Spurgeon Morning and Evening March 31 PM

Biblical Context

The book of 2 Samuel tells the story of King David’s reign in Israel. Chapter 21 opens with a severe famine that has plagued the land for three years. David seeks God’s reason for this disaster. God reveals the famine is a judgment for King Saul’s past actions, specifically how he unjustly killed the Gibeonites. David asks the Gibeonites what he can do to make things right. They don’t ask for gold or silver, but for seven of Saul’s male descendants to be given to them, so they can hang them before the Lord in Gibeah, Saul’s hometown. David agrees, sparing Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s son) because of his promise to Jonathan, but he gives two sons of Rizpah, Armoni and Mephibosheth (not Jonathan’s son), and five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab. These seven men are put to death at the beginning of barley harvest. This is where Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah and one of Saul’s concubines, steps into the story. She carries out an act of striking devotion, making sure her sons and the others received a proper watch, something that would stop scavengers from desecrating their bodies.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at the word “sackcloth” from our scripture. In Hebrew, this word is saq (שַׂק). It refers to a coarse, rough cloth, often made from goat’s hair. People wore sackcloth as a sign of deep mourning, sorrow, humility, or repentance. Spreading sackcloth on the ground or wearing it showed extreme distress or a plea for God’s help. It was a visual and physical expression of a broken spirit, a way to show complete surrender and grief. Rizpah spreading sackcloth on the rock wasn’t just a physical act; it was a loud declaration of her sorrow, her stand for honor, and her total devotion.

Rizpah’s Unending Watch

Our verse, 2 Samuel 21:10, tells us about Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. She took sackcloth, spreading it on the rock where her two sons and Saul’s five grandsons hung. She stayed there from the start of the harvest until the rains finally came from heaven. Her mission was clear: she didn’t let the birds of the air rest on their bodies by day, nor the wild animals come near them by night. Just think about that kind of devotion. This wasn’t a short vigil; it went on for months, through the hot, dry season. It’s an amazing picture of a mother’s fierce, protective love.

Our Call to Consider Christ’s Suffering

If a woman’s love for her dead sons could make her keep such a long, sorrowful watch, then why do we get tired when we think about our blessed Lord’s suffering? We should be eager, not weary, to remember what He went through for us. His pain was for our freedom, so we shouldn’t shy away from considering it deeply.

Chasing Away Evil Thoughts

Rizpah drove away the birds that wanted to eat at the bodies. So, shouldn’t we also chase away those worldly and sinful thoughts from our own minds? These bad thoughts can mess up both our heads and the sacred things we try to focus on. They’re like birds of prey, trying to defile what’s holy. You’ve got to be as fierce as Rizpah. Shout, “Away, you birds of evil wing! Leave my sacrifice alone!” Protect your mind and your worship.

Enduring for Jesus

She put up with the blazing summer heat, the cold night dews, and the rains, all alone and without shelter. Sleep ran away from her crying eyes; her heart was just too full for her to rest. Just look at how much she loved her children! Now, if Rizpah could go through all that, why do we freak out at the first small problem or difficulty? Are we such weaklings that we can’t bear to suffer a little bit with our Lord? He went through so much for us; we should be willing to face discomfort for Him.

Courage Against Every Foe

Rizpah even chased away wild animals, showing a kind of courage you don’t always see. If she could do that, shouldn’t we be ready to fight every enemy for Jesus’ sake? Our Lord deserves our courage and our loyalty. We shouldn’t back down when things get tough or when others try to come against what we believe.

Our Boundless Obligations and Fervent Love

Her children were killed by other people, not by her hands, yet she wept and watched. What should we do, then, we who have, through our own sins, effectively crucified our Lord? Our duty to Him is huge, our love for Him should burn bright, and our regret for our sins needs to be complete. We owe Him everything because of what He did for us.

Our Purpose: Watching and Protecting His Honor

Our main business should be to watch with Jesus. Protecting His honor should be what we do. Staying close to His cross should be our comfort. Rizpah saw ghastly bodies, which could easily scare anyone, especially at night. But when we sit at our Lord’s cross, there’s nothing gross or scary there; instead, everything about it draws us in. You won’t find anything as charming as a dying Savior; His beauty in that moment is simply incredible.

A Royal Pavilion, Not Sackcloth

Jesus, we will watch with You for a bit longer. Please, show Yourself to us with Your grace. If You do, then we won’t be sitting under rough sackcloth, but we’ll be in a royal tent, sharing in Your glory. Our waiting, our watching, and our devotion won’t be in sadness forever. It will turn into joy and honor in Your presence.