LESSON 9   
   November 20 - 26   
   Rizpah: The Influence of Faithfulness   
      
   SABBATH AFTERNOON   
      
   Read for This Week's Study:   
      
   Deut. 30:19, 2 Sam. 3:6-11, 21:1-9, Mark 13:13.   
      
   Memory Text:   
      
   "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find   
   refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart" (Psalm 91:4, NIV).   
    The story of Rizpah is the story of an outsider playing an insider's role.   
   Only two biblical passages mention her explicitly, and both are connected to   
   the early time of David's reign, probably before the affair with Bathsheba (2   
   Samuel 11). Most Bible commentators agree that 2 Samuel 21-24 do not unfold   
   sequentially after 2 Samuel 20 but rather they provide further information   
   that does not fit into the general storyline of David's life.   
      
   Rizpah exists on the edge of King David's story. As a woman and a concubine of   
   an earlier king, she had few options. As a matter of fact, her prospects   
   looked bleak and dreary. Her two sons dead, the larger family of her deceased   
   "husband" at the brink of annihilation, she nevertheless acted nobly, instead   
   of sitting in a corner and lamenting her bad fortune. Her presence in two   
   crucial moments of David's history makes her a king-maker and a    
   ation-builder. We can all learn something incredibly important from Rizpah:   
   faithfulness is not conditioned by circumstances or good (or bad) fortunes.   
   Faithfulness is an unconditional commitment to do what's right regardless of   
   the cost.   
      
   *Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 27.   
   SUNDAY   
   November 21   
      
   The King's Concubine   
      
   There are many references to concubines in the Old Testament (Gen. 25:5, 6;   
   Judg. 8:30, 31; 2 Sam. 5:13-16; 1 Kings 11:2, 3). What can we learn about them   
   from these and other references?   
      
   Concubines were often taken from the ranks of female slaves or maids of a   
   family. Their express purpose was to produce heirs, and once they had produced   
   male offspring, their status and social standing were similar to those of   
   regular wives. A man was regarded as his concubine's husband (Judg. 20:4), and   
   their children appeared in genealogies (Gen. 22:24) and would receive a part   
   of the inheritance (Gen. 25:5, 6). It is interesting to note that concubines   
   appear mostly in the patriarchal period; during the early monarchy, concubines   
   were connected to royal households.   
      
   Read 2 Samuel 3:6-11. What can we learn about Rizpah and about her   
   circumstances in that particular time?   
      
   Rizpah, whose name means "live coal" (see Isa. 6:6, which uses the same word),   
   is part of the royal household of Ishbosheth ("man of shame"), the only   
   remaining son of Saul, who, through the help of Abner, has been made king over   
   Israel and has moved across the Jordan to Mahanaim (2 Sam. 2:8-10). The mere   
   fact that the biblical author included information about Rizpah's father   
   ("daughter of Aiah") suggests that her family must have been important and   
   that she was not a slave. Ironically, the name of the son of Saul appears in   
   another form in the genealogy of Saul, as Eshbaal, "the man of Baal" (1 Chron.   
   8:33). The form used in 2 Samuel 2:8-10 seems to be a subtle insult by the   
   biblical author: the man of Baal is an embarrassment to the house of Saul and   
   thus a "man of shame."   
      
   Rizpah's personal circumstances are far from ideal. She belongs to the   
   household of Saul, and even though the able general Abner is propping up   
   Ishbosheth, the weak descendent of Saul, as Saul's concubine, Rizpah has no   
   security. Her fate seems totally out of her hands, controlled by forces and   
   circumstances way beyond her authority or control.   
   Jesus tells us that if a man lusts after a woman, he has already committed   
   adultery with her in his heart (Matt. 5:28). However, many men of God had   
   concubines in the Old Testament. How do we reconcile this fact with what Jesus   
   said? (As you think of an answer, remember that just because something is   
   mentioned in the Bible as being practiced doesn't mean God approves of it or   
   that it is the best way to live.)    
   MONDAY   
   November 22   
      
   The Mention of Her Name   
      
   Things are not going well for Ishbosheth in the war between the house of Saul   
   and the house of David (2 Sam. 3:1). In contrast to the deteriorating   
   situation at Ishbosheth's court, the biblical text inserts at this point in   
   the story a list of the sons of David that are born during this time in Hebron   
   (2 Sam. 3:2-5). The list reflects David's increasing strength, since sons mean   
   a future and security.   
      
   As we have seen (2 Sam. 3:7-10), Ishbosheth, the "man of shame," accuses his   
   general, Abner, of having slept with the concubine of his father, Saul.   
   Judging from Abner's strong reaction, this was a very serious offense.   
      
   Read the following verses and explain what sleeping with a wife or concubine   
   of a powerful man meant in the time of the Old Testament. 2 Sam. 16:21, 22;   
   20:3; 1 Kings 2:21, 22.   
      
