Heart Matters: Resentment Series

Absalom had finally figured out a way to kill his brother. And if there was anybody that needed to die, it was his brother Amnon. Amnon, that snake. That pathetic excuse for a human being. That vile monster. He needed to die. What he had done, somebody needed to do something about it, and nobody was doing anything about it. Not God. It seemed like even God didn’t care. Not King David. Absalom’s own father didn't seem to care and did nothing about it. Somebody had to do something and Absalom decided it was him.

Absalom was David’s son. Now David had far more wives than he needed. He had far more wives than what was God’s plan, and far more wives than what was God’s law. Absalom was the half-brother of a man named Amnon. Amnon was David’s first born son. Amnon was the Crown Prince. He was the first in line to be king. And don’t you know, it is good to be king. You may understand royalty. They get away with things that the rest of us don’t get away with. And you know, they have a pretty cushy life. David had spent his life running and hiding in caves. David had cut his teeth watching sheep, killing lions, killing bears, running for his life. But his children, they did not get any of that stuff. David had arrived. And his children had a pretty cushy life.

And Amnon, henceforth in this story known as Creepy Stalker Dude, was in love. There was a girl, oh she was so beautiful. Oh she was perfect in every way. And she was a virgin. She was a good girl. She was the girl next door and oh man she wasn’t like some of these trashy girls, she was a good girl. And she was beautiful, she was gorgeous. It says he was sick with love. He was weak in the knees. He would look at her and his heart would melt. Oh, she is beautiful. She is gorgeous. She burps and to him it is like the sound of little birdies singing. He was her friend on Facebook. Checking out what she’s doing, where she’s going, who she’s hanging out with. And liking all her pictures. “Oh that one is pretty.” Followed her on Instagram. “Oh that corn beef sandwich looks delicious, but not as delicious as you, you little cutie patootie.” And he would watch her from across the room. She even smiled and waved once. “She loves me too!” He had her picture all over his bedroom. Now they did not have cameras, so he drew a lot of pictures. Okay, this was 3500 years ago. No Facebook, no Instagram, no cameras. But he was obsessed with her. He was love sick. He would lie awake at night thinking about her, dreaming of what they would do if they ever got to be alone together. And she was beautiful, she was gorgeous, she was pure, she was wholesome, she was everything he wanted in a girl and he wanted her and couldn’t have her. Because she was his sister. Creepy Stalker Dude. He made himself sick with love. “Oh, I can’t live without her!”

And his cousin, Jonadab, saw all this and said, “What are you moping around for? Why the long face? You are so depressed all the time. You are the king’s son; you are the next in line for the throne. And David, he is 60 years old, you could be king anytime, you are a heartbeat away, because 60 is old. Tell me, what’s wrong? You can have anything you want, what is it you want?” Amnon says, “I want Tamar.” And his cousin who was obviously familiar with the story and familiar with the family, he did not say, “Dude she’s your sister.” He said, “You’re the king’s son, we can make this work.” And he designed a plan to get Tamar and Amnon alone at Amnon’s house.

Amnon pretended to be sick and word came to King David, “Amnon is sick and he cannot even make it out of bed.” When David came, he said, “My son, my son, what can I do to make you feel better?” Amnon said, “I don’t know, I am just so sick, I don’t think I can make it. But if you send my sister Tamar to care for me, to come cook me some chicken noodle soup,” actually it was not chicken noodle soup it was bread or cakes, “But let her come and take care of me. Let her come and feed me, then I know I will get better.” David sent the word to Tamar. When the king says go, it is not a suggestion. Go and care for your brother who is sick. Tamar comes and she is taking care, she is baking the bread, and Creepy Stalker Dude is watching her the whole time. When it is ready she says, "Come and get it!" He said, "I am too sick to come to the table. I am going to have to eat here in bed. Why don’t you bring it to me and by the way, everybody else out of the house.” And she came to his bed with the bread and he grabbed her and pulled her to him in his bed and said, “My sister, come lie with me, let’s do it, no one is around, no one will know, and I am going to be king.” Her response was, “No! Of course not!”