2 Samuel 14 & 15: Deceit – Part I
Friday, October 18, 2024
David, Amnon, Tamar, Absalom. Joab, the woman from Tekoa, Zadok the priest, Ziba, Ahithophel. What an amazing cast of characters to play the roles we find in this tale we have visited often – the story of a family fueled by envy, payback, and violence – the story of a family spiraling into self-destruction. Exile and Return, Forgiveness and Revenge. These are themes familiar to any people on any day in any generation. Today’s reading presents us with a window into the lives of several members of Jesus’ family tree as we see them plot and connive with tremendous skill; but eventually we see that gains born of deceit have no place in honest relationships; and this is a lesson we may want to carry into our own most intimate relationships, especially our relationship with God.
The first verse in chapter 15 stands out to us: After this Absalom provided himself with chariots, horses, and fifty henchmen.
Absalom returns home after having murdered his brother Amnon, and he is pardoned by his father, King David. Yet his first act is to begin to lay the ground work to continue his life of deception and connivance. Clearly he did not learn much during his years in exile in Geshur. Perhaps he spent them in denial of his own deeds, brooding about how he had been wronged and plotting to continue his revenge rather than spending time in introspection. Perhaps he nursed his anger, allowing hatred to bloom in his heart in the place where forgiveness rightly dwells.
Tomorrow, a prince of a powerful nation.
A Favorite from November 21, 2008.
Image from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Rape_of_Tamar_MET_LC-1984_342-1.jpg
The Noontimes 