Grief That Moves the King

“And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock… and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.” 2 Samuel 21:10

There is grief that is so deep that it refuses to be hidden. Rizpah’s grief refused to remain silent.

In 2 Samuel 21, a famine plagued Israel for three years. When King David sought the Lord, he discovered the cause: Saul had broken covenant with the Gibeonites, and the land was reaping the consequence of his unfaithfulness.

Though Saul was gone, the effects of his sin lingered, and it cost seven of his descendants their lives. Among them were the two sons of Rizpah, one of Saul’s concubines.

Her sons had died unjustly, but Rizpah refused to let their story end in dishonor. She spread sackcloth on a rock and kept vigil—guarding their bodies day and night, fighting off vultures and wild beasts, standing as both mother and intercessor.

Her persistence moved the heart of the king. When David heard of her vigil, he was stirred to act. He gathered the bones of Saul, Jonathan, and the seven executed sons and gave them a proper burial. Then—and only then—did God lift the famine from the land.

Persistence That Causes A Paradigm Shift

Rizpah couldn’t change the past, but her faithfulness changed what happened next and her persistence to bring honor to her sons became the turning point for a nation.

Your grief is not in vain.

Rizpah’s son’s had no voice in their death, but she is now standing in the gap for her sons who deserved dignity.

If you are grieving today, I would like you to be encouraged that your grief can bear witness.

If someone we love is grieving, then we need to learn how to sit with the, protect the dignity of the one they love, and honor the memory. We even see this when the public grieves together through a vigil or a memorial that those public acts will oftentimes confront the injustices of our world and it can move leaders to respond and act. It can also bring healing and restoration to communities, because they are grieving together, or standing together, and supporting one another.

The seven men who were killed as retribution for someone else’s sin, were finally laid to rest with dignity. And then and only then did the blessing of God return to the land and the famine ended.

Do You Feel Like Rizpah?

Maybe you have lost something. Perhaps it is a relationship, a dream, or even your hope.

Maybe you’re standing in the middle of grief, disappointment, or unanswered prayers. And the enemy has been circling like vultures, trying to devour what’s left of you.

But hear me today: don’t leave your post. Don’t walk away from the rock of your salvation. Don’t let the enemy pick apart what God has called you to guard.

Your persistence in grief, your faith in the midnight hour, your refusal to let go will move the heart of your King.

Rizpah’s vigil teaches us this: if you stay, God will see. If you cry out, God will hear. If you refuse to let go, God will respond.

If you’ve been grieving, if you’ve been battling in the night, if you’ve been waiting on God to move—make an altar of prayer in your home.

Lay your sackcloth on the Rock that is Christ Jesus. Don’t fight alone anymore. Bring your grief, bring your pain, bring your persistence to Him.

Grief does not have the final say. It has a place in your story, but it is not the end of your story. There is hope.

I am here to tell you that the famine will not last forever. The night will not always be dark. God has the final say.

He will bring restoration and healing.

Stand on the Rock, and watch the King move on your behalf.

Prayer

Lord, You see the vigil I’ve been keeping, the prayers whispered through tears, the things I’ve lost, and the pain I’ve carried. Thank You for being close to me in the middle of my grief. Teach me to stay on the Rock of Christ, even when the night feels long. Move, Lord. Bring healing, bring restoration, and let my grief become a testimony of Your glory. Amen.