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RUN, SAMSON, RUN!!!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

THE FALL AND RISE OF SAMSON (Jdg 14:10-18; 16:1-31)

Samson was a judge in Isreal for 20 years. The judges were military leaders in times of crises empowered by the Holy Spirit. Samson is one of the most difficult men to understand. He is a strange man, physically strong but spiritually immature. His name means ‘Sun Child’. Samson was a miracle child, born to a woman who had been barren. God’s angel told his parents about the boy’s purpose in life. Their son would be a lifetime Nazirite, from his mother’s womb. In Hebrew, the word ‘Nazarite’ means ‘separated’ unto God. He had the greatest potential to be a Man of God, but he failed in many ways. He recovered his testimony at the end of his life. He is among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. Praise the Lord!

In the Old Testament, any person who wanted to serve God better, even if he was not a Levite, he could do so, by taking a Nazarite vow. The vow is a decision, an action for those who desire to yield themselves to God completely. The Nazirite vow (Nu 6:1-21), has 5 features: It is voluntary, can be done by either men or women, has a specific time frame, has specific requirements and restrictions, and at the end, a sacrifice is offered. During the time of the vow the person does not drink alcoholic wine, does not cut his (her) hair and he doesn’t go close to a dead body, not even if his parents die. In the New Testament, there is a command that is similar with this vow. Apostle Paul says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:1,2). Selah!

Samson had godly parents. They thought him the Word of God and told him about the command of the angel that he is a life-time Nazirite. He cannot cut off his hair. When he became an adult, the Holy Spirit gave him supernatural strength. For example, he killed a lion with his bare hands. He killed 1000 Philistines only with a donkey jawbone. God gave this supernatural strength to him to fight the Philistines. The condition of keeping this strength was submission to God’s will. Willing and unrepentant sin could take the strength away. Samson knew that! But he was careless with his life. The great Physical strength of Samson hid a great weakness of character. He did not take seriously his calling as a Nazirite. For most of his life, he was not a spiritual man. That is the sad part of his story!

Samson was led by the lust of his eyes. He ‘saw a Philistine woman’ and told his parents that he wants to marry her. The parents were not happy. The Philistines were the oppressors, the enemies. At their wedding day, he gave ‘a feast’ that surely provided alcohol. This was against his vow as a Nazirite. Possibly drunk, he gave the Philistine guests a riddle. He said that if they can solve it, he will give each of them a new set of clothes. They went to his bride and asked her to find the answer from Samson. They said to her: “Entice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so?” 16 Then Samson’s wife wept on him, and said, “You only hate me! You do not love me! You have posed a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not explained it to me.”  And he said to her, “Look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother; so, should I explain it to you?” 17 Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people” (Judg 14:15-17). Samson told her the secret answer because she nagged him, wept, and made his life miserable. She then told her people, the Philistines, who mocked Samson for being so foolish. He got angry and left his own wedding feast! His father-in-law gave his wife to his best man at the wedding.

Sometime later, Samson goes to a prostitute who was living in the Philistines city of Gaza. This is also against the vow of the Nazirite. He was almost captured by the Philistines. He escaped by carrying the gate of the city. “Afterward it happened that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver” (Jdg 16:4,5). He now loves another Philistine woman called Delilah. The lords of the Philistines offer her 1100 pieces of silver, to find the secret of his strength. The promised bribe was great. It about 100 days’ worth of wages. For example, Abraham paid only 400 shekels of silver to buy the cave at Machpelah, as a burial place for Sarah (Gen 23:16). It is possible that Delilah was infatuated with Samson, that is why they had to bribe her to betray him. She loved money more. Delilah started nagging him to find out the secret of his strength. “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued” (Jdg 16:6). Both his wife and Delilah used enticement and nagging. To entice is a form of manipulation. It is temptation. To entice it means to attract someone to a place or activity offering pleasure, something he likes, arousing hope or desire. Sexual lust weakens the victim against temptation. Selah!

Samson did not see the danger coming. Sexual attraction can make a man blind to reality. She persisted in her nagging. His soul is vexed to death. He tells her his secret as a Nazirite. Delilah puts him to sleep on her knees and cuts off his hair. The Philistines captured him and removed his eyes. They bind Samson with chains, and he became a grinder in prison. He repents. God used Samson to bring down the Philistine temple killing 3000 Philistine rulers because they were mocking God. They gave glory to Dagon for helping them arrest Samson. His family people carry his body. He is buried in his father’s tomb. Samson made many mistakes in life, but he died in faith! Thank God!

Delilah is never called a Philistine. Her name is Hebrew, meaning Weak or Poor. Compared to Samson, she was weak and poor. It is possible that she was a Philistine woman because 1) Samson was attracted to their women, 2), She had dealings with the Philistine rulers, and they would probably not come seeking out an Israelite girl for help, 3). She betrayed the Israelite hero to his enemies. The best way to describe Delilah is that she was charming, seductive, and a woman who led the man of God to his downfall.

LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF SAMSON

*God is sovereign! His will must be done! He uses even sinful people for His own purposes. Samson’s life is a combination of God’s sovereign will and human weakness. With all his sins, God used Samson to defeat the Philistines.  

*This is a story of Grace. “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom 5:20). Samson finished the race well. He is called a man of Faith being in the same group with King David! (Heb 11:32). Grace has the last word!

*The doctrine of election is manifested in Samson’s life. He was chosen before the foundation of the world. Samson said that without God’s anointing he will be ‘like any other man’. Backsliders lose power and become like ‘ordinary men’. But like the prodigal son, a backslider will always come back to God before he dies. God can never lose any of His children.

*Character is greater than gifts. Samson had many weaknesses: He did not listen to his parents’ advice. He had a hot temper. He had a desire for vengeance. He did not submit God’s gift of supernatural strength to the authority and leading of the Holy Spirit. No one can deceive God! Sin is something that we all struggle with. Sinful acts can leave our lives in ruins. These are great warnings for us all!

*Avoid ungodly people. “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1Cor 15:33).

*Examine yourself! Samson had great potential to be a spiritual hero. But he wasted most of his strength thru sin, especially sexual sin. Sin makes a man spiritually weak. Sin blinds us! Sin binds us! Sin grinds us! Confront your sins before the devil takes advantage of them!

*Walk worthy of the calling of God! (Eph 4:1).

*We should not become over-familiar with the unbelievers. “Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2Cor 6:14; AMP). Do not become emotionally and physically intimate with fornicators. “I wrote you in my [previous] letter not to associate with [sexually] immoral people” (1Cor 5:9; AMP). Seducing spirits will tempt you to submit to them. They attack as sexual sins, or as love for money. Be careful! “Flee fornication!” (1Cor 6:18). Flee the Love for money! Be content! Run, Samson, run!

