By Tope Banso
Some people do evil directly; some do it indirectly by supporting evil or evildoers. In the sight of God, both the person who does evil and the person who supports the evil done are guilty.
Jonadab, King David’s nephew, did not rape Tamar but he thought Amnon, David’s son, how to rape his half-sister, Tamar. In the sight of God, both Jonadab and Amnon were guilty of this sin. Jonadab should have rebuked Amnon when he told him that he loved (he was lusting after) Tamar. But instead, he taught him how to carry out his evil thought.
2 Samuel 13:1-2 says, “After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her” (New King James Version).
Amnon was David’s eldest son. Amnon and Tamar were from the same father but different mothers. Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, was Amnon’s friend and he was a very crafty man. He asked Amnon why he was becoming thinner day after day and he told him he said loved Tamar, sister of Absalom, his brother (verses 4). The lust must have eaten him up so much that he became thinner and thinner! If his desire was proper, why didn’t Amnon talk to Absalom or David?
What was Jonadab’s advice to Amnon? “So Jonadab said to him, ‘Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand’” (2 Samuel 13:5 New King James Version). Of course, Jonadab didn’t mention rape in his advice but the message was clear enough to Amnon. He knew what to do next. And he did just that after David had granted his request to let Tamar come and make a couple of cakes for him in his sight and eat from her hand.
Amnon raped Tamar despite her plea not to force her because no such thing should be done in Israel. Against Tamar’s plea, he did a disgraceful thing and two years later, Absalom killed him in revenge.
Nobody might have known that Jonadab had a hand in the rape of Tamar but God knew. He supported evil. There are still many such evil counsellors today. They don’t do the evil directly but they are indirectly responsible. Both the evil advisers and their clients are guilty in the sight of God. Don’t support evil or evildoers. Don’t partake in the sins of others.
Romans 1:28-32 says, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (New King James Version).
Take note of the last part of this passage. It says that the people the passage refers to know that those who practise the sins listed deserve death. However, they do not only do the same but also approve of those who practise them. In other words, these sinners support evil and evildoers. Don’t support evil or evildoers. In Psalm 50:18, God says to the wicked, “When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers” (New King James Version). The New Living Translation says it like this: “When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers.”
You should not only avoid evil; you should also not support, encourage, or endorse evil. David says he has hated the assembly of evildoers and will not sit with the wicked (Psalm 26:5). Also, the writer of Psalm 119 says he hates the double-minded but loves God’s law (verse 113). He further says he hates every false way (verse 128b). In verse 163, he says he hates and abhors lying, but loves God’s law.
Some people do the opposite of what the psalmist says. They don’t only sin but also support those who sin. The writer of Psalm 101 says, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me” (verse 3 New King James Version).
Don’t support evil. Don’t encourage sin. The apostle Paul says, “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22 New King James Version). He also says, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9 New King James Version).
In Acts 12, the Bible tells us how the Jews supported the evil perpetrated by Herod against the church. “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread” (verses 1-3 New King James Version). Did you see that their support of evil encouraged the evildoer? He meant to kill Peter as he had killed James but an angel of God released him supernaturally from the prison before he could carry out his evil plan.
The Jews must have expressed some views or exhibited a certain attitude that made Herod know that the murder pleased them. They didn’t condemn the murder for no just cause; the evil pleased them. Yet, they were aware of the commandment of God not to murder (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17). If they couldn’t condemn Herod’s action, the least they could have done was not to show that the murder pleased them.
The New Testament also refers to the commandment not to murder. But because these Jews hated the Christians, they couldn’t be bothered if anyone murdered them. It pleased the Jews. Why not? They had crucified Jesus so His apostles could be killed also! They supported evil.
Don’t support evil. Don’t strengthen the hands of the evildoers. God says, “Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; they also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah” (Jeremiah 23:14 New King James Version). Please take note of this phrase: they also strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns back from his wickedness. Don’t strengthen the hands of evildoers; don’t encourage them to continue their evil.
Also, God says a similar thing against the false prophetesses, “Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life” (Ezekiel 13:22 New King James Version).
Don’t support evil. Discourage it; don’t encourage it. As Ephesians 5:11 says, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Don’t support evil. “He who says to the wicked, ‘You are righteous,’ Him the people will curse; nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them” (Proverbs 24:24-25 New King James Version).
Hate what God hates and love what He loves. Don’t deceive yourself that you are innocent because you did not do the evil but only encouraged the doer or praised him. Beware: knowingly receiving or buying a stolen property constitutes a crime. You are vicariously liable. Don’t support evil.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now, meaning it from your heart: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and was raised on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I will hate what God hates and love what He loves. I shall not support evil but avoid, denounce, and discourage it. I pray that all evildoers and their supporters will repent and surrender their lives to Jesus. All sinners shall respond to the love of God and accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
▪︎ Pastor Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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