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A LIVING SACRIFICE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

A LIVING SACRIFICE

“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)

Living a Christian holy life is not a command. It is an appeal. Paul says: “I beseech you, therefore, brethren…” To beseech means to beg anxiously. The first thing we need to know is Doctrine. After that, we can apply doctrine. To Know about “the mercies of God” is to know the doctrine of salvation, by Grace alone, thru Faith alone, in Christ alone. Because God is merciful, kind and loving to us, sinners saved by grace, our natural response should be worshipping God with our whole being. The concept of sacrifice is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, where sacrifices were offered in the temple. Here, Paul redefines sacrifice as a living, ongoing act of worship, contrasting with the dead sacrifices of the Old Covenant. To be a living sacrifice means dedicating one’s entire being to God, living a life of holiness and service, a life that is “pleasing to God” in submission to God’s will and reflecting His character. In the Old Testament, sacrifices had to be without blemish, symbolizing purity and dedication. Jesus died and rose again for us so that the Church becomes pure, to “sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:26,27). The believers’ surrender is reasonable and intelligent. It is a spiritual service, a form of worship to God. True worship is more than religious rituals. It is a lifestyle of faith, obedience, worshipping Jesus in spirit and truth!

The command: “Do not be conformed to this world” warns against adopting the patterns and behaviors common in the secular world. The word “conformed” means to be shaped by external pressure, like a mold shaping clay from the outside. The world constantly tries to press us into its mold: how we think, how we live, what we value, and what we believe. It tells us that success is about status, wealth; that truth is relative, and that self is supreme. But as followers of Christ, we are not to be molded by culture. We must resist that pressure and look instead to Christ, who shapes us from within. To conform means to submit and obey the rules, standards, laws and expectations; to agree, to fit in, to blend; to be identical or similar. Like a boa snake swallowing its victim, the world wants to absorb you into its domain.

The opposite of “conformity” means to be different. The believers in Christ are different. Because they are holy like God, they confuse and disturb the world. We are seen as rebellious. “This world” refers to the system of men that goes on without acknowledging God. Its values and practices are contrary to God’s will. The early Christians faced pressure to conform to Roman rules. For example, they refused to call Ceasar “God”. The believers are urged not to love the world or anything in it (1Jn 2:15-17). The idea is to resist the moral standards that are not aligned with God’s kingdom. These are some ideas common to the world’s thinking: All men are basically good. Family is first! If you work hard, you become wealthy and through your money you make the world a better place. To be an attractive person, you must have experience. You try many types of food, dress in many styles, visit different places, or try many types of jobs. If you want to live long, mind your business, eat healthily, drink more water, exercise regularly, cut down on sugar, reduce stress, avoid overthinking and negative people.

“But be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. This transformation happens through the renewing of our minds. The word renewing is in the present tense, meaning it’s a continual process. Daily, we face situations where the world tries to conform us to its standards. But rather than submitting, we must yield to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to use God’s Word to renew our thinking and, in turn, transform our lives. Transformation implies a deep change in character and conduct. It is the same as the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. The Greek word for “transformed” is “metamorphoo,” also used in the transfiguration of Jesus (Matt 17:2). It indicates a profound change. Renewing the mind involves the study of God’s Word, prayer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, aligning one’s thoughts with God’s truth. As conformity means being shaped from the outside, transformation happens from within by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God”. A sinner does not understand God. Only a renewed mind and transformed character can discern God’s will. To “approve” suggests a process of examination and confirmation, like testing metals for purity. The “good, acceptable, and perfect will of God” refers to God’s desires and plans, which are inherently good and complete. Understanding God’s will requires spiritual maturity and insight, cultivated through a holy life dedicated to following Christ.

To be a living sacrifice means a total unconditional surrender of your whole person to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the same as when the people of old brought their gifts or the animals to the priest. They were killed on the altar, and the fire consumed them. Or, like a defeated army general surrenders his sword to the victor. It is a total surrender unto death. To surrender means that you stop hiding, fighting, or resisting God because you agree that you are defeated. You know that you cannot win. You submit to God’s authority as His prisoner. You give up your rights to yourself. From now on, you allow God to influence or control you by His Holy Spirit.