   Rizpah is not very active in the story, which focuses on Abner and Ishbosheth.   
   After all, she is just the concubine. She seems to be another pawn in the   
   power play between two men. The biblical text is not clear about whether Abner   
   really slept with Rizpah in order to try to usurp the throne. The fact that he   
   so quickly changes sides suggests that it was just a bad rumor that had made   
   the rounds at the improvised royal court in Mahanaim. If he really wanted to   
   be king of Israel, would he have been so ready to join forces with David, the   
   "anointed of the Lord"?   
      
   Abner makes good on his threat of defecting to David (2 Sam. 3:9, 10, 12).   
   Ishbosheth's accusation moves the major power-broker of the house of Saul to   
   swear loyalty to the house of David, which all but ensures the demise of the   
   house of Saul. This in fact came shortly after (see 2 Samuel 4). It is really   
   the mention of Rizpah's name that has effected this change. Although Rizpah is   
   not active in the narrative, she is highly significant.   
      
   Without Abner's reaction to Ishbosheth's accusation, the war between the two   
   parties most likely would have lasted much longer. We don't know what happened   
   to Rizpah next. She reappears only in David's memoirs in 2 Samuel 21:1-14,   
   where she plays a subtle but incredibly important role in the bringing   
   together of tribes and factions.   
      
   So often we find ourselves caught up in circumstances that we cannot control.   
   What, though, can we always control, and why, in the end, is that the most   
   important thing? See Deut. 30:19, Mark 13:13.   
      
      
      
   TUESDAY   
   November 23   
      
   An Eye for an Eye or a Convenient Solution?   
      
   There is a bad famine in Israel. The Hebrew text emphasizes the long period   
   without any rain ("for three years, year after year.") This was not normal.   
   People considered God directly responsible for giving rain and withholding   
   rain. David sought "the face of the Lord." We are not told by what means he   
   receives God's answer, but its content is very clear: "There is bloodguilt on   
   Saul and on his house" (2 Sam. 21:1, ESV).   
      
   Read 2 Samuel 21:1-6. Why should Saul's descendants suffer for their   
   forefather's guilt? Does this not contradict Deuteronomy 24:16; Jeremiah   
   31:29, 30; and Ezekiel 18:1-4?    
   This is a hot issue and causes debates among scholars. Where is God's justice   
   here? Is justice something collective or something individual? Some   
   commentators suggest that David used the famine as a convenient excuse to get   
   rid of possible rivals for the throne and that the "[speaking] of the Lord" in   
   2 Samuel 21:1 was a clever manipulation of divine messages for David's own   
   purpose; yet, there is no indication in the biblical text that this was   
   David's motivation. What the text clearly states is that Saul sought to   
   annihilate the Gibeonites, who are connected with the "Amorites," the original   
   inhabitants of Canaan before Israel took control of Palestine.   
      
   The text highlights a very important principle of Scripture: although   
   salvation may depend on our decisions, our actions and choices affect those   
   around us and never take place in isolation. When faithful kings reigned in   
   Jerusalem, Judah followed God's law and sought to live accordingly; on the   
   other hand, unfaithful kings brought down many in Israel.   
      
   In the historical texts of the Old Testament, there are no references to   
   Saul's attempt to destroy the Gibeonites. However, the example of Saul's   
   revenge on the priestly town of Nob (1 Samuel 21) suggests that Saul was   
   capable of this. Saul's zeal looks good from the outside (after all, the   
   Gibeonites were foreigners), but the divine evaluation of this act underlines   
   God's high regard for faithfulness (Josh. 9:15-21). God expects us to honor   
   our promises. As we will see, Rizpah gives us (and King David!) an object   
   lesson in faithfulness.   
   Though we don't fully understand why there should be a famine because of   
   Saul's sins, we must always remember that our actions come with    
   onsequences--always. Yet, as Christians, shouldn't we avoid doing wrong, not   
   because of the potential consequences of the act but because of the wrongness   
   of the act itself? What keeps you in line more: fear of the consequences of   
   your wrong actions, or your desire not to do wrong, period?    
   WEDNESDAY   
   November 24   
      
   Faithfulness Is a Way of Life   
      
   David consents to the request of the Gibeonites, and seven descendants of Saul   
   are found. It is here that we meet Rizpah again. Her two sons by King Saul are   
   among the ones selected to be executed so that "atonement" can be achieved.   
   Second Samuel 21:3 uses the Hebrew word atonement, which functions as a   
   technical term to mark atonement and also appears in contexts such as the Day   
   of Atonement in Leviticus 16.   
      
   Read 2 Samuel 21:1-9. How are we to understand this passage? Or can we   
   understand it? In what ways is this an example of something in Scripture that   
   we can't fully explain but that we simply need to trust the Lord on? What   
   other examples like this (of things that we don't fully understand) can you   
   find in the Bible instances in which, despite our lack of understanding, we   
   need to trust in God's goodness and mercy anyway?   
      
      
   David remembers his promise to his friend Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:12-17, 42), and,   
   consequently, he does not surrender Jonathan's son Mephibosheth to the   
   Gibeonites. This emphasizes an important point in the biblical text: even   
   though Saul broke Israel's vow to the Gibeonites, David honors his vow to   
   Jonathan, even after his death.   
      
