Her name means "A Hot Stone or Coal"Key Scriptures: 2 Samuel 21:8-14
As I read the story of Rizpah (ritz paw) and the fact that her vigil for Armoni and Mephibosheth lasted from mid April to October, at first I thought that it was coincidental that we were reading about this WOB during the month of April. Then I thought again, “This is not a coincidence,” this book club was supposed to happen and WE are proof of it! Ladies, I am overjoyed by your participation! These wonderful women that we have been discussing these past few weeks should make us all proud to spell our names W-O-M-A-N! So as we embark upon Mother's Day, let us pay tribute to mothers every where, as we couldn’t be discussing a greater mother than Rizpah.
During my online research, I found a great account of this story and a quilt block that represents our WOB of the week. Click on the "Night Watch" link below to read about this account, then keep these thoughts in mind as you answer one or all of the questions below:
Night Watch
1. Rizpah's vigil lasted several months. How difficult do you think it was? What drove her on?
2. What do you think induced David to gather up these bones and bury them? His own sense of what was right? Pity for Rizpah? Respect for the dead?
3. How is God's love for you like Rizpah's love for her children?
8 comments:
Rizpah
The definition of mother according to Merriam-Webster is to produce, to care for, or protect. Rizpah produced two sons for King Saul; cared for them from infancy to manhood; protected them from harm as all mothers do while they are young and prayed for them daily. However, she was not able to protect them from the sins of their father. Rizpah; mother, protector and care taker; she was unable to safeguard her sons from their barbaric deaths... Rizpah displayed acts of love, respect, commitment and strength while staying at the site to ensure her sons bodies were not ravished by the animals. The pain and torment she experience is indescribable. The bravery she exhibited to stay for a period of time was to show others what she endured due to sin, and the need to ensure proper burial for her sons.
I am a mother of two sons and I don’t think I could watch my sons being murdered. I would question God’s love for allowing this to happen, but Rizpah understood that it wasn’t because God didn’t love her nor her sons, but for every sin there is a price to be paid in full. Thank God for the new covenant that includes SALVATION
Rizpah,
Was a very brave woman who exemplified a mother's love for her children. She was a concubine (secondary wife) to King Saul. She had two sons by him. It's sad that Saul's sins and a rumor that her and Abner (Saul's commanding general) slept together caused her to lose her sons.
It all started when Saul's son Ishbosheth confronted Abner about sleeping with his father's concubine. Abner who was known to be loyal to the kingdom became angry, then turned on Ishbosheth and negotiated with David to turn the kingdom over to him.
After David became king there was a famine in Israel for 3 years. When David asked God for the reason, God indicated that it was because of Saul's attempt to get rid of the Gibeonites. David asked the Gibeonites how he could make atonement. They did not want money but demanded the execution of 7 of Saul's descendants. David turned over 5 sons of Merab (Saul's daughter) and Rizpah's 2 sons. The bible doesn't state that Rizpah's sons were involved in the war against the Gibeonites but it's likely that they were. We don't know much about Rizpah's life, however, we do know that she was left as a childless widow. This was a terribly vulnerable position for a woman in ancient Israel. In spite of her position, she found strength to guard the remains of her 2 sons. She had to be brave to watch over their bodies day and night and to fight off the birds and wild animals. How scary is that? She is truly a representation of how far a mother will go to protect her children. No matter what her children may do, a real mother is gonna love her children when no one else does and will sacrifice her own life for them. Rizpah made sure that her son's deaths would not go in vain. Because of her courage, her sons were granted a proper burial.
I believe David was moved by Rizpah's actions, which caused him to have much respect for her, as well as compassion. David also loved Jonathan and once respected Saul, therefore, he collected their bones, along with those that were executed, and buried them honorably in the tomb of Saul's father.
God's love for us is like Rizpah's for her sons. No matter how guilty we may or may not be, God has given us the ultimate sacrifice (Jesus), as we are His children and He loves us. He continues to clean us up and protect us from the devil who preys on us day and night. Because of His sacrifice, we shall one day make it to our ultimate destination. For this, I am truly grateful!!!
Let God's Will be done. It is so difficult at times to accept God's will in our lives. Rizpah was devasted. She lost her two sons because of Saul's actions, but David could not spare her and let Israel continue to suffer.
I admire her will and commitment to protect the bodies. She loved her children. I can relate to that love. I have two sons whom I love dearly. I am so grateful to God each day that He gives me with them. This story reminds me of how important it is for me and my husband to live holy. Because how we live our lives could have detrimental effects on our children's future. I know sleeping outside and fighting off wild animals was difficult for Rizpah but she did it and was respected by many for her service. Here we are several thousand years later reading her story.
Our God is amazing. He can not lie and what He wills to happen in our lives no one can stop it. The good news is that He wants us to prosper and live abundant lives. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you delclares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Isn't HE awesome?
