The Redeemer (The story of Tamar)

By: Roberto Cortes

TAMAR: Sexual Assault Then & Now. The Redeemer

The forums on women in ministry are always very interesting! They are offering a new perspective of the biblical history of women in ministry. Unfortunately, they area usually offering for women, not men. Men need to know more about this Biblical perspective as well as the woman. Justice for women’s right should still be one of the most important topics in conferences, churches and pulpits because this topic is part of the current world’s news and international headlines. 

I have written about of the important facts in the rape of Tamar. The rape of Tamar is written in 2 Samuel 13. She was the daughter of King David, who was raped by her brother Amnon. In this history of injustice, the beauty of Tamar provokes lust in her brother and it brought the rape against her dignity. This was something really dishonorable for a woman in that times. In that time and cultural setting, a woman who was raped or lost her virginity before marriage was really a dishonor to her family and society. At that time, she had to take out her special garment. This kind of special dress was worn only for a princess, and virgins in the culture. And when this dress was removed it meant that she lost her virginity. This dress was also a symbol of social status. When Tamar and other women did not wear this kind of garment, it was a physical sign of their shame. She could not wear her long robe with sleeves after the rape had occurred and maybe, the society thought that she was living outside of God´s justice (God´s redemption). This kind of crisis lived several women. Does not matter if they were raped, rejected by their husbands, or they lived an immoral act, they all received the same treatment by the society. It was probably impossible for these women to get married again, these women were rejected and a dishonor for the rest of their lives. Tamar probably started to live with the dream to find a redeemer who honors her life. The biblical history does not mention if Tamar passed away as an old and single woman and the redeemer never showed up for her. The same kind of dishonor happened when Joseph was sold by his brothers, “they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore” Genesis 37:23. Also, the soldiers who crucified Jesus, they took Jesus’s clothes in John 19:23. 

Abuse of Power

Amnon used Tamar as an object and she was dishonored. 2 Sam. 13:1 says, “…Amnon, David´s son, fell in love with Tamar…” I was wondering, what kind of love Amnon had for Tamar? I don’t believe it was a true love, the kind that God has for His children nor was it the respectful love man is called to have for a wife. It was simply lust and obsession because Amnon never honored Tamar after he abused her. There was a sexual violence within the same family. King David was not able to protect her neither before nor after. Tamar gave Amnon a good argument, "…please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you. But he refused to listen to her…” 2 Sam. 13:13b-14a. After that the Bible never mentions something good about Amnon. He became to be one of the wicked fools in Israel as Tamar warned him in 2 Sam. 13:13. David was the leader of Israel and the head of his family. Unfortunately, David started to lead a dysfunctional family. King David protected Amnon in this fact. He did not take action to correct Amnon’s actions. This was evidence of a dysfunctional family. Tamar wanted to be noticed. On the contrary, she did not receive support from her relatives. Nobody tells anything to her brother, Tamar´s rapist. She needed soul care and she was abandoned. King David, Absalom and Amnon did not have compassion for Tamar. The first two allowed Amnon action as well. 2 Sam. 13:22a says, “and Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad…” The commandment in Leviticus 18:11 prohibits sexual relations between half brothers and sisters. Amnon and his family knew that biblical prohibition. However, it was broken not only as an abuse of power earthly, but also spiritual. Amnon was the firstborn of David and David was the anointed King of Israel. Therefore, neither Absalom nor Amnon inherited this anointing from God. Otherwise, Absalom, Tamar´s brother said Tamar in the v.20, "be quiet..." As a result of the lack of authority from David over Absalom, David perceived Tamar´s sexual assault irrelevant in his own family. Years later, an assassination attempt from Absalom against his father David was happened. Therefore, not only Amnon did this abuse of power, but also David and Absalom as witnesses of this vile act. Tamar needed psychological assistance, but her inner burden was external as well. She had a physical sign living without her robe of many colors in the midst of a “holy community.” Nowadays we are living the same injustice in these times against women and minorities. Not only injustices against refugees, immigrants, but also the political authorities ignored what is happen with thousands of women as result of different levels of sexual abuse. Definitely, they needed support in Jesus Christ to be free of their burden from the soul. 

The Redeemer is Jesus Christ

The biblical history of Ruth was totally different. This history is a clear example how Jesus has come to heal the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalms 147:3). This is a messianic history in the Old Testament. Ruth was a young widow and Naomi´s daughter in law. Ruth and Naomi returned to Naomi´s land of origin ashamed because they returned alone, without a family. However, God restored Ruth’s life through Boaz. Ruth met Boaz when she was looking food. She not only found food, but also the guardian-redeemer from Naomi´s family. Boaz fulfills his promise and Ruth was redeemed in Ruth 4:1-12. Boaz takes Ruth to be his wife and God blessed them with a son who was the grandfather of King David in Ruth 4:13-22. Nowadays, this is a portrait of redemption and Boaz is Jesus´s image who redeems all of us who are weary and burdened by the issues from past. Jesus will give us rest according Matthew 11:28. This Plan of Redemption from God has already forgiven everybody who believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Doesn’t matter what kind of mistake or sins, Jesus Christ has the power to change our past to a new future.