As a mom, I often worry about the safety of my kids. I keep them close by when we go out in public, I teach them about God, and I make sure they take their vitamins and go to their yearly doctor’s appointments. We do those things not just as a necessity but because we love our children, no matter what age they are. Older women have told me that worries for their kids change as they grow up. Something we can never prepare for is the sudden loss of a child.
God chose to tell us about Rizpah for a reason. Every account is in the Bible for a purpose. Rizpah is a woman we know very little about in 2 Samuel 21. We know she was a concubine to King Saul, and she bore him two sons, Armoni and Mephibosheth.
During the reign of David, there was a famine in the land that lasted three years. David went to the Lord for help, and the Lord answered…
“it is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house because he killed the Gibeonites”…2 Samuel 21:1
Let’s look at some history. If you remember, the Gibeonites had tricked Israel into a peace treaty during the conquest of Canaan in Joshua 9:1-27, however, when Saul became king he would break the treaty and seek to kill them. Doing so caused a famine in the land. David went to seek peace with them in order to end the famine, and they requested seven of Saul’s descendants to be handed over to them.
Rizpah, a mother, saw her two sons hanging along with five others. She was unable to protect her sons from the hands of the Gibeonites, but through her love for them, she was able to protect their bodies from the birds and beasts. For five long months, she watched over her sons with no sign of the famine ending. When David heard of Rizpah’s actions, he gathered the remains of Saul and Jonathan and the seven that were hung by the hands of the Gibeonites. He placed them together in the tomb of Kish, Saul’s Father. The text tells us that God was moved by prayer for the land. It was then that God removed the famine from the land.
A mother’s never-ending love for her sons helped end the famine. If David had never heard of her actions, would he have remembered their remains needed to be received? It wasn’t until after they were put to rest that God lifted the famine when He was moved by prayer for the land. We see this account, and we can relate to the love and dedication she showed. In our trials, we may feel like Rizpah; it doesn’t have to be the same situation as the loss of a child. Other trials can bring about the same pain, but when we put our trials to rest and let God take control, then we, too, can find rest in the outcome of those trials because God is in control.
Heather Jones
Heather Jones, is a 2019 Graduate of Bear Valley Bible Institute with a Bachelors of Biblical Studies. Her and her husband and family live in Vance, Al where her husband, Matt Jones is the pulpit minister at the Mercedes Drive church of Christ. Heather has a book, Good Grief through Kaio publications. Her hobbies include photography, drinking coffee and hand embroidery.