To surrender the body means to surrender the whole person. The body was once an instrument of sin. Now, it has become an instrument to display holiness. Many Christians fall into error: some withdraw from this world and live in monasteries, thinking that they keep their holiness by physical separation. Others become one with the world and practice everything they see in the world. Both these attitudes are wrong. The surrendered believer is not a dead sacrifice but a living one. The believer is in this world but has the mentality of heaven. He keeps his eyes on Jesus and not on any man or woman on earth. A believer is always different, a light shining in the darkness. The power of being unique and living for Jesus is by the renewing of the mind. This is done thru the study and the application of God’s Word by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because of the wonder of his salvation, the believer does everything to please God. This behavior manifests as Loving God and loving people. Agape Love is the magnet that attracts people to Jesus! That is genuine attraction and beauty of holiness.

Why do we need to offer our physical bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God? Because Salvation applies to the whole person. Being justified by faith in Christ alone, the soul and the spirit are saved right now. But the body is not yet saved. The body will be redeemed when Christ comes again, when total salvation will be manifested. Living a holy life is a sign that you believe in total salvation. God wants your body as a living sacrifice for these reasons:

*The body is the instrument (temple) through which the soul (personality) acts and expresses itself. The body needs to be offered to God.

*The body is the chief source of temptation and sin. Sin takes advantage first of the body. Christians must fight against sin in the body.

*You offer your body continually to God. Not just once! It is an ongoing process of sanctification until your last breath.

Many Christians refuse to offer their bodies to God. Some say that what you do with your body does not matter if your spirit is saved. But this idea is false and dangerous. Christians must worship God even with their bodies. While the body is mortal and susceptible to sin, it is also the means through which we serve God and live righteously. Sin is like a king who seeks to control your life, contrary to the new life in Christ (Rom 6:12-14). But now, by the Holy Spirit, we have the power to overcome sin. Appreciate God’s Grace. Encourage other believers to resist sin and pursue holiness. Apostle Paul calls us to offer our whole lives to God, not just our words on Sunday mornings. We place our lives on the altar and say: “God, use me for Your glory.”  Salvation is not just about being saved from hell. Salvation is God redeeming what was lost and setting us apart for Himself, for His pleasure and His glory. We live to worship God!

DAVID, THE GIANT KILLER WAS SLAIN BY GIANT LUST

“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem” (2Sam 11:1). “In the whole of the Old Testament there is no chapter more tragic or full of solemn and searching warning than this” (Campbell Morgan). In that part of the world, wars were not normally fought during the winter months because rain and cold weather made campaigning difficult. Fighting resumed in the spring “when kings go out to battle”. David sent his army commander, Joab, to lead the people and fight the war. King David should have been in battle, but he stayed behind, idle in Jerusalem. Joab and his army were preserved against the Syrians and the Ammonites, but they did not win a decisive victory until David himself led the battle (2Sam 10). Both through wisdom and experience David should have been in the battle, leading his men. Idleness leads to rebellion and becoming a busybody (2Thess 3:6-15)! Selah!

How did David, a man after God’s heart, fell so low, committing adultery and murder? His sin was not done in just a day. It is the climax of a fleshly lifestyle. David was backsliding. He drew back from God. Pride in success could be a factor. For about 20 years, he was indulging in sexual sins. He rejected God’s plan for marriage when he married many wives. Being idle, staying home from the battle only provided an opportunity for the long-standing indulgence of sexual passion to display itself. This seed of sin now became a harvest of shame and pain.

David arose from his bed and walked on the roof. The Hebrew verb “walked” suggests that David was restless, pacing back and forth on the roof. He couldn’t sleep. He was feeling guilty because he wasn’t where God wanted him to be. This restlessness was a warning from God. He should have immediately left the palace and go to meet his men on the field. But he stayed. The devil attacked. Just at that moment, he saw a beautiful woman bathing. Later he learned that she was Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers, a man or valor, a foreigner who became a Jew, Uriah the Hittite. It is possible that Bathsheba acted immodestly. She knew that her bath was visible from the palace roof.

Bathsheba’s immodesty does not excuse David’s sin in any way. But if she was immodest, she is partly responsible for the sin of adultery. Lessons: The Bible commands the Christian women to dress modestly, not to attract attention to themselves, but to Christ in them and to their good deeds done for God. “And I want women to be modest in their appearance… For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do” (1Tim 2:9,10; NLT).

