The Sons of Rizpah
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· 44 viewsThis is a funeral message for a son (man) who is not saved, but whose mother is and still alive!
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But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest. And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
This is a supreme picture of a mother’s love. Rizpah, grieved by the death of her sons, made her bed in the field and sat for weeks to ensure that the birds or animals would not devour or desecrate the remains of her sons.
This is a supreme picture of a mother’s love. Rizpah, grieved by the death of her sons, made her bed in the field and sat for weeks to ensure that the birds or animals would not devour or desecrate the remains of her sons.
That was one way she could honor her sons. Moreover, it’s also a way we can honor the death of our loved ones—by protecting and keeping safe what they leave behind!
But, why did they die? And why were not their dead bodies not put into the grave? What heinous crime did they commit to deserve such evil treatment? The truth is, they did not die because of some crime they committed. Their death was a consequence of a crime committed by their father, Saul.
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
Famines were common in the ancient world. However, this particular famine was the result of a great crime committed by Israel’s former king, Saul. During his reign Saul put to death many Gibeonites and violated an age-old treaty (covenant) the Gibeonites made with Israel. During the days of Joshua, when the Israelites were taking possession of the land of Canaan, Joshua and the leaders of Israel made a covenant with the Gibeonites to spare them and their descendants (let them live). Despite this fact, Saul tried to have them exterminated during his reign. This polluted the land and brought a curse upon Israel during the reign of king David.
Famines were common in the ancient world. However, this particular famine was the result of a great crime committed by Israel’s former king, Saul. During his reign Saul put to death many Gibeonites and violated an age-old treaty (covenant) the Gibeonites made with Israel. During the days of Joshua, when the Israelites were taking possession of the land of Canaan, Joshua and the leaders of Israel made a covenant with the Gibeonites to spare them and their descendants (let them live). Despite this fact, Saul tried to have them exterminated during his reign. This polluted the land and brought a curse upon Israel during the reign of king David.
Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord? And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you. And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel, Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
The Gibeonites demanded that 7 sons of Saul be executed on account of his sin (breach of covenant).
This act polluted the land and brought a curse upon Israel during the reign of king David.
The Gibeonites demanded that 7 sons of Saul be executed on account of his sin (breach of covenant).
In Ancient times, when anyone broke a covenant they would typically be executed. The Gibeonites had an additional practice of “exposing” (or hanging) their corpses in the open air. The bodies would remain in the open (hanging) until the sin was atoned for, which would be indicated by rain. Therefore, vengeance against Saul was carried out upon his descendants!
Since the sons of this woman (Rizpah) were descendants of Saul, they were put to death. We might say that they died paying for the sins of their father!
The same thing is happening today. There is a sentence of death on the sons of Adam. The sons of Adam are dying largely because they are paying for the sin of their father ().
Is there any way to escape this sentence of death?
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
All the descendants of Saul was executed on this day EXCEPT for Mephibosheth. This Mephibosheth is not to be confused with the Mephibosheth mentioned in verse 8. The Mephibosheth in verse 8 is the son of Armoni (who was married to Merab, Saul’s daughter). The Mephibosheth in verse 7 is the son of Johnathan.
This Mephibosheth was the only man spared from this awful tragedy. The reason he was spared was because his father, Johnathan, had a covenant with David!
All the descendants of Saul was executed on this day EXCEPT for Mephibosheth. This Mephibosheth is not to be confused with the Mephibosheth mentioned in verse 8. The Mephibosheth in verse 8 is the son of Armoni (who was married to Merab, Saul’s daughter). The Mephibosheth in verse 7 is the son of Johnathan.
This Mephibosheth was the only man spared from this awful tragedy. The reason he was spared was because his father, Johnathan, had a covenant with David!
If David would have delivered Mephibosheth over to the Gibeonites to be executed, he would have violated his covenant with Johnathan.
The Gibeonites weren’t the only ones who had a covenant. Johnathan also had a covenant, and his covenant with David was the reason his son’s life was spared.
This story is a reminder to us that unless we have a new covenant with the Father, a similar judgment awaits each of us. In fact, the only people who will escape this judgment are those who have a covenant with the Son of David, Jesus Christ!
This story is a reminder to us that unless we have a new covenant with the Father, a similar judgment awaits each of us. In fact, the only people who will escape this judgment are those who have a covenant with the Son of David, Jesus Christ!
Hebrews
For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
How do we enter into a new covenant with God? First of all, to enter into this new covenant required the death of God’s Son.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
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But, entering into this new covenant with God doesn’t just require the blood (death) of Christ.
Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.
Galatians 3:15
Paul is speaking here about the nature of covenants. He says, once a covenant has been ratified (confirmed) he cannot abolish or add to it. The covenant we have with God was established and ratified by the death of Christ and by our faith in Him.
To enter into a new covenant with God we must do so with all our heart.
And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The reason we must exercise faith in Christ is because the covenant was made Abraham and his “seed,” Jesus Christ.
Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
Galatians 3:16
Just as the covenant was made with David and Johnathan, so our covenant is made between God and Christ. Moreover, all the descendants of Christ have the same promise. As a result, shall no evil will befall His “seed” or descendants
I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.
I have never seen the righteous forsaken, ” “Nothing shall by any means harm you”).
I have never seen the righteous forsaken, ” “Nothing shall by any means harm you”).
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
And in the meantime, let us honor those who have fallen to the curse by caring for what they have left (family, children, etc.).
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
John 1:23