of the lord is even more spectacular than the failure of David. We see the promises of God given to David - become the bases for a great spirit of expectancy, the hope of Israel.

2 Samuel 11:14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

16 So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

18 Joab sent David a full account of the battle. 19 He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, 20 the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? 21 Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth[b]? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’”

22 The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. 24 Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”

25 David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.”

26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.