*Compromise is dangerous.  A compromise is a situation when you accept something slightly different from what you really want, because of circumstances or because you want to please men. If believers compromise their beliefs, they damage their reputation and testimony. Never allow anyone to manipulate you to wound your conscience. This is considered the most painful scripture in the Bible. “And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So, he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him” (Jdg 16:20). The Lord has turned aside, has gone away from him. The supernatural strength of Samson was not in his hair. It was in his dedication of his life to God. His hair was only a symbol of it.

*Beware of the danger of doubt! Samson did not believe that if he disobeys, God will punish him. He finally had faith just before he died.

*Our wisdom, beauty and strength come from communion with God. Moses didn’t know that his face was shining from his encounter with God. Samson did not know that God’s anointing has left him. The strong man was ignorant that he has become weak. Samson did all the mighty acts only because God’s anointing was on him. People who carry the anointing of the Holy Spirit are fearless and do great exploits! But they can be ignorant of their spiritual status!

*Samson prayed before he died! He was a man of faith and prayer!

*Beware of the danger of pride and false security. Because God is patient, men commit sin and think all is well. Be careful! When we sleep, the enemy is not sleeping. Samson stopped fearing God. His eyes were the gates for his sin. After the enemies have removed his eyes, he repented of his sin. Jesus said: “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matt 5:28,29). The best way to keep your eyes is to look away from sinful things!

*How much do we open to people? Question: Are there some things the husband should not tell his wife? The answer is both yes and no. It depends. When two believers get married, they keep the unity of the Spirit by telling one another everything. They have no secrets. But if a believer is married to an unbeliever, the believer needs wisdom. The unbeliever is a slave to the devil who can use him (her) to attack the believer. Both Samson’s wife and Delilah betrayed him. Adultery and betrayal for money are the greatest sins against marriage and love! The wife should be on her husband’s side. The husband should be on his wife’s side. God calls both husbands and wives to Loyalty!

*Samson is a type of Christ. By his death, he killed more enemies than when he was alive. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb 2:14,15). Samson prayed with total faith that he would end his race in victory! With all his failures and sins, without eyes, Samson finally used his strength for God’s purpose. His name outlives Delilah’s name. She got the money, but Samson got his name among the heroes of faith! Glory!

*Finally, stay faithful to God and to His Word. Walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. For as long as you live, it is never too late to repent and go back to your first love. You have no excuse to stay in sin! You must finish well! Worship the Lord!!!

THE SIN AND WEAPON OF NAGGING

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

Nagging means to always find fault, to criticize, or to complain. It is to irritate another by constant urging him to do something. Nagging is persistent persuasion, more repetitive than aggressive. It is emotional harassment! It is a very common sin manifested in families. Nagging is an effective weapon the devil uses to tempt the Christians to backslide. Beware of its existence and power. How can you tell you might be nagging? If you’ve said the same thing 100 times, 100 different ways, and yet it doesn’t seem to be enough, that is nagging. Often those who nag are stubborn. They fight hard and strong, quick to voice their opinions. They have a strong need to be heard. They sincerely believe that their words are somehow benefiting the other person. Most people who nag don’t even realize they’re doing it. They think they are just trying to help others.

Nagging is a negative and controlling behavior and is a common sin in many marriages. For example, a nagging wife feels helpless; she wants her husband to stop smoking. She has a strong desire to control him. She behaves as if she is his mother. She is over-concerned with her husband’s behavior. She forgets that only God can change a man. Constant nagging can make the husband withdraw emotionally from her. The truth is that most women don’t like to nag unless they feel overwhelmed, unheard, overworked or being taken for granted. Nagging is not only a weakness of the women. Research has found that an equal number of men and women nag. For example, the nagging wife falsely assumes that she can change her husband’s behavior. She can say to him: ‘you don’t give me enough attention, or money. You don’t care about the children…’ The husband may say: ‘the house is always dirty. You always look unkept …’ They both forget that only God can truly change another’s heart. Most of the time, the wives nag because they feel ignored and not appreciated. Men nag because they are frustrated with their finances and businesses. They come home tired, become impatient with their wives and nag them.

“Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife” (PV 21:19; NIV). How does a wife become a nagging woman? During the period of dating, the wife seems nice and helpful. But something happened to her. Little by little, she becomes angry and starts losing her temper. She may apologize later but the episode repeats itself. She is trying to get his attention to solve a problem. If she is ignored, it becomes worse. The best thing a husband can do is to talk to her and give her his attention. Help her solve her problem. The earlier the better. Never disrespect her! Try to solve her problem with patience, love, and wisdom. “A quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof” (PV 19:13; NIV). The wife says: ‘you don’t love me’. This nagging plus tears is an effective weapon with men. Men do not like to see crying women around them. (For example, Samson’s wife and his lover, Delilah, both conquered him with nagging and tears!) “A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike; 16 Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand” (PV 27:15,16). The weapon of nagging is a worldly weapon. Don’t use it! A mature marriage is free from nagging. Selah!

Nagging may also be a product of ungratefulness. A wife may never be satisfied with what the husband provides for her. Even if he helps with the house chores, washes her car, takes the family on vacations, she is never happy with him. She continues to nag him. A husband is never satisfied with his wife. No matter how much she takes care of the children, cleans the house, tries to keep herself fashionable, helps with the finances, he is never happy. He continues to nag her. This nagging may work in some offices. The boss nags his employees so that they work better. But nagging never helps families. Often, these homes are wrecked by the shameful sin of nagging! Nagging is unpleasant for both the wife and the husband! It tends to wear them down instead of building them up. It is spiritual poison to marriages and families. It’s a sin against love and indicates trouble in the relationship. It is more common than adultery as a reason for divorce. Selah!

Many parents struggle greatly with nagging their kids. Nagging can develop an inferiority complex in the child, and they may carry that into their adult lives. Nagging focuses on what a person is NOT DOING! It has a negative focus. It overlooks the positive. Nagging points out all the things that are wrong with the child and implies that he (or she) is not worthy because he has not done certain tasks. The child may feel angry towards the parent for nagging, which may result in drawing back emotionally. After some time, the child simply stops listening. The more you nag, the less he will hear you. Also, children are naturally born naggers. They too nag their parents to have their way!