David’s sin was not in seeing Bathsheba bathing. He did not expect or plan to see her. His sin was in choosing to keep his eyes on her, to gaze long at her. Job made a covenant with his eyes not to gaze long at any other woman than his wife. “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman” (Job 31:1; NIV). The eyes are the gateway to the soul. They are the first point of entrance to temptation. Job is a good example for all believers. He made an intentional proactive commitment to sexual purity in thought and action. Job paid the price for the discipline necessary to moral purity. Jesus said the same thing: “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt 5:28). To look lustfully at a woman is not just a simple look. This look sees not the woman not as God’s creation, but as an object to be possessed. Jesus says that lustful look is the same as adultery in the heart. In the Old Testament, adultery was punishable by death (Lev 20:10). In other words, lustful looks are spiritual suicide. Lessons: Christian men must learn to control their eyes. Be watchful over your eyes, hearts and minds! Jesus says that sin begins in the heart, not just in actions. Overcoming lustful thoughts requires total reliance on the Holy Spirit for strength and transformation.

David’s many wives in his palace did not satisfy his lust, because you can’t satisfy the lust of the flesh. They are rebellious manifestations of self. It was not so much that David wanted Bathsheba, it was that he was not satisfied with what God has given him. King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. David and his son Solomon show us that if one woman is not enough, then 1000 women are still not enough.

Bathsheba’s great beauty made the sight tempting. But the real strength of temptation does not lie in the beauty of the tempting object, but in the state of heart and mind of the one being tempted. Because of his backsliding, David was carefully “prepared” to fail at this very point. If he was right with God, this temptation was not too strong for David, no matter how beautiful Bathsheba was. David looked at her and saw “beauty”. But God saw “ugly”. David saw “Love”. God called it “Lust, sin”. David saw “romance”. God saw “ruin”. Joseph was more severely tempted to commit sexual immorality than David was here, but he ran away! May we see what God sees be dead to sin! Selah!

David inquired about the woman. He discovered that she comes from a famous wealthy family. Her father was Eliam, one of David’s mighty men. Her grandfather was Ahithophel, one of David’s chief counselors. David also learned that Bathsheba was married, the wife of Uriah, another of his mighty men of valor. He knew that this woman’s husband was away fighting the war. This knowledge made the situation far more tempting. David committed adultery in his heart on the roof before he touched the woman. David should have received the news of the woman’s identity as a warning from God. In taking Bathsheba, David sinned against Uriah, Eliam, and Ahithophel, each man close and important to David. David began to think, “I could get away with this. Nobody will discover me.” Lessons: Sin always deceives! Pray!

“Then David sent messengers and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her”. Just like that, David “took” Bathsheba, one who did not belong to him by marriage. In this way, “the man after God’s heart” went against his own heart, following through lustful impulse. We need to say that Bathsheba was not forced. She did not offer any resistance. Therefore, she is not totally innocent. David knew this act was wrong, yet he did it. It’s hard to explain David’s thinking here because he wasn’t thinking. He acted on feelings and sexual impulse instead of thinking. If David only thought about the cost of one hour of pleasure… an unwanted pregnancy, he murdered a trusted friend, the baby died, his own daughter (Tamar) was raped by her brother, his son murdered by another son (Amnon and Absalom), civil war led by his own son (Absalom), his own son Solomon imitated his father and lived a life of sexual immorality, his heart led away into idolatry by his many wives. This is how he led Isreal into sin. Lessons: The devil makes men blind to sin’s consequences. Pray that you overcome temptation!

Bathsheba sent a simple message. “I am pregnant”. David tries to hide his sin from people, but he cannot hide it from God. He calls her husband, Uriah, from the battle. He tries his best to convince him to sleep with his wife, so that he will think the baby is his. At this point in time, David does not want marry Bathsheba and does not want to kill her husband. But Uriah refuses to compromise his moral character.  Thru Uriah, the light of God shining in the darkness. Uriah goes home, sleeps with his servants and refuses to touch his wife. He says that the Ark of God, his army commander and all his mates are sleeping in the open air on the battlefield. Though not a native Jew, Uriah has a passion for the glory of Jehovah. He sacrifices his own desires and the comfort of his home to honor God and His people. David hoped that Uriah would be a man like himself, led by the flesh. But Uriah proved to be a man of integrity whose first loyalty was for God and the King, rather than his own pleasure. Having failed to cover his sin, David wants Uriah dead. He gave Uriah the death sentence in a letter to give to General Joab. David explains to Joab how to kill Uriah. See here how power corrupts the heart. David was better as a servant. He refused to kill Saul, his enemy. Now, as a king, he orders to betray and kill one of his most loyal friends. Joab did exactly what David commanded. He knew it was wrong but simply followed orders and murdered Uriah at King David’s direction. David indulged sensual lusts for years ignoring God’s warnings and ways of escape. He allowed temptation to become lust and lust to turn into adultery. When sin wanted to expose him, he covered it with deception and later with murder. Satan did not tempt David with the entire package at once but deceived him little by little. Lessons: Many adulterers secretly wish death would free them to marry the object of their adultery. Murder is the heart engine of adultery. If sin is not repented immediately, it always becomes worse. Sin begets sin. Backslider, you must repent and come back to Christ!

