I almost always like to post the Memory Text here and see how it fits into the study.

From the Sabbath Afternoon section I read and quote the following highlights:

1 - "The story of Rizpah is the story of an outsider playing an insider’s role."

2 - "Rizpah exists on the edge of King David’s story."

3 - "As a woman and a concubine of an earlier king, [namely King Saul], she had few options."

4 - "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."

5 - "Her presence in two crucial moments of David’s history makes her a king-maker and a nation-builder."

The Sabbath Afternoon section ends by saying:

Rizpah was a concubine of Saul, which is tantamount to having another wife, or more than one wife.

When and why the transition of more than one wife as in Adam and Eve to more than one wife as in Abraham and Hagar?

Does anybody know when this first happened as in first recorded in the Bible?

I was reading about this today:

"In the beginning God gave to Adam one wife, thus showing his order. He never designed that man should have a plurality of wives. Lamech was the first who departed in this respect from God's wise arrangement. He had two wives, which created discord in his family. The envy and jealousy of both made Lamech unhappy. When men began to multiply upon the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, they took them wives of all which they chose. This was one of the great sins of the inhabitants of the old world, which brought the wrath of God upon them. This custom was practiced after the Flood, and became so common that even righteous men fell into the practice and had a plurality of wives. Yet it was no less sin because they became corrupted and departed in this thing from God's order." {SR 75.3}

So it began with Lamech (Genesis 4:19) before the flood and even started up again after the flood to the point that even Abraham did the same thing.

Did God wink or overlook it after the flood?

Well, seems David and Solomon had lots of wives.

However, this is what it says in the book of Deut.

17:14 When you have come unto the land which the LORD thy God gives you, and when you possess it, and shall dwell therein, and shall say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are about me;
17:15 You shall in any wise set a king over you whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among your brethren you shall set king over you: you may not set a stranger over you, who is not your brother.
17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD has said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Love for our children

Rizpah loved her sons fiercely.
Some say it was five whole months that she stood guard over their bodies driving away all preditors (some of which may well have been large and dangerous). This was a 24 hour job with no relief shifts.

Denying herself sleep and experiencing hunger, she presisted, she would not let the preditors have them. Was it a religious belief that drove her to do this -- more than likely.

What can we learn from this? Do we as fiercely pray and intercede for the salvation of our children who may be hung up in the spiritual death of this world?

Now, the earthly king, David, yielded to Rizpah's demands, but how much more does our Heavenly King take note of our earnest prayers for our children?

The great point in this story is never give up on our children. Keep praying, keep driving away the preditors of doubt, and discouragement. Keep loving.

The Great King of the Universe, Our Savior Jesus Christ, has come to seek and save that which was lost -- that includes our children.

Through Christ, their sinful lives are buried in His death, BUT Christ offers more than king David ever could-- Christ raises them to newness of life! Praise His Name!

Keep praying, keep loving our children, keep protecting, remember Rizpah.

Very good points, Dedication. Thank you.

Yes, a very good quote and also very good points, however, didn't God still wink at this, or was there a lot of repenting that was done by David and Solomon and others?