The primary effect of nagging is resentment on both sides of the relationship. Resentment is a buildup of negative emotions such as anger, frustration, and disappointment. Resentment is a chronic, strong and painful feeling of bitterness when one has offended you. Resentment lasts for years. It is like the strong roots of a tree, very hard to uproot. It doesn’t have actual physical weight, but it feels very heavy on your soul. The nagger feels resentment for “always having to” nag the other person to “get everything done.” The person being nagged feels resentment for never being left alone to do as he sees fit. The person who nags never feels that the other person takes responsibility, but he never gives him responsibility. Meanwhile the person being nagged never feels truly independent, because he is never being given the chance to act independently and responsibly. It is a vicious circle. Forgiveness for Christ’ sake is the only way to be free from resentment.

Nagging is twin to grumbling. It affects prayers. Jesus said: “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matt 6:7). A religious unbeliever thinks that God needs persuasion to answer. He tells himself: ‘if I pray 5 prayers, God may ignore me. But if I pray 100 prayers, God will answer me’. For them, prayer is manipulation. They think that God does not understand. Therefore, they need to mechanically repeat the prayer, nagging God! They clearly do not know God!

How to stop nagging? Nagging is sin. It destroys the peace, love and romance in a marriage. Repent! Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Learn to listen to yourself. Control your emotions and your tongue. Pray before you talk. Choose the right words, the right tone, the right time, and the right attitude. Do not repeat a complaint more than 2 times. This is wisdom: accept things that you cannot change. Be an encourager!

DRIFTING AWAY FROM OUR FIRST LOVE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Heb 2:1-4).

This is a reminder that we have an enemy who hates us. The devil wants you to be ignorant of God’s love for you! The real danger is that if we neglect so great a salvation, we will drift away from our first love. To Give heed it means to pay closer attention, to be cautious about, to be on guard, to beware of danger ahead, careful not to take unnecessary risks. It also means to listen and to follow!!! The command applies to the ears and to the feet. If we do not listen to God’s Word and ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit, we become spiritually lazy, or passive. From that position of weakness, the strong currents of the powers of darkness will carry us away from Christ’s love. It is like falling asleep in a boat that is not tied down to the shore. The river will eventually carry the boat away by its gentle currents. By the time we wake up, we see that we are in a different area we never planned to go before. The gentle river has now become fast and rough, and we wake up in a strange place of danger. To neglect it means to be careless, to fail to give attention or to respect the things that are your responsibility to keep and protect. Neglect is worse than ignoring. You can ignore to clean your house. That is not sinful. But child neglect is sinful. For a doctor to neglect his patients, that is criminal. To neglect God’s Word is like holding a treasure in your hand, but your fingers are not tight on it. The gold falls from your hand, and you are not aware that you have lost it. It means that you failed to value the revelation of God’s Word that you have received in the past! Because of your negligence, you are now becoming poorer. Neglecting the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit is a sign of drifting from your first love! Selah!

These are some of the common situations that can lead to the sin of neglect of God’s Word. These are like strong currents of a river:

*The anxiety of life, the cares of this world. They prevent God’s Word from taking roots and producing fruits in your spirit. “The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mk 4:19). These produce weakness of the mind and of the body. You become spiritually weak and discouraged. As our Lord was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, drops of blood falling from His brow. But the disciples became so grieved that they fell asleep. “Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:40,41). Medical science has proven that the brain shuts down during times of great stress. To watch and to pray takes a lot of energy. This spiritual warfare is done only by the power of the Holy Spirit. But if you ignore watching and praying, you will fall asleep spiritually and you will drift away from the safety of truth. Selah!

*Pleasures of life. It’s easy to forget God and His Love when you seek only for pleasures. To always look for fun is the world’s mentality. “The heart of the wise [learns when it] is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is [senseless] in the house of pleasure” (Ecc 7:4; AMP).  Seeking the pleasures of life can become an idol. “Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play” (1Cor 10:7). Seek God and His Kingdom! Let God chose what pleasures and the level of pleasures you may have in this life. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt 6:33).

*Overfamiliarity with God and the Bible. To be overfamiliar with someone means to be extremely close, or intimate. You feel that you know that person too well. You have seen him and heard him so many times that the person now becomes boring to you. Other similar words with overfamiliarity are ‘being bold, forward, presumptuous, or disrespectful’. To be overfamiliar with God is always a sin. Its root is pride and Presumption. Presumption means to take someone for granted, to jump to conclusions without knowing the whole truth. It means to disrespect. God punishes it. “The prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die” (Deut 18:20). It is true that we are one with Christ. But we must still fear God! No one knows God totally. “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable” (Ps 145:3). Whatever we know about God is what God has revealed to us, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit. That is all! Love always honors the Lover!

*Getting older. As we grow older, we change. The body gets weaker. The mind starts forgetting things. People close to us die. We become lonely. The strength we had as young people is replaced by a gradual weakness of body and mind. The zeal to study God’s Word, to pray or to serve God is less. We feel we know everything, and we don’t need to learn new things. To love others requires too much sacrifice. We give up on ourselves. Reading the Bible, praying, attending church services becomes routine and boring. “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor Him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore” (Ecc 12:1;NLT). Old men may experience apathy, a lack of mental energy, emotion, passion, or excitement. To some old people, Love becomes burdensome. This apathy may lead to depression and to drifting away from the truth. The cure is to come back to your First Love!!!

FROM NOW, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!!!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“From Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death); and formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5, 6; AMP).

This is an amazing praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. John recognizes the greatness of our Lord. He “always loves us”. That verb is in the present tense, not past tense. It is true that 2000 years ago, because Jesus loved us, He died for us. But here we are told that Jesus loves us right now! He loves us now, and forever! His love is relentless. This Agape Love is relentless (strong, persistent, and without interruptions). It is pouring continually like rain from heaven. It never stops. It is the engine of our strength to love Jesus and other people. Everything in the life of believers ought to be based upon the Faith in the Love of Jesus. It is the most wonderful thing, to know in our hearts that though we were born sinners, and we still sin even today, yet He loves us! What a difference it makes when you experience the eternal love of God in your very soul right now! Do you feel His amazing Love right now?