David waited for Bathsheba to mourn her husband. She may not have known that David killed her husband. She was probably relieved that she was not stoned to death as an adulteress. Now, she is a queen. This was nothing new for David. He only added her to his other wives. It is possible that the people in Isreal saw David as a good compassionate man who married the wife of a fallen soldier. They have a son. Things look good for now… “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord”. This is the first mention of God in this chapter. God saw every sin committed and every intent of their hearts. Despite being a man after God’s own heart, David’s sin is clearly condemned by God. “David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1Kg 15:5). This tells us that no one, not even an anointed king, is above God’s law. David was about 45 when he committed this sin. He was still on the throne of Isreal. But he was not the same again. He suffered many setbacks until he died at about 70. God’s displeasure with David’s actions reminds us that our actions have spiritual implications. God forgives sin but does not wipe out the painful consequences. We need God’s mercy for that and paying the price to live a life that pleases God. Amen!

Lastly, God honors Uriah. His name appears in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:6). Praise the Lord!

CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You” (Ps 51:10-13). David wrote this psalm after he deeply repented of the sin of adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband. He pleads for mercy and forgiveness. Sin corrupts the heart, and only God can purify it. David’s acknowledges his inability to cleanse himself and his dependence on God’s transformative power. David knows that only God can create a new obedient heart. David saw how the Holy Spirit left Saul and how he lost his crown, testimony and even his life. He is desperate to maintain an intimate relationship with God which is vital to be a King and a Worshipper. Sin can damage or reduce this joy. Joy can be restored after deep repentance. David prays that God should uphold him, sustain and keep him close to Him by His generous Spirit. The word ‘generous’ also means a willing Spirit. This is the power of Grace. David desires a spirit that is always submits to God and never become stubborn or hard. Sin disrupts our fellowship with God, steals our joy and reward, and damages our testimony and ministry. We must seek restoration and healing through God’s mercy. Worship the Lord!

DAVID AT HIS BEST

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

DAVID AT HIS BEST (1 Sam 24:1-22)

David was called ‘a man after God’s heart’ (Acts 13:22). He became famous when he killed Goliath. But he became great when he did not kill King Saul. Here we see a story we can call: the Cave, the Robe and the Character. Here, David rises to the height of his godly character.

We shall study two kings. King Saul was a man of hate. He represents the Kingdom of darkness. David is a man of love, peace and mercy. He represents the Kingdom of God. David could have easily killed Saul. But he did not. This story happens at an oasis in the desert called En Gedi. King Saul, with an army of 3000 soldiers, are looking for David to kill him. Saul left his army behind and went alone into this cave to relieve himself. David and his men of valor were resting at the back of a big cave. How safe the king must have felt not knowing that he was so close to death. David’s men urged him to take advantage of this situation and kill Saul. But David refused. He restrained his servants, telling them not to harm Saul. The only thing he did was to cut a piece from Saul’s robe. David’s men may have been disappointed at their leader, not understanding his love for his enemy. Later, David calls Saul and shows him the piece taken from his robe. Saul sees that David spared his life. He repents superficially. He withdraws from pursuing David but not long after this incident, he comes back. David spares his life the second time. Eventually, King Saul and his sons die in battle. David becomes King in his place. Lessons: God is merciful! God is sovereign! People will misunderstand your Love! Do what is right before God! He will reward you!

David could have killed Saul. But he only cut a piece from his robe. Even for doing this, David felt guilty about it. Why? Next to the crown and the scepter, the robe of the king signifies his authority. When King Saul disobeyed God’s command, as Samuel was leaving him, Saul tore the prophet’s robe (1Sam 15:26-29). Samuel interpreted the tearing of his robe as prophetic. He told Saul that he had lost his authority as king. The throne will be given to his neighbor, a better man than he. This man is David. By cutting a piece from King Saul’s robe, David saw it as a rebellion, claiming some part of Saul’s authority. It is true that God had already said that David will succeed Saul as king. But David did not want to claim the throne, through rebellion. He did not want to take what was promised to him, through illegal means. He wanted that God’s promotion and blessings should come to him in God’s way and in God’s time. He cherished his relationship with God more than any other gift. But Saul was the opposite. He rebelled against God who set him on the throne. Samuel fiercely condemned that rebellion: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king” (1Sam 15:23). David felt convicted of sin just by cutting the royal robe. His conscience was very sensitive to sin. Lessons: Authority and blessings relate to obedience to God’s Word. Keep your conscience pure!

