Christian Sermons | Biblical studies
2 Samuel 21:1-14
INTRODUCTION:
A young preacher was preparing to deliver his first sermon. Knowing that it was the first time he had done it, and wanting to impress his congregation with a good illustration, he went to an old pastor for help with something that was guaranteed to catch the attention of his listeners. The pastor said to him, “Son, I have an illustration that I have used for a long time and it always works. When you go to the pulpit, make the following statement, ‘The greatest days of my life have been spent in the arms of another man’s wife. Then wait a moment and say, “My mom! ‘” He went on to tell her, “Remember, don’t forget to pause for a moment, and whatever you do, don’t forget to say, ‘My mom!’ “. Finally Sunday came and the young man went to preach. He stood in the pulpit with two problems; one, he was terribly afraid; and, two, he had forgotten to tell his wife how he was going to open his sermon. So the young preacher cleared his throat, and sure he had a sensational introduction, he said, “Some of the best days of my life have been spent in the arms of another man’s wife.”
He waited for a moment; and to her surprise, her wife, who was a lady with a bad temper, got up from her seat and went to the pulpit. Alarmed by the fact that his wife was walking onto the platform, he forgot the two words he had to say after the first sentence. So he tried again so that he could remember the illustration well. “Some of the best days of my life have been spent in the arms of another man’s wife.” He paused, and in a panic he said, “And right now I don’t remember who that woman was.”
Well, I trust that this Mother’s Day you will be able to remember the arms of that woman where you have spent so many days of your life. Today we are going to talk about a woman who is not as popular as Sara, Raquel, Nohemí Rut, Ana, or María. Have you heard of Rizpah? I’m afraid not. We find the story of that woman in today’s passage and what she did is the greatest example in the Bible of what a demonstration of love for her children means. Let us consider the great lessons that she provides us.
I. IN THIS STRANGE LOVE OF A MOTHER WE SEE WHY CHILDREN ARE A PRIORITY
1. A sackcloth on the rock v. 10.
There is no other story like this that we know of. What Rizpah did touches imponderable levels. Her love has been unconditional, like the love of a true mother. Her children were singled out and killed like criminals because they were part of the offspring of the failed King Saul, who had treated the Gibeonites unfairly, but that did not lessen the love she had for them. Let’s see the whole picture. We are told that this woman was a concubine of Saul by whom she had two sons. Now a concubine is not like a wife who did not bring a dowry into the marriage and therefore she will not inherit as a lawful wife. But that makes no difference, as she was the mother of two children. What happened to them? Well, they were part of the seven that the Gibeonites asked to be hanged. Once this was done, Rizpah decided to stay by her dead children’s side until they were given a decent burial. In addition to the pain of the death of a child, having to care for their corpses day and night could not have been a pleasant task. But does a mother measure the limits of love for her child? Love for a child is limitless.
2. avoiding embarrassment v. 10c.
There is in this story a fact that should not be overlooked. The Gibeonites not only called for the death of these two sons and five grandsons of King Saul, but determined what kind of death they should receive. As far as we know, the Bible says: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” ((Dt. 21:22, 23). This curse was spoken by God. Jesus Christ was hanged on a tree, therefore his death reveals the highest degree of ignominy to which the Son of God reached and with it our salvation (Gal. 3:13). What was the strange attitude of that mother named Rizpah? She did not want her children to go through the embarrassment to hang on a tree, which was a social scandal. There is a wonderful lesson in this. A mother prefers to carry some grievance with her as long as her children do not go through social embarrassment. It is true that others do not care that Some children could be an embarrassment to society, who have committed punishable crimes, but for a mother this is another matter, they “risk” everything for the child of their womb.
II. IN THIS STRANGE LOVE OF A MOTHER WE SEE WHY HER CHILDREN REQUIRE HER PRESENCE
1. “From the beginning of the blind until it rained…” v. 10b.
