THE DESTRUCTIVENESS OF LUST
In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David. Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her. II Samuel 13:1-2
Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.” “No, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her. Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!” —II Samuel 13:10-16
Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled. —II Samuel 13:28-29
This has been Absalom’s express intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar. —II Samuel 13:32
Love looks out for the best interests of the other person. Lust looks out only for the interest of self. Love is powerful. Lust is also powerful. When love is in control, wonderful things happen. When lust is in control, terrible things happen. Terrible things happened in our passage today because of lust.
It is said that “Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David. Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.” And there you have it— lust obsess. That is not love. Amnon was so obsessed that his advisor said, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” When Amnon told his advisor that ““I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister,” they devised a wicked plan. Amnon would fake being sick and have Tamar come to prepare him something to eat. He would then have everyone leave and have her come into his bedroom to feed him. His lust controlled him and Amnon raped Tamar, even though she had pleaded with him not to. The end result? — Amnon “hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”
When Tamar’s brother, Absalom, heard about this, he devised a plan to kill Amnon. Now the lustful thoughts of Absalom would bring him to the point of murder— “Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” So, Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered.”
Lust is so destructive and we see these same things in our culture and in our world. Lust, looking out for self interest alone, causes people to rape, murder and a host of other wicked activities. Do not let lust control you because it will cause you to do things that are very destructive to self and to others.
Dear Father, please help me not to be controlled by lust, but by love. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, so may it be! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LapBD802O0&list=RD2LapBD802O0&start_radio=1