I also wanted to mention that was God's Will for Rizpah's sons, because of their father's sin, but I thank God for my big brother Jesus who died on the cross so that I can live. When I put on Christ through Baptism into His body the Church of Christ. Roman 6:3-5, Acts 2:38, Romans 16:16. What a blessing to be in the Church!!! :-)
Rizpah was a strong and compassionate mother who was determined to protect her sons. Can you imagine being out there night and day braving the vultures and wheather? Doing all of this knowing that your son's death was not @ fault of thier own, but their father's sin. This story was one that made me reflect on parenting. The way we live our lives,the sacrifices we make, and the examples that we set for our children, are so important. You have a mother that witnessed the death of her son's due to the sin's of their father. I can so much relate to this in so many different way's. I often pray that I can be an example to my son and that he not suffer for my wrong doings or bad decisions that I may have made or might make. Roz, you are so right about living holy. I think what drove Rizpah to stay @ her son's side for so long was love. She loved her son's. A mother's love is like no other. A mother will love her child with all of her might. What Rizpah did was a mighty thing!
Rizpah's love for her children forced me (a mother of 2 sons) to really examine the love God has for me. As Esteemfit said, a mother produces, cares for and protects. God made us, cares for us deeply and protects us. So much that he gave his son for us. I also wonder how much time am I myself willing to give to the responsibility of Motherhood? How diligent, persistent and dedicated am I willing to be?
Rizpah didn't succeed in a month or two, but her dedication led her onward. So I shall do the same, not give up hope, but stay dedicated and committed to being a good christian mother all the while keeping Christ first.
Also, when I think of Rizpah, I beleive that she is example of some rules we ought to have today. As she kept vultures and wild beasts away, we also should do that in a spiritual sense. There is a vulture of sex waiting prey for our youth. This is a vulture when it is taken out of a Biblical context. Pre-marital and promiscuous sex is a vulture, and getting birth control or condoms for our youth wouldn't be considered a spiritual technique to fight off such a vulture. (my opinion)
Then, there is a wild beast of drugs, alcohol, worldly music, I can go on and on, but we should fight these beasts off. There should not be identity of our youth with the worldly culture.
I know that these thoughts are not really in the text but the parallel can easily be made. And it really made me think of the love and respect we have today, compared to Rizpah's.
Rizpah is an example because she was devoted to the task.
God is an example because He is devoted to us.
And WE are an example because we are devoted to our children through Christ.
Luv ya sistahs!!
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Rizpah
Rizpah reminds me of my dear mother. I can picture my mother exercising the same care for her children as Rizpah exhibited for her sons. When we were coming up, my mother would go above and beyond for her children and for the community we lived in. Even when my mother didn’t have enough food to feed us, she would share the little she had with that person. My friends still remember this quality in my dear mother. I just can’t understand how mothers are abusive to their children and sometimes even take their lives. I work in the school system and am amazed that so many children are being abused by their parents and living in foster care. I wouldn’t be surprise if this is also taking place in The Lord’s Church. Rizpah is a role model to follow! Happy Mother’s Day Ladies.
Love ya!
mj
I believe Rizpah's name does her justice. As we know, her name means "A Hot Stone or Coal". For me it symbolizes the burning passion she would eventually reveal to all for her plea to properly bury her sons who died because of their father’s crime. She had to be overwhelmed with grief when she lost both sons at the same time.
Rizpah like all mothers, showed an unconditional level of love even after their deaths. This story was astonishingly moving, especially when reading the length of time she was evidently willing to remain on location to watch over their bodies as she waited for justice. What the body could in no way physically handle, her spirit intervened and prepared her mentally with inner strength to endure This by far is a very beautiful bible story, because it unveils a deeper understanding for mothers in relation to the unconditional love Jesus showed when He died for us. We should thank Jesus for His will to suffer on the cross for our sins. In today’s society if our children had to pay for our sins the world would no doubt be duty-bound with generations of grief and sorrow. This just makes me want to cry.
Rizpah caused King David to have pity and honor her plea and brought unity throughout the land when he recognized that Saul and Jonathan also deserved the same. It symbolized and presented peace in mind for the people and the land. We read of David’s prayers to God for insight regarding the 3 year famine. With the answer came a reminder of his own oath that causes him to spare (Mephiborsheth) life. David’s concern for the people brought him to desire peace with God. In an effort to restore, he relinquishes the 7 sons; representing “perfection” in the sight of God, surprisingly by request of the Phillistines. This was God working it out. I wonder if David even realized it was the perfect peace offering to God for Saul’s broken oath. We find the children of God suffering for the crime of their ruler this time. Although this was a short story, there are examples of passion every where and if I think on it long enough it just makes me want to cry. God is truly good!
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