John dedicates the book of Revelation to Him who loves us and, in addition, has freed us from our sins with His blood. In Greek, the word ‘freed’ means to loosen, to release and wash a prisoner. By His Blood, King Jesus breaks the chains of evil habits in our lives. He sets us free from sinful addictions that we have allowed to bind us. Those who have struggled with alcoholism know its terrible grip. We are all sinfully dependent people, shackled by sin one way or another: greed, selfishness, anger, quarrelling, lustful passions, cowardice and pride. Fear of man is an addictive strong bondage. “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe” (PV29:25).
Cowardice is more than weakness of character. It is a sin! Cowards are in the same company with unbelievers, adulterers, liars, idol worshippers and the witches. If it is not confessed and repented of, cowardice blocks the way to heaven (Rev 21:8). God’s Word commands us to stand and always confess the truth. “If anyone sins after he hears a public adjuration (solemn command to testify) when he is a witness, whether he has seen or [otherwise] known [something]—if he fails to report it, then he will bear his guilt and be held responsible” (Lev 5:1; AMP). Because you fear offending a criminal, even after you heard the Judge placing a curse upon his sin, and you keep quiet in the court, that is sinful cowardice. Perjury means willfully lying under oath in the court. Perjury is an attack against truth and justice. (In Nigeria, it is punished with up to 14 years imprisonment). Spiritually, giving false witness or keeping quiet about another’s sin, grieves the Holy Spirit and wounds your conscience. These are bondages only the Blood of Jesus can break. Repent! Be free!

Here we see that Jesus is the One who has freed us from these bad habits by the sacrifice of His own life. But more than that, Jesus has made us a Kingdom of priests to serve our God. We are free to worship! A priest stands before God on behalf of men. Sinners feel separated from God. By their evil thoughts, they cut themselves off from a holy God. They need to repent. They are to be brought near God by the priests. That is the work of believers today. We are to exercise the ministry of reconciliation in the name of Jesus. We are to help lost people realize that God is longing to draw them to Himself. For this work Jesus has made us a kingdom of priests. Do you ever think of yourself as a priest? Or as a king? Or as a citizen of God’s Kingdom? This is your destiny and ministry, to serve God forever!

NO QUARRELS IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
“Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. 2 I implore Euodia, and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life” (Phil 4:1-3).

Apostle Paul addresses the Christians in Philippi as ‘beloved and longed-for’. He truly loves them. He tells them to stand fast in the Lord. The word means to stand firm, to persevere against opposition. He is calling the brethren to behave as citizens of heaven. There is no quarrel in heaven! They must settle their differences. Euodia and Syntyche, two Christian women in the church, were quarreling. Euodia means ‘Sweet Fragrance’ and Syntyche means ‘Fortunate’. They were possibly part of the first group of women that started the church (Acts 16:13). Each woman worked hard in the church. There were once sisters in Christ and ‘fellow workers’ with Paul. But now, they separated themselves and each tried to gather followers, dividing the Church. Paul reminds everyone that the Church belongs to Christ who died so that our names are in the Book of Life. Study the way Paul is talking. He has a pastor’s heart, a father’s loving heart. He loves the Lord, and he loves the brethren. Note that he does not command the two women to settle for his sake, to protect his reputation as a pastor. He does not tell the women to settle even for their own sakes. No! He ‘implores’ them, he begs them, to stop the quarrel for Christ’ sake!!! Apostle Paul is truly a humble man who honors God! To settle people who quarrel in the Church is difficult to do, as delicate as doing brain surgery. Paul applies Love, divine wisdom, humility, and great discernment. The unity of the Spirit is essential for the growth of God’s Kingdom thru the Church.

We see the ideal relationship between a pastor who displays agape love and his congregation. This is a reminder that the Body of Christ is One! If one member suffers, all suffer. We all must be peacemakers. The unity in the Church is not based on social status, age, level of education, race or tribe affiliation. The Spirit is one! The Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings, is One! We are together as co-laborers with God and with one another. We labor in the Gospel. The power of the Church depends on two major factors: The preaching of the Gospel and the agape Love between the brethren. The pastor preaches the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. Preaching false doctrines weakens the Church. Quarreling grieves the Holy Spirit. It is not only the pastor who preaches. All believers must do their part to preach the Gospel to others. The Church expands as each believer tells others about Jesus, shares his testimony and lives a successful Christian life. Preaching the Gospel is done not only by mouth, but by actions. Our attending church services encourages the pastor and encourages others. Praying, helping your pastor in any way you can, is also a way to preach the Gospel. May we stand strong and honor God always!

Jesus said that division destroys relationships and families. “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is coming to an end” (Mk 3:24-26). Love is a glue. It binds people together (Col 3:12-15). The Body of Christ is made of many, but it is one. The Holy Spirit is one! The evil spirits are many. One of the works of the flesh is contention, a hot argument that divides people (Gal 5:20). Apostle Paul says that we should avoid people who quarrel and divide the Body of Christ: “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (Rom 16:17). They invent and ‘manufacture’ stumbling blocks to make others fall. We should avoid them! It means that these are religious unbelievers, false brethren who crept into the church to divide the Body. Selah!

LEAH – THE UNLOVED WIFE (Genesis 29)
Leah was the first wife of Jacob, later called Israel. She lived almost 4000 years ago. Her name means ‘weak eyes’, possibly means poor vision. She stands for weakness of flesh and strength of the Spirit. Leah was the mother of six of Jacob’s sons and the ancestor of these tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Judah was the ancestor of King David and, in the lineage of Jesus (Matt 1:1-16).

This is the story: After Jacob had deceived his father, Isaac, and deprived his brother, Esau, of his birthright and blessing, he fled from the wrath of Esau and took refuge in the household of his uncle Laban. There he immediately fell in love with Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel and worked for Laban seven years to win her hand in marriage. On the night of the wedding feast, Laban deceived him by sending Leah to his tent. According to the Eastern’s tradition, the bride was veiled, and Jacob was surely drunk. In the morning, Jacob discovered that he slept with Leah and not with Rachel. Laban compelled Jacob to work another seven years for Rachel. Here you see that Love is not cheap. For many years, Jacob did not love Leah. But God consoled her by giving her the gift of motherhood. God gave her six sons and a daughter, Dinah, before allowing Rachel to become pregnant. Rachel had two sons, Jospeh and Benjamin. She died young. She was buried along the road. Leah lived until her old age. She died before the family went to Egypt. She was buried in the cave of family grave at Machpelah in Hebron. This was great honor. Before his death in Egypt, Jacob told Joseph to carry his corpse to the Promised Land and bury him alongside Leah, in Hebron. Jacob said: “There I buried Leah” (Gen 49:31). He was buried next to Leah, alongside Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebeccah. Leah was a godly woman, much more suitable for him as a wife than the worldly-minded Rachel. Though not loved, she was faithful to her husband until the end!

It took many years before finally Jacob learned to love and respect Leah, who remained faithful and loving to him. This speaks of true endurance as a woman of God. For example, when coming back to the Promised Land, Jacob was told that his older brother Esau was coming towards him with 400 men. Jacob was afraid. He divided his children and his people. He put the two maidservants and their children in front. That was the most dangerous place in case of an attack. Then he put Leah and her children next to the maidservants. Finally, he placed his beloved wife Rachel and her son Joseph, at the rear, which was the safest place (Gen 33:1,2). These arrangements prove that even at this time, Leah was treated just a little better than the servants.

