When Family Bonds Shatter - II Samuel 13 - 21

A child without food is hungry and this is a terrible situation to exist especially in America, the land of plenty. A child without shoes or a winter coat will be miserable in cold weather especially in America where many have more than is needed. These problems will never be completely solved, but there are numerous programs world wide that are sending ships literally loaded with what would equal hundreds of box cars of not only necessities but also toys, dolls, and Christmas gifts. Caring people are making a dent in the realm of personal needs. However little is being done anywhere in the world to take care of an abandoned child without a family member who cares; and these children have a need that will never be fulfilled or replaced.

You can ask any minister, law enforcement officer, school administrator or teacher and they will tell you that the greatest problem facing the church, school, or even the governments today are the broken homes where family bonds are shattered. Caring Christians can replace worn shoes and tattered clothing and they can furnish meals on wheals to feed the hungry, but it impossible restore a broken family that has been devastated by the deviated minds of parents that will stoop to the depths of incest, and even murder.

The world has shrunk in regard to extended knowledge of news both good and bad—radio and TV breaks the stories in moments after incidents happen, and the press expands on the stories the next day. It sometimes appears that the world is gong to pot, and that practically nothing is uplifting any more. Some want to infer that things are worse than they have ever been. We need to consider the fact that we have only this one book…the bible…that reveals what God wants us to know about families in OT days, and it is loaded with examples of family problems like David had in his family and the warped minds of the twelve brothers in Joseph’s family.

I have heard bible students wondering out loud how David was able to live the sinful life as he did and seemingly come through it all on the good side of God’s heart. If you will study carefully the seven chapters in today’s lesson, you will find that he paid a terrible price for many of his most notable sins. The greatest price came as a result of his family, sons in particular, using their father as a model to live by. His life is a perfect example of one that led his whole family to commit sins just as Dad did because they accepted his life as a pattern for them to follow. I have never completely understood why God permitted good men to practice polygamy while under the old covenant. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a mixed family where several wives and their children by the same man have lived happily together without conflict. Jealousy is the number one culprit, and it is easy to see why it would be.

David must have had an uncontrollable sex drive. He had several wives, many concubines, and still desired the wife of another man of God and a great soldier. This one mistake led to most of the severe problems that tormented David for the most of his life. Amon and Absalom were the sons of David by different wives. Tamar was the sister of Absalom and half sister of Amon and she was a beautiful young lady. The bible says that Amon fell in love with Tamar…I prefer to think that he simply lusted for her as his father had looked at Bathsheba and wanted her. [Read the early verses in chapter 13 for information regarding this tragedy] Why would he consider it the wrong thing to do, when it was just as his father had felt toward Bathsheba?

In v.3, it says that Amon had a friend named Jonadab…read carefully and see that he was his cousin, and a shrewd man. Amon was not ill and did not need help. He had an uncontrolled sex drive toward his half sister and Jonadab simply advised him to play sick, and ask David to send Tamar to love with him and care for him while he was ill. David sent Tamar to care for Amon and he violated her and then hated her so much that he sent her away to live in dishonor. She was devastated.

Her full brother, Absalom, soon learned about the rape of his sister, and vowed to kill his half brother. It is already clearly evident that the family bonds in David’s family are beginning to shatter. Tamar lived with her brother Absalom during the next two years, a secluded life, in shame for she was unclean and according to Jewish law actually deserved death because of what she had done… [Actually because of what Amon had done to her].

Two years passed during which time Absalom did not speak to Amon. The time arrived to shear the sheep. Evidently it was a custom to throw a big party while the sheepshearers were working, and so Absalom invited his father, David and his other brothers to join them for a family reunion. David declined, but allowed the other sons to attend the celebration. Absalom arranged to have Amon served much strong wine and while he was drunk he ordered his men to kill his brother. The rest of the brothers escaped on their mules and for a short time it was falsely reported that Absalom had killed all of them.

Absalom continued to grow in power until he felt like it was time to overthrow his own father and take over the king ship. Actually Absalom was the favorite of all of David’s sons and David’s heart was broken because of the betrayal of his favorite son. When Absalom was killed in battle, and word reached David, he was distraught. He became depressed, and was loosing the power to rule his men. No one had his favor and none were willing to follow him because of his depression and lack of leadership.

All through the ages the family ties have been the strongest bonds that hold men together. In numerous examples given for our direction and role model, there have been increased problems and broken hearts as a result of disobedient children and wayward and over powering parents. The signs of the time in which we live leads me to believe that we will soon face the repercussions that will surely come from the increase in broken homes, the abandonment of dependent children, and the destruction of Godly homes. As the homes go, so goes our nation.

The increase in free-thinking immorality, fired by the gay movement in America is the greatest threat that has ever come against the Christian Home. Parents, how much of your time is spent in Christian teaching and in presenting examples of Christian living that can and will guide your children as they grow up and assume the responsibility for their own families?

Parents, do you have a favorite son or daughter? Yes! Well, get ready because you are sure to have some family problems ahead.