It is true that King Saul was a wicked man. He killed all the priests at Nob. If he could get David, he would have no mercy. David was not deceived. He knew that Saul was lying even when he tried to repent. David did not ask Saul for assurance that he could come back to the palace. David extended mercy to Saul even when Saul did not extend mercy to him. How did he do that? He obeyed the Law of Agape Love. David loved his enemy. David did not respect Saul as a person. But David respected Saul’s office as the King of Isreal, anointed by God. It was the same Prophet Samuel and the same oil that was on David’s head. David knew the power of that anointing. He was afraid to kill Saul because even in his backsliding, Saul was God’s choice as king. David bowed to Saul and spoke respectfully. Love “does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil” (1Cor 13:5). David could have killed Saul in that cave and could have taken over the throne. But he did not. Lesson: Believers are good citizens. God tests us, our hearts and motives. God may open a door for us to claim a promise by our own power, in our own way. It is a test of self-control, patience and love. Like Joseph, David refused to be God! Not even a throne is worth the grieving of the Holy Spirit. Faith and Love must wait! Love never fails!

Saul disobeyed God’s Word and lost his throne. What power kept David from sinning against God? David obeyed God’s Word. He knew that vengeance belongs to God. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God’s wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord” (Rom 12:19; AMP). The main reason why David did not kill King Saul was because he saw him as ‘The Lord’s anointed’. “David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?” (1Sam 26:9). David knew God’s Word: “Do not touch My anointed ones and do My prophets no harm” (Ps 105:15). King Saul was a wicked man. But David saw him as God’s servant, God’s property. He refused to touch it!

Looking at this story: Who is the true King of Isreal? Is it Saul who is anointed, seated on the throne, or David who was waiting to be king? God gave the promise to David that he will be the next king. But God did not give David the power to fulfill the Promise. David speaks respectfully to the king. Even when he pleads his case, David does not rebuke the king directly. He rebukes his counsellors. David behaves as a peacemaker. “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger” (PV 15:1). Because of David’s humble attitude and kind, wise words, Saul is defeated in his wickedness, at least for now. He weeps in public. Saul acknowledges that God is good, that David is good, that himself is bad, and that David will be the next king. David learned to wait for God to do what only God can do! King Saul repents but not in humility. He still claims some ‘righteousness’ for himself. Touched by David’s love, Saul asks David to protect his descendants after his death. At the end, David calls God to judge this case between King Saul and himself. See in David the power of a clean conscience, a new maturity, wisdom and growth in grace. Lessons you learn only in the wilderness: There are no short cuts to godly success in life! There is always a temptation to rush ahead. God can use even your enemies to encourage you! Amen!

If you study the lives of Saul and David, in many ways, both men are the same. They both started well and were chosen by God to be kings in Isreal. Both were courageous soldiers and had victories in battle. Both had dedicated followers. What then is the difference between them? It concerns two areas: repentance and worship. When David sinned and he was made aware of his sin, he broke down and repented deeply. When Saul sinned, he blamed others. He did not humble himself. David had a godly sorrow that led to repentance and salvation. Saul had a worldly sorrow leading to death (2Cor 7:10). During his last night on earth, Saul went to see a witch for counsel. David repented deeply for his sin. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise” (Ps 51:17). In His Sermon of the Mount Jesus defines who is a citizen of God’s Kingdom: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). Lesson: True repentance attracts God’s grace on you! Sin can be dealt with only thru a relationship with Jesus Christ!

Now you see why David is called ‘a man after God’s heart’.  David’s wise behavior points us to Jesus, our Savior and Lord. God the Father sent Jesus to live and die for sinners. By His death, Jesus is now the King of God’s Kingdom. The devil tempted Jesus to become the King of kings by offering Him the kingdoms of this world. He told Jesus that He can be king if he can fall at his feet (Matt 4:8-11). The devil offered Jesus a crown without a cross. But Jesus rejected the offer. He took God’s way: the Cross before the Crown. By His death and resurrection Jesus is now the King of kings, reigning supremely and forever. Question: if the devil offers you an easier way to become successful in business and ministry, will you take his offer? As we follow Jesus, we take our cross daily, we deny self from every selfish and rebellious desire. We suffer with Jesus, we die and are buried with Jesus, and we rise with Jesus to be seated in glory with Him. This is the Gospel that saves! There is no other Gospel! May we have the courage to Love and Obey God to the end. 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!