God always protects the weak, the victims of human’s oppression. In the Old Testament, God’s word commands that in case of polygamy, men should not discriminate the children of the unloved wife. “If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved, 16 then it shall be, on the day he bequeaths his possessions to his sons, that he must not bestow firstborn status on the son of the loved wife in preference to the son of the unloved, the true firstborn. 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his” (Deut 21:15-17). All children should be treated well!

Jacob obeyed God’s command. Just before his death, Jacob blessed his sons. In particular, his son Judah, meaning “Praise”, which is the fourth son of Leah, receives the highest blessing. He becomes the leader of his brothers. This is prophetic. Judah is the direct ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ. Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This is according to what Jacob prophesied: “Judah, you are the one whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you. 9 “Judah, a lion’s cub; With the prey, my son, you have gone high up [the mountain]. He stooped down, he crouched like a lion, And like a lion—who dares rouse him? 10 “The scepter [of royalty] shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh [the Messiah, the Peaceful One] comes, And to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples” (Gen 49:8-10; AMP). Hallelujah!

LESSONS FROM LEAH:
*This is a story of Grace! God truly cares for those unloved and rejected by men. God comforts and compensate the lowly, in His way, His own time. Through their troubles and afflictions, they learn to look to Him for happiness, help and success. Leah was emotionally rejected by her father, her sister and her husband. Like David, Leah could have said: “Although my father and my mother have abandoned me, Yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child]” (Ps 27:10; AMP). When Jesus came to the earth, He was rejected by men! He died on the Cross! But God raised Him from the dead and gave Him a name above every other name! Jesus knows how it feels to be rejected! Trust Him to vindicate you! God often chooses to work thru those who are rejected, unloved and marginalized. Rachel captured Jacob’s heart. But Leah captured God’s heart! Leah’s life is a story of endurance, strength, perseverance and faith!

*God is sovereign in every matter. He demotes and He promotes as He wishes. Nobody stops God from doing His own will. “The Lord puts to death and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol (the grave) and raises up [from the grave]. 7 “The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low, and He lifts up. 8 “He raises up the poor from the dust, He lifts up the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles and inherit a seat of honor and glory; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the land on them” (1Sam 2:6-8; AMP). Amen!

*To be a parent is a blessing from God. God rewards obedience, faithfulness and labor of love. Children are God’s reward. “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed but shall speak with their enemies in the gate” (Ps 127:3-5).
Leah suffered in her marriage. For many years, she was lonely and unloved by her husband. But God blessed Leah with the gift of motherhood. Her son Levi is the ancestor of Aaron, the head of priests to serve God in the temple and of Moses, the greatest leader of Isreal. “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren” (Gen 29:31). At last, Leah’s descendants became greater than the descendants of Rachel (Joseph and Benjamin). Her son Judah is the ancestor of Jesus Christ, the Lord!

*Leah learned contentment. That makes her a mature woman of God. To be content it means to be satisfied with God and with yourself. It is the knowledge that things are OK exactly as they are, right now. It is a spiritual secret that few people learn about. Some call it ‘the deep knowledge of enough’. It is one of the highest achievements of human well-being. Contentment is more powerful than happiness. Seeking happiness in this life leads to anxiety and depression. Contentment is peace, joy, and the courage to live well. Apostle Paul credited the secret of contentment as one of his greatest achievements. “Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances. 12 I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need. 13 I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]” (Phil 4:11-13; AMP). May God grant us the grace to experience contentment in life! Amen!

*Only God changes a man. An unloved wife is so grieved that only God can help her. Leah was ignorant about how men think. She thought that just by sleeping with him, her husband will love her. She was wrong. A man can be sexually attracted to a woman even if he does not love her. Later, Leah tried to win her husband’s love by having children. But even after having many sons, Jacob still did not love her. Marriage certificate, sex, or having children does not make a man love his wife. “Under three things the earth is disquieted and quakes, And under four it cannot bear up: 22 Under a servant when he reigns, Under a [spiritually blind] fool when he is filled with food, 23 Under an unloved woman when she gets married, And under a maidservant when she supplants her mistress” (PV30:21-23; AMP).

*Praising God changes lives! Leah’s hopes to find love thru her children are dashed at the beginning. But once she has Judah (Praise), she changed her focus, from hoping in her husband, to looking unto God. She now decided to praise God! From this moment on, she is free. She is a different woman. She can now thank God for what she already has and not for what she misses. Her words change from a piteous “woe is me” tone to “what good fortune!” and “how happy and blessed I am!” (Gen 30:11-12; NIV). While Jacob may have “settled for” Leah, Leah herself doesn’t settle. She grows spiritually. She let go of her idols of marriage, children, and family, and set her sights on higher things than her circumstances. She chooses to praise God! It is then that God demonstrates how He faithfully loves her and blesses her! Stop looking for validation from men. Go to God. He will be enough for you. Jacob’s infatuation with Rachel was “love at first sight”. It is more of liking than loving. But Jacob’s willingness to labor seven years for her demonstrates feelings deeper than flattery or casual interest. Deep down, most women long to captivate a lover this way, to be pursued and cherished by a committed heart. We’re made to yearn for belonging and completion. The best place is standing before God. You are safe there! God has a special place for the rejected. God has big plans for little people. Leah is a symbol of what God can do with the rejected, who chose to praise Him, no matter the circumstances!

*We don’t know Leah’s feelings when her father told her to go into the tent deceiving Jacob that she is Rachel. Jacob deceived his father Isaac and now he will have a taste of his own medicine. At that time, women had little to say about any matter. The men were the total rulers of their homes. We can imagine that it was not easy for Leah to surrender her body as a young virgin woman, to a man who was possibly drunk, and calling her Rachel. In her mind she may have thought: Will this marriage work? Can a marriage with a foundation of sin, of deceit ever be happy? What will her sister say about this? Will Jacob ever love her? Will God give her children? Will people ever respect her? Will God bless her? She did not know at that time that God allowed this deception so that He will take the glory at last.

*Ignorantly, because of her broken heart, she loads the children with her emotional burden. The first three sons knew that their mother was looking for love thru them. It is not good to use children to find love in marriage. Only God can do that!

