Scripture Union Daily Guide 12th July 2020 – Hatred Is Murder
TODAY’S TOPIC: HATRED IS MURDER
OPENING PRAYER: Lord, let the light of your word shine into my life as I meditate on your word.
SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 13: 23–39
Absalom Murders Amnon
23 And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”
25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.
26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”
And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and [a]valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on his mule and fled.
30 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!” 31 So the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32 Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”
Absalom Flees to Geshur
34 Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind [b]him. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.” 36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.
37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And [c]King David [d]longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.
Reflection:
• Is there any example for me to follow or not to follow?
• Is there any warning for me to heed?
TODAY’S OUTLINE: DAILY GUIDE 12TH JULY 2020
Read v.22 and 1 John 3:15. The chain of evil events sparked off by Amnon’s lust continues. It was not long before the evil in Absalom’s heart manifested physically (vv.28). He was already guilty of murder even before he killed his brother (cf. Matthew 5:21–22). Is hatred eating you up?
Sincerely cry out to God for help and forgiveness. When you hate, you cannot forgive. Remember the King was furious with Amnon, but he did nothing to penalize him (v.21). The silence developed into another evil in the family (v.29). Deceit begets deceit; evil begets evil. Absalom successfully deceived the king to allow Amnon to attend his special harvest ceremony.
David never discerned that Absalom planned evil against his brother. Jonadab, the evil man who misadvised Amnon was also the one who brought the report of his death to the king. Who knows if he was the one who taught Absalom how to carry out his revenge mission? Who are your friends?
What influence do they have on your decisions? Absalom ran away from home and went to seek refuge in Geshur. The false rumour got to David faster than the real truth (v.30). Notice how he responded to this false news. No doubt, David was now reaping the fruit of ignoring his parental responsibilities.
⁂ Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
Practice/Word Application
• And so? Has God given you any responsibility? Make sure you diligently fulfil it.
Judgement
Judgement is a judicial pronouncement of guilt or acquittal of an accused person. God’s judgement is always associated with sin and disobedience. Sin brought the judgement of God on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the confusion of tongues at Babel, the flood on the then world, destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the plagues on the Egyptians culminating in the death or the first born sons of the Egyptians. The future judgement will be determined by what we make of ourselves while on earth. This should help us to commit ourselves to live for Christ.
Today’s Prayer:
• Pray for the family of your leaders (secular and spiritual). They often can be too busy to take adequate care of their families.
• Pray for Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship and such others that run ministries to professionals.
• Offer a prayer of faith in line with Numbers 24:5
Read the Bible in one Year: Psalms 7–9; Acts 10:1–23
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Scripture Union Daily Guide 11th July 2020
