Library Home
>
Valerie Hallowell
>
More Heart to Heart: Godly Wisdom Woman To Woman
>
Lay It Before God (#170540)
Lay It Before God
Article download …
Download PDF
Download RTF (editable)
Print
Send via email
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
From:
More Heart to Heart: Godly Wisdom Woman To Woman
By:
Valerie Jean Hallowell
• 1 min. read • grade level: 8
“Be Thou my strong rock.”
Psalm 31:2
2
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. (Psalm 31:2)
We often overlook Rizpah, a tragic figure in the Scriptures. She was Saul’s concubine, neither having the status nor the consideration of being a wife. When it came to fulfilling the requirement of the Gibeonites in their revenge against Saul, her children became expendable, while others were preserved (2 Sam. 21:6-7). Though neither words nor tears are recorded, her actions demonstrate a depth of love for her children that excels. Her vigil over the bodies of her children took an active stance. She beat away the vultures by day and drove off the wild animals by night that would have feasted upon her children. Her sorrow made her as fearless as she was speechless. Did Rizpah know that those bodies should not have hung for so long on public display? (See
Deuteronomy 21:22-23
22
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
23
His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (Deuteronomy 21:22‑23)
.) Did she know that children were not to be put to death for the sins of their parents? (See
Deuteronomy 24:16
16
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. (Deuteronomy 24:16)
.) Eventually, after an unknown length of time, her actions came to the attention of the king. Then the king was motivated to properly bury the slain. It is noteworthy that only upon the proper burial of the slain is it stated, “God was entreated for the land” (2 Sam. 21:14).
We admire Rizpah for not taking action against the God-given authority. She lays out her complaint “upon the rock” (2 Sam. 21:10). Bypassing the injustices she might have felt, and the grievances against the ones committing them, she laid herself out upon the “rock” and beat away all things unclean. She stands as a quiet but powerful testimony — so much so that David the king is moved to action.
Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.
Previous Article
Next Article
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Authors
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
All Authors
Bibles
Books
All Books and eBooks
Commentaries
Hymnbooks
Magazines
Reference
Stories & Bios
Subjects
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
All Subjects
Bible Truth Study Bible
More
All Articles
Audio
Charts
Conferences & Events
Hymnbooks
Illustrations & Quotes
Maps
Magazines
Poetry
Spanish
Sunday School
Store