*God does not look at the outward appearance but at the heart (1Sam 16:7). God does not appreciate physical beauty. He rewards faith, humility and submission to His will. Leah tried to compare herself with her sister beautiful Rachel. Comparison leads to disappointment, jealousy, anger, bitterness, and depression. Be grateful for who God made you to be! We all hunger for significance in this world. Significance means to be seen as important, worthy of attention and respect, to be loved and appreciated by others. Sometimes, there is a delay in significance. That delay is painful. God gives you dreams of greatness. For a long time, the dreams seem dead. Initially, the beautiful Rachel was the star. Her husband loved her openly. Leah became jealous of her sister. But later, after Leah became a mother, and Rachel was still barren, the tables turned. It was Rachel that became jealous on Leah. The tables have been turned! “Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” 2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” (Gen 30:1, 2). It was then that Leah discovered that her significance is in God. This is what God wanted Leah to discover. That God is enough for her! Jesus said: “My grace is enough!” (2Cor 12:9). For now, you may be sad. God’s dreams for you are not yet fulfilled. You may even have to wait until you go to heaven before you can see the majesty of God’s Love for you. Remember this. God’s promises are worth waiting for!!!

*Leah tried to please her husband, to win his heart. But no man will accept and love you unconditionally. Only God can do that. Apostle Paul was a servant of God and not a man pleaser. “You can see that I am not trying to please you by sweet talk and flattery; no, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please men, I could not be Christ’s servant” (Gal 1:10; AMP).

*Jesus understands women. Even if the husband or the father does not understand you, Jesus understands you. This Jesus redeems sinners like Mary Magdalene, who was once possessed by demons. Jesus saved and honored the sinful woman who washed His feet with her tears. Jesus saved and honored the woman with the issue of Blood and the woman accused of adultery. Jesus loves women! Jesus loves sinners. He died for them. He saved them. He loved them. Like Leah, after having Judah, she declared: From now on, this time, I will praise the Lord! Say it: This time, and forever, I will praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

*Leah was a woman of God. She left behind a great legacy. People did not forget her. Her memory was not forgotten by future generation. When Boaz married Ruth, the witnesses prayed for his bride: “The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel… ” (Ru 4:11). Leah had Levi: Aaron and the priesthood came from Levi. The greatest leader in the Old Testament, Moses, came from Levi. The Law, the Ten commandments, the worship at the temple, all came from Leah. Also, from her son Judah, King David was born and later, Jesus Christ! God cares for the lonely, the rejected. Leah did not know how great a legacy she leaves behind. It is only in heaven that she discovered how special she was to God, and even to her husband, to the nation of Isreal and to the Church of Christ. She finally saw that God has honored her. Try to imagine how Leah felt in heaven when she heard the name of her son, Judah, connected with Jesus, the King of kings, seated on His throne. “But one of the twenty-four Elders said to me, “Stop crying, for look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, and proved himself worthy to open the scroll and to break its seven seals” (Rev 5:5; AMP). To God be all the glory! FROM NOW ON I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!!! Worship the Lord!!!

RIZPAH – A MOTHER’S LOVE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

This is the sad story of a mother’s agape love. We see a mother’s response to tragedy. Let us meet a woman of God. Her name is Rizpah! She is a hero of faith! She lived about 3000 years ago. Her life is like a star shining bright in the dark sky. She lost both of her sons because of men’s politics. During her pain, she finds the strength to go to God to receive mercy and justice in her time of need. She is an inspiration for all, especially for the mothers (2 Samuel 21:1-14).

Who is Rizpah? She was a Canaanite woman, maybe an Amorite. She must have worshipped idols. Like Ruth in Bethlehem, she was a foreigner in the land of Isreal who became a worshipper of Jehovah. The name Rizpah means ‘hot stone or burning coal’. From her name we see that she was a woman of passion, love and courage. She was ‘the concubine’ of King Saul, the first king of Isreal. She had two sons for him, Armoni and Mephibosheth (not to be confused with the son of Jonathan who had the same name). After King Saul was killed in the battle with the Philisties, she became a widow. After the death of Saul, Abner, who was the commander of the army of Isreal, installed Ishbosheth, the surviving son of Saul, as king in Isreal. Then Abner had an affair with Rizpah. Some said that he raped her. This is a reminder of the insecure status of women in general and widows in particular in ancient times. King Ishbosheth got angry and rebuked Abner. He saw that through this connection, Abner wanted to become king himself. It was a practice in the ancient kingdoms to lay claim to the throne by having sexual relations with the former king’s wives or concubines. When rebuked for his affair with Rizpah, Abner gets angry and betrays Ishbosheth. He crosses over to David and promises to surrender the army of Isreal to him. David receives him well and sends him away in peace. But Joab, the commander of the armies in Judah, and uncle to King David, deceitfully kills Abner on his way back. David mourns Abner and places a curse upon Joab for killing a man whom he has sent away in peace (2Sam 3:1-39). Soon, King Ishbosheth is killed (2Sam 4:6).

This quarrel between Abner and Ishbosheth indirectly benefits King David. The incident led to the downfall of the house of Saul and the rise of David as king of a united Kingdom of Israel. The death of Abner makes Rizpah ‘a widow’ for the second time. Rizpah is caught in a net of political intrigues in the palace. At that time, women had no rights. They were victims of powerful men. Rizpah is called a concubine to King Saul. A concubine is a woman who lives and has sex with a man she is not married to and has a lower social rank than his wife or wives. (In Nigeria a concubine is a woman who lives with a married man who has not paid her traditional ‘bride price’).

After King David becomes the King of united Isreal, for three years, there was a drought and a great famine in the land. “David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites” (2Sam 21:1). The Gibeonites were not Jews. They were Canaanites, Amorites. They deceived Joshua when he tried to conquer the land saying that they were living far away. Joshua made a covenant of peace with them. He promised to protect them against their enemies. Later, Joshua discovered that the Gibeonites deceived him, but he could not kill them because of the covenant already made with them (Joshua 9). God is the Witness of all covenants done in His name and punishes the breaking of covenants because He is the Primary Covenant Keeper! Selah!

