The Spirit Of Rizpah

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:13-15

In 2 Samuel 21, we find the powerful and heartbreaking story of a mother who refused to give up on her children. Because of an injustice that King Saul had committed against the Gibeonites, seven of his descendants were sentenced to die. Rizpah, who had been one of Saul’s concubines, watched as some of her own sons were among those handed over to be killed. After they were hanged, Rizpah spread out a cloth on a rock and stayed there, guarding their bodies day and night for three long months. As her sons hung between heaven and earth, she would not let the birds or wild animals touch them. She literally fought them off with her own hands. She refused to let anything else destroy what was left of her children. That kind of fierce, sacrificial love is hard to imagine, yet it reflects the heart of so many parents today.

Maybe you are in a painful season yourself. Maybe your children are far from God, lost in sin, addiction, or rebellion. Perhaps they went off to college and turned their backs on everything they were raised to believe. Maybe they are living in a way that breaks your heart and feels completely contrary to God’s Word. You still see the bones of truth in them, but they are being attacked by the enemy. Others may look at their lives and say there is no hope. Maybe they have hurt you so deeply that you barely speak to them anymore. But like Rizpah, God is calling you to rise up. He is calling parents of prodigals to intercede and fight in prayer for what is left. There is still hope. You are not powerless. You can stand in the gap between your child and the forces trying to steal, kill, and destroy their life.

Just like Rizpah’s sons, your children may be suspended between heaven and hell, but that does not mean the fight is over. 

Jesus was wounded for their transgressions. He was bruised for their iniquities. By His stripes, your family can be healed.

Do not give up. Fight for those precious children. The enemy may think he has won, but the story of Rizpah does not end in tragedy. King David heard about her devotion and gathered the bones of her sons, laying them to rest in the king's graveyard. When you pray and grieve over your lost child, our King hears. He sees your heart. And He can take whatever remains and bring restoration. He can take a son or daughter who is dead in sin and raise them to new life.

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