Week 15 2 Samuel 13
The book begins with the pathway open for David to become king of Israel. The skies are clear & blue. They stay like that for ten chapters.
But then the horizon begins filling with cumulonimbus after David’s sexual and homicidal gangsterism. From then on the book’s dark episodes impress on David the rule that evil actions come with vicious aftermaths.
One example: David’s first son – Amnon – had a goliath-sized lust for his half-sister – Tamar. Sexual intercourse with your sister wasn’t legal so…what to do?
A crafty guy named Jonadab doped out that Amnon was preoccupied about something. When he found out what it was then he began reflecting…what to do?
Jonadab could have advised in a couple of directions. For instance he could have said: there’s a law against that kind of sexual intercourse so you can’t do it. It’s illegal. But he affirmed Amnon’s sexual tilt: ok…so you want to have sexual intercourse with your half-sister…let’s figure out how we can make that happen.
With Jonadab’s bad advice in hand Amnon tried to seduce Tamar but then raped and humiliated her. Tamar’s brother – Absalom – found out and eventually murdered Amnon.
That’s an example of how the blue started washing out of David’s sky. From there the colours faded to late-evening greys.
In the end David did recover within his own spirit. But mentally & psychically & emotionally & domestically & nationally he lived his later life in the twilight.