God reveals to King David that King Saul, in his foolish zeal for Isreal, has killed many Gibeonites. Therefore, he broke the covenant of peace made with them. To punish the breaking of the covenant, God has sent the famine in the land by withdrawing the rain for three years. David asked the Gibeonites what satisfaction they demanded. They answered that nothing would compensate for the wrong Saul had done to them but the death of seven of Saul’s descendants. They applied God’s Law: “Life for life” (Deut 19:21). They showed no mercy. David does not pray about this request for human sacrifice. He simply agrees to their demand. He arrests the two sons of Rizpah and the five of the sons of Merab, Saul’s eldest daughter. He surrenders them to the Gibeonites who execute them and hang their bodies before the Lord at the sanctuary at Gibeah. This was a human sacrifice to atone for the bloodshed in the past. But even with all this tragedy, the famine continued. It means that God did not accept the sacrifice. Just imagine Rizpah’s pain, to know that her sons died for nothing. She could not fight the political powers. She could not fight David, who was God’s appointed king in the land. She could not fight the Gibeonites who were Amorites like her. She could not fight the Law of God who said: Life for life. All she could do is to be a mother who pleads for mercy from Jehovah, the God of Isreal, under whose wings she has taken refuge.

As the men are hanging there, two mothers grieve the loss of their sons. Merab was King Saul’s oldest daughter. Long ago, Saul promised her to David as a wife. But Saul deceived David and gave her as a wife to Ariel. Merab has now lost her five sons. She weeps but she stays in her house. But Rizpah, comes to the place her sons died. She took a sackcloth and spread it for herself on a rock. She stays there from the beginning of harvest until the late rains. For five months, from April to October, she kept vigil, not allowing the birds to eat them by day nor the wild beasts to devour them by night. Rizpah watched the exposed suspended bodies of her two sons. What she could have done as a mother when her sons were alive, to protect and care for them, she is now doing it to them in their death. This is Love!

King David was informed about Rizpah’s act of devotion. He was touched by the love of this mother who even after her sons died, she continued to take care of them. David was reminded that human life is precious and must be honored. He suddenly remembered that the bones of King Saul and his covenant friend Jonathan were buried in an unknown grave. After Isreal lost the battle, the Philisties displayed the bodies of Saul and Jonathan on their streets as trophies to Chemosh their idol. The people of Jabesh-Gilead stole the bodies from the Philisties and buried them in their land, under a tree and fasted for seven days (1 Chr10:11, 12). Inspired by Rizpah’s example of honoring the memory of the dead, King David brings the bones of Saul and Jonathan and buries them properly in Saul’s family tomb in Zelah, his hometown. King David then brings down the seven bodies of the men who were hanging for five months at Gibeah and buries them honorably in Saul’s tomb also. After doing all these things, God sends the rains and the famine is over. “After that, God was moved by prayer for the land” (2Sam 21:14; AMP). God was not moved by killing men, but He was moved by the living sacrifice of Rizpah, bu her intercession. She prayed silently for mercy and justice from God. Her love for her children inspired King David to seek peace with God without shedding more blood.

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR US?

*Rizpah never spoke a word in the Bible. But her actions speak louder than words. She was a loving mother. Men in power all failed her. But she prayed to Jehovah, the God of judgment and mercy. God heard her cry and vindicated her. Rizpah fought for the vindication of her sons’ memories. She was an intercessor. She laid down her life for her children. The truth is that her sons were not guilty of murder. They died innocently. They were killed for the sins of their father, King Saul. By ordering their death, King David broke God’s Law that says: “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deut 24:16). Her sons were left hanging as a curse. “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God” (Deut 21:22,23). David decided that Rizpah’s sons were criminals. That is why they were hanged. But even if they were criminals, their bodies should not have been left exposed for five months. That alone defiled the land and brought more curses on the people. Rizpah was not afraid or ashamed of the curse placed upon her sons. She could not prevent the death of her sons. But she chooses to identify with them even after they died. The curse from her sons’ memory was removed. King David gave them a proper burial. And God answered the prayers of the people for the land. The rains came and the famine ended. Rizpah teaches us true love for family, faith in God, courage and faithfulness.

*Rizpah knew that abandoning a corpse, not being buried in the ground, was God’s curse on the rebellious, on the wicked. God said: “Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away” (Deut 28:26). She decided to stand in the gap and turn the curse into a blessing. Because of her sacrificial love, even Merab’s five sons benefitted from her intercession. At the conclusion of this Bible account of Rizpah’s sad experience, God brings rain to dry land. The larger purpose of this human sacrifice was Israel’s survival as a nation. The kingdom of Israel moves on with Rizpah as one of its survivors and heroes of faith.

*We must respect human life. Man was created in the image of God. Even in death, we must honor that image. We must bury the dead with peace and love. It is not a matter of expensive ceremonies. But a burial ceremony must be conducted in God’s presence with prayer, praise, and preaching God’s Word. (In Nigeria, most Christian families observe a ceremony called ‘service of songs’ and they also conduct a funeral service during the burial proper. That is good!). Also, this is a reminder that abortion is a sin. Ask for mercy in case you have committed it!

*God cares for the broken hearted. “The LORD is near to the heartbroken And He saves those who are crushed in spirit (contrite in heart, truly sorry for their sin)” (Ps 34:18; AMP). There is a rainbow after the flood. By God’s grace we can survive even after huge losses and major failures in life. Vengeance belongs to God! “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). Selah!

*Rizpah’s love is a symbol of the Cross of Christ. When Jesus was crucified, the disciples ran away because of fear. It was only John and the women who stayed with Jesus as He was dying on the Cross. Mary, the mother of Jesus, heard her Son saying to her from the cross: “Mother, behold your son” (Jn 19:26). The awful sight of Jesus on the cross was Mary’s final vision of the son of God she bore by the Holy Spirit. Rizpah also had a painful view of her sons’ defiled bodies, exposed to the elements. The Cross was a tragedy humanly speaking. But the death of Jesus on the Cross paid for the sins of sinners. Jesus became a curse that we be blessed. “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”) (Gal 3:13). “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2Cor 5:21). The death of Christ was necessary to pay for the sins of many sinners. The curse of sin was cancelled and in Christ, we are now the righteousness of God. This is the mystery of the Gospel, Christ crucified and resurrected. There is always hope in Christ! Hallelujah!

*Rizpah is a woman of God who can take her place among the great heroes of faith in the Bible. We are told that by faith, people gained victory in impossible situations. “Through faith (they) subdued kingdoms… 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection” (Heb 11:33-35). Rizpah wanted to reverse the curse upon her children. Only God could do that. For five months she patiently and faithfully waited by her dead sons’ bodies, knocking at God’s door of mercy. Humanly speaking, this was an impossible task. No human being could have encouraged her to continue in this desperate search for mercy. Like the woman with the issue of blood, she held on God’s garment, and did not give up until God moved on her behalf. By faith, she ‘received her dead sons raised to life again’. She could not save them from death, but by her action, she redeemed their memory. They were killed as sinners in Israel. Because of their mother’s holy love, they gained honor in death. By her faith and love, she left a legacy of godliness connected to the memory of her children and to all who shall be inspired by the love of a mother. By her faith and love, by her powerful silence, she calls to account all rulers of the world, who have the power to kill or keep alive! She proved that “Love is as strong as death… Its flames or fire a most vehement flame… Many waters cannot quench Love, not can floods of sin drown it” (SS 8:6,7). In the social ranks of Israel, Rizpah, a foreigner, was only a concubine to a wicked king. But by faith in Jehovah God, her adopted God, trusting in His mercy, she rose to the heights of being a mother in Israel, on the same level with Deborah, Hannah, Esther and Ruth. Amazing Grace!!! Worship the Lord!