   What does Rizpah do when her sons are killed? 2 Sam. 21:9, 10. What does this   
   tell us about her?   
      
      
   The author emphasizes his high regard for Rizpah's actions by again mentioning   
   her father's name (cf. 2 Sam. 3:7), in contrast to David, who is not referred   
   to as king or by his lineage. We only can imagine Rizpah's pain and grief as   
   she watches over the seven bodies of the executed. She builds a makeshift hut   
   from sackcloth, and there, under the open sky, she camps close to the   
   decomposing bodies and protects them from desecration by birds and animals.   
   Rizpah does not do this for one day or seven days, but it appears that she   
   watches over the bodies for many weeks, until the autumn rains begin. Not only   
   is Rizpah a devoted mother, but she stands out as an example of faithfulness   
   in the midst of a story dominated by men who are not always faithful.   
       
   THURSDAY   
   November 25   
      
   Building a Nation   
      
   Rizpah's example of faithfulness comes to David's attention. The biblical   
   author again includes the complete pedigree of Rizpah when David is told about   
   her action. She is not just any mother, she is the daughter of Aiah and the   
   concubine of Saul. Her being on the mountain "before the Lord," close to the   
   seven bodies, seems to motivate David to consider a very important act: he   
   orders the proper reburial of Saul, Jonathan, and the descendants of Saul.   
      
   Read 2 Samuel 21:11-14. How was David affected by Rizpah's actions?   
      
   Many of Israel's neighbors considered a proper burial to be essential to the   
   deceased's ability to reach a place where the gods would mete out judgment.   
   The pyramids in Egypt were huge tombs, testifying to the importance of burial   
   in Egyptian culture. In contrast, Israel's burial practices were not   
   elaborate, because the biblical authors considered death to be a state of no   
   consciousness (Eccles. 9:5, 6). This funeral, however, is very significant, as   
   it marks the end of intertribal fighting and lays the foundation for a united   
   Israel.   
      
   Read again 2 Samuel 21:1-14. What caused the end of the famine?   
      
   The famine does not end after the seven descendants of Saul are executed. God   
   responds to the plea for the land only after David has provided a respectable   
   resting place for the remains of Saul and his descendants. In other words,   
   although justice and righteousness are important elements of our interaction   
   with one another, reconciliation is required, as well. Rizpah's example of   
   faithfulness, even under hopeless and desperate conditions, appears to have   
   brought about faithfulness and reconciliation on a much larger scale,   
   resulting in an Israel that can begin to heal the wounds of intertribal   
   warfare. Rizpah's role in this crucial part of David's reign teaches an   
   important lesson that echoes through the centuries: circumstances alone do not   
   make or break a child of God; rather, we determine by our choices, for good or   
   bad, whether we will be pawns or whether our quiet faithfulness powerfully   
   will influence the lives around us. By living faithfully, Rizpah subtly   
   influenced the outcome of a nation.   
      
   Look at the power of example: through Rizpah's actions, the concubine of   
   David's enemy greatly influences David. What should this tell us, regardless   
   of who we are, about the power of our influence? Think about those whom you   
   are influencing. How might you be a better influence than you are right now?    
   FRIDAY   
   November 26   
      
   Further Study:   
      
      
   "The gospel is a message of peace. Christianity is a system which, received   
   and obeyed, would spread peace, harmony, and happiness throughout the earth.   
   The religion of Christ will unite in close brotherhood all who accept its   
   teachings. It was the mission of Jesus to reconcile men to God, and thus to   
   one another."--Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 47.   
      
   "It is one thing to read and teach the Bible, and another thing to have, by   
   practise, its life-giving, sanctifying principles engrafted on the soul. God   
   is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. If those who claim to be his   
   followers draw apart, showing no affectionate or compassionate interest in one   
   another, they are not sanctified to God. They have not his love in their   
   hearts."--Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald, March 17, 1910.    
   Discussion Questions:   
      
      
     In your Sabbath School class, think of ways to demonstrate God's   
   faithfulness to the people of your community who do not know God personally.    
     What is faithfulness? Have different class members define faithfulness,   
   using biblical characters as examples of faithfulness.    
     Many times we seem to be helpless and without any choices in our   
   circumstances. What can we learn from a woman like Rizpah, who, despite her   
   circumstances, acted so faithfully before the Lord?    
    Men of God with concubines? Descendants suffering for the sins of their   
   fathers? This story leaves the modern reader with a lot of unanswered   
   questions. Of course, as with everything in life, there are always unanswered   
   questions. Part of what it means to live by faith is to live with unanswered   
   questions (After all, if all things were answered, where would the need for   
   faith come in?). How have you learned to live with the unanswered questions in   
   your own existence? What have you learned from not having answers that could   
   help someone else who struggles with questions that beg for answers that, for   
   now, aren't coming?    
    Dwell more on the power of example. Who are the powerful examples in your   
   culture and society? Are they good or bad examples? What about your own   
   example? What kind of influence do you think you have on those who watch your   
   behavior? How different is your example at home from your example in public or   
   in church? Would those wh   
      
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