This mother did not measure the time she had to take care of her children turned into corpses. From harvest time to rain is a period that spans at least six months. Add to this the task of dealing with birds of prey and wild beasts of the night. Can you imagine this scene? They are two hanging corpses that decompose as the hours and days go by. But this mother does not abandon her children. While it is true that she is not thinking of reviving them, she is hoping for honorable treatment with her bodies. Since they were her priority, she didn’t care if she had to lose her job, friends, or social life. Her determination was to be there close to those young people that she one day raised and watched them grow up. This gesture of love is not always seen. It is well known of mothers who abandon their children while still living so that others can raise them. A child for a true mother is not a curse, but a blessing. Notice the irony in this story. While there are mothers who kill their children because they don’t want to bring them into the world, here is one who cares for and protects those who are already dead. Blessed be mother’s love.
2. Fighting the devourers.
The text tells us that Rizpah “did not let any bird of the sky perch on them by day, nor wild beasts by night.” This requires presence, discipline and perseverance. While it is true that there are men who show his courage, such as the case of David who faced lions and bears, Rizpah is not far behind with his courage. In fact, his name means “hot stone”, as if to affirm the type of character he had in the face of adversity. Rizpah did not mind putting his life in danger in order to take care of his children. And isn’t this the attitude we should take towards everything that threatens our children? Shouldn’t we stand against the world, the flesh and the devil who have determined to devour our children? Shouldn’t we bravely fight our children’s enemies as Rizpah did with the beasts of those terrible nights and endless days? An authentic mother does not separate from her children when they are in her greatest need. Do you want to know how a mother fights? Well, try to mess with her son so he can see her in action. None like them to take all the risks in order to protect her son.
3. At the site of events v. 10b”.
In general, the dead are watched one night and then comes the burial. Consider that this will be the longest burial. How many waking nights with their cold and calm days with hunger and fatigue demanded that action? But does the time spent with children really matter when it comes to protecting them and getting rid of their enemies? A responsible mother will always be present for every act that happens to her son. There were many mothers at the foot of the cross when Christ died, but no presence was as important in that place as Mary, the mother of Jesus (Jn. 19:25). The loyalty to a son to assist him in those moments of her life is priceless. What they will remember most in her lives will be the mother who was never absent when she needed her most. Let a mother not complain if her son ignores her because of her abandonment.
III. THIS STRANGE LOVE OF A MOTHER FINALLY FINDS A NOBLE REWARD
1. “They did everything the king commanded” v. 14.
The king heard what Rizpah had done. This had to melt David’s heart. He had already shown great nobility when he spared Mephibosheth’s life, at that hard time for Saul’s family, out of love for Jonathan and the pact they had sworn. And what had the king ordered? That a decent funeral be held for those dead. While it is true that none of them deserved the king’s kindness for all that Saul did, this mother’s action changed things. We do not know to what extent Rizpah expected the king’s mercies, but she surely harbored in her heart the hope that his sacrifice would somehow be rewarded. It is true that mothers do not sacrifice themselves for their children to expect a reward, but this is what always happens. The actions of a good mother will never be forgotten. A good son will always value the delivery and dedication of his mother. In the case of Rizpah, the reward was given by King David himself. It is a tremendous blessing to know that a mother’s greatest reward is in the hands of the divine King. God blesses the sacrifice of every pious mother. Children are of great esteem to him.
2. “And God was merciful to the land after this” v. 14c.
This passage ends where it has to end…with God. Everything has to lead us to him, because only he is just, good and great in mercy. Although it is true that the action with which David acted towards the Gibeonites, in relation to what Saul had done with them, satisfied divine justice in the matter of the three consecutive years of famine, it is no less true to think that God saw Rizpah’s action toward her dead sons. And if David rewarded that mother by giving her children a decent burial, God’s heart, which is better than David’s, had to prosper and protect this widowed, childless mother after all this. We don’t know what happened to this mother, but we are sure that God sustained her until the end of her life. Beloved mothers, the actions you do today towards your children have God’s approval. He is not unfair to forget “your labor of love” that they have shown towards his children. God weighs the actions and in the end brings the rewards from him. The selfless work of a mother is being copied in the divine books and those actions will ultimately work in the life of her son, with the support of heaven.
CONCLUSION:
What Rizpah did could be seen as someone who is insane. Who dares to take care of two corpses for six months day and night? But shouldn’t this action lead us to ponder one of the greatest examples of love known to humanity made by a mother? Is not the heart of a mother the closest thing to the heart of God? No matter who the son is, her mother will love him. It doesn’t matter if her son is a criminal, a drug addict, a drunk, a murderer, a social wreck… the mother will always love him.
It is true that…