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

Jesus commands the believers to love even the enemies. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt 5:43-48).

These are the eternal words of our King. Jesus makes a clear difference between the way the Pharisees understood the law and the way the Law of God must be interpreted. The religious leaders said: “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy”. First, we must say that there is no place in the Old Testament where you find these exact words. The Pharisees invented that law. Possibly, they were inspired to say this because in the Old Testament, God commanded His people to kill the Canaanites and take over the Promised Land (Deut 20:16-18). Why did God say that? God is the owner of the whole world. He gave the Canaanites 400 years to repent of their sins. He told Abraham that the sins of the Amorites are not yet complete; their cup of wickedness is not yet full (Gen 15:13-16). God could have killed them with a plague. But God chose Isreal to kill the Canaanites and to take over their land.

Some of the Psalms have strong words to curse Isreal’s enemies. These are called ‘imprecatory’ Psalms. For example, read what David prayed to God about his enemies: “Let their table become a snare before them, and their well-being a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; And make their loins shake continually. 24 Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let Your wrathful anger take hold of them. 25 Let their dwelling place be desolate; Let no one live in their tents” (Ps 69:22-25). Reading these words, you can imagine why the Pharisees said that they should hate their enemies. But if you read these psalms, David prayed to God not because he was wicked, or because of selfish ambition, but he asked God to vindicate him when his enemies wanted to kill him. David refused to kill King Saul even when Saul was in his power. This psalm is not an invitation to personal hatred against human enemies. It is the appeal of an oppressed person that God should help him. David trusts God for justice and vindication. He wants the glory of God to be revealed in his life! Amen!

In the Book of Matthew, chapter 23, our Lord speaks curses upon the religious leaders, the hypocrites. Reading those lines is painful. The word ‘woe’ is a curse word, mixed with grief and sadness. The religious leaders did not know God. They mispresented God. They were proud and wicked. They led the people astray. Here we clearly see that God (Jesus) cares for the people, that they should know God. There is a greater condemnation upon the religious leaders and teachers of God’s Word who are considered shepherds to God’s flock! These are the very people who plotted the arrest and the death of the Son of God! Selah!

The Pharisees said that a Jew should love and help only another Jew. Every other person should be considered an enemy to be hated and even killed. The Jews hated all the Gentiles and called them ‘dogs’. The problem with their interpretation is that they did not understand the purpose of God’s Law. God commanded that the Canaanites should be killed as an act of divine justice. It was not because of personal hatred against them as individuals. But the Pharisees used God’s divine justice to apply it to their personal relationships with people. Any man they did not like, even if that man was a neighbor, they hated him. They justified their hatred, lack of love and wickedness by saying that it is God’s Law. Hatred of people is always wrong. You can hate the devil, sin and evil in evil men. But you should not hate people!!!

How can a Christian replace the sinful selfish hatred in his heart with the Love of God? Jesus commanded us to do three things: Bless, do good and pray for others! He commanded us to “bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you”. You replace hatred with loving words. Love has a language. You bless people with your words. Saying to someone: “God bless you!” even when you don’t feel like it, is a powerful manifestation of Agape Love. Love is never rude. Love never curses a human being. Another way to show Love to others is by doing good to them. Righteousness means ‘be good and do good’ for Christ’ sake. You do good by greeting, shaking hands, hugging, helping others, and by giving gifts without waiting for appreciation from men. Doing good is a great form of evangelism. Many sinners came to Christ because Christians chose to help them especially in their time of need. Doing good never fails. Please examine your motives: You don’t do good because you want to convert the person. You don’t do good because you are religious, but because love is your nature as a child of God and a citizen of God’s Kingdom. You trust God to bless your ministry and life. No matter what people say to you, God blesses righteous deeds. Finally, choose to pray for people, even for those you dislike and persecute you. Prayer is a responsibility and a mighty blessing. The greatest example of prayer for the wicked was heard on the Cross. Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34). When Steven was dying as a martyr, he prayed for the men who were stoning him. “Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Ac 7:60). This is Agape Love praying! May prayer and worship never cease from our lips! Amen!

There is a great difference between loving and liking a person. To like someone is more natural. There are attitudes you observe in a person that connects with you. Love is different. Love is spiritual. You love because God loves you. You extend Love to others, even to the unlovely, because God loves you and He has saved your soul. Like is instant. It is effortless. Love is deep. It takes time and effort to develop. You may have to go to battle to win and protect love. When you like someone, you must agree with that one. His negative ideas may provoke you. But you can love someone unconditionally, even when you don’t totally agree with him. To like someone, you must stay close to that one. Love endures even if the person is far away. The closer you get to someone, the less you may like the person. But love, increases as you get closer to that person. You like only friends. You love both friends and enemies!

Please note: Only Agape love can love even the enemies. Why? This is because if you love someone, you see him thru the eyes of Christ. You see him the way God sees him. You know that he is a victim of the devil, and he is blind to God’s way of salvation. If Agape Love is in your heart, you can help another even if you dislike him. How do you do that? Treat another person like you like him, even if you don’t. Don’t complain again about your enemies. If you don’t have enemies, how can you love your enemies? The Law of Love is stronger than the law of sin, hatred and death. There is always grace available to treat others with kindness and love. They may not deserve kindness, but kindness is your attitude to all. You don’t pay evil with evil. You don’t react with evil when you are provoked. That is the way of the world. You don’t react. You chose to act. With wisdom, peace, love and respect.

Why do we need to behave well, to show love and kindness to all? It’s a visible proof that God is your father, and that you are a citizen of His Kingdom. God sends rain and sunshine to all men. It is not only the Christian farmer that enjoys rain on his field. That rain goes to the wicked too. We must treat others with respect, kindness and love because we are God’s children, Christ’ ambassadors and citizens of His Kingdom. Love is the atmosphere of the Kingdom of God. As God never fails, as love never fails, so the Christians who walk in love will never fail to fulfill God’s purposes for their lives. This love is the engine of revival in the church and outside the church! May God help us!