Amnon, Tamar, and Incest

“Blended families” were a problem even in Bible days. David had children by his many wives, and, human nature being what it is, one of the boys fell in lust with his half sister.

David’s scapegrace son Amnon lusted for Tamar, a gentle virgin. A friend suggested to Amnon that he play sick and ask Tamar to comfort him.

Tamar baked him some bread as he requested, but when she brought it to him, he uttered some of the most disgusting words in the Bible: “Come, lie with me, my sister” (2 Sam. 13:11).

Tamar resisted, he raped her, then immediately hated her: “Arise, be gone!” Tamar went into mourning, and her full brother Absalom took her into his home and plotted vengeance on Amnon.

He and some cronies got Amnon drunk, then murdered him. Absalom fled, living in exile for three years. “And King David longed to go to Absalom.”

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Pure and Powerful

Zig Ziglar

Too often, we value all received messages equally. God’s Word, though, is more precious and valuable than any other message sent to us. The psalmist describes God’s message as “pure words” that are like silver processed “seven times” in the furnace.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

The Secret of Contentment

Zig Ziglar

Somewhere along the way, Paul learned the secret of contentment. He realized that possessions, fame, beauty, and other earthly things can be pleasant for a while, but they can never produce genuine contentment. That comes from the inside.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Jesus is the Lord of Life

Jack Graham

Jesus is the Lord of Life, and that's the topic, that's the theme of the Gospel of John, and certainly John chapter 10 which is one of the well-known passages in all of the Bible. Jesus had enemies. You know that, right? While He was loved and beloved by multitudes, many rejected Him.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

The Blessing which the Cross Affords

Jimmy Swaggart

This is the first mention of the Cross, although in shadow, after the Fall. The Lord told Satan through the serpent that victory would come by the Seed of the woman. Ironically, woman has no seed, with the exception of One, Who was the Lord Jesus Christ.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Light which Redeems the Soul

Jimmy Swaggart

The darkness that was here prevalent was taken away only by the Spirit of God, as He moved upon the face of the waters. As someone has well said, The Moving of the Holy Spirit is the first sign of life.