Mephibosheth

[B-A-C]

There are few people written more about in the old testament than David.
Perhaps David's worst enemy was Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul was chosen by the people.
Saul had a son named Jonathan, he was probably David's best friend.
Jonathan had a son named... Mephibosheth.

In 2 Sam 9:1; David wants to know if there is anyone left from the house of Saul....

Often kings asked this question for a different reason, they wanted to kill off the competition.
If anyone was left from the preceding blood line who could lay claim to the throne, they needed
to be taken care of.

However David is asking for another reason, ... so that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake.

One of David's servants who is named Ziba knows the answer.

One thing we notice right away here, is that there is a king and a servant.
Who is your king? Are you His servant? Are you a good and faithful servant?

So in 2 Sam 9:3; Once again David asks Ziba... the question. "Is there anyone left alive from the house
of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?"

Even though Saul was David's enemy, David was willing to show kindness to his family.
I wonder if sometimes we hold grudges against innocent people, because of what someone else
in their family did to us. I wonder if sometimes we should go out of our way a little, to show them some kindness.

Ziba answers that Jonathan has a son... who is crippled in both feet.

Cripples were not thought highly of in those days. People avoided them, made fun of them,
and sometimes even mocked and ridiculed them. I've seen this happen even in this day and age.

In 2 Sam 9:4; David asks.. "Where is he?". So Ziba tells David where Mephibosheth lives.

It's interesting, the king (David) is interested in this person. I wonder if we know that our king
is interested in us. He know us, He loves us, He wants the best for us. He even knows the
number of the hairs on our head. ( Luke 12:7; Matt 10:30; ) He knew your name before you were
born, while you were yet in your mother's womb. ( Jer 1:5; Isa 49:1; ) He knows everything about
you... He is interested in you.

So David the king sends for him and has him brought before him.

In verse 6, we see the bloodline here. Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul... came and fell
on his face and prostrated himself before the king. Some Bibles say "bowed" before the king.

Here was a servant who knew how to show the king respect. He didn't use the excuse that he was
crippled. He simply showed the king the respect he was due. He knew the king held his life in the
palm of his hands. he knew the king could take of him, or kill him. He knew he should show some
respect.

Do you show respect to your Lord and king?

It says here that Mephibosheth answered David and said... "Here is your servant".
I think God is looking for servants. ( Matt 25:21-23; )

... to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

In 2 Sam 9:7; David tells Mephibosheth... "Do not fear ... for I will surely show kindness to you..."
David goes on to say why he is doing this. ...for the sake of your father Jonathan."

.. and I will restore you to the land of your grandfather (Saul); ... and you shall eat at my table
regularly.

Sometimes things in life are taken away from us. Sometimes it's because God knows what's best
for us. Sometimes it's because of bad decisions we've made. Or because someone else wished ill
upon us.

But sometimes.... God restores tings back to us when we are ready for them. Sometimes God
gives back the things that life has taken away from us. ( Joel 2:25; )

... and you shall eat at my table regularly. Do you take time to eat at the Kings table?
He has invited us. ( Prov 23:1; John 21:12; Matt 8:11; ... He has even said He is knocking at the door,
if we will open it... He will come and dine with us. ( Rev 3:20; )

Wow... to be invited to eat with the king. To eat like a king. I wonder what Mephibosheth was thinking?

In 2 Sam 9:8; Mephibosheth prostrates himself before the king once again... (some Bibles say "bow").
and he asks king David.... "who am I... that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

Have you ever wondered... "who am I... that Jesus would take notice of you". Maybe like Mephibosheth,
you have considered yourself unworthy, beneath Him. Maybe you think you are a "dead dog". Maybe
you think you are worthless... Maybe like Mephibosheth you see yourself as crippled and useless.

... and yet David tells him... you will dine at my table regularly. It seems Jesus doesn't see us as dead dogs.
David accepted Mephibosheth as he was. Crippled and all. Jesus accepts us as we are.

... to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

2 Sam 9:9; The the king called Saul's servant Ziba and said to him "All that belonged to Saul and to his house
I have given to your master's grandson.
2 Sam 9:10; You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the
produce so that your master's grandson may have food; nevertheless Mephibosheth your master's grandson
shall eat at my table regularly." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Ziba was Saul's servant. Saul had been dead for some time now, but apparently Ziba was taking care
of Saul's estate and land. Saul had more or less disowned Jonathan because he was helping David.
So by default, Jonathan's son (Mephibosheth) was not considered part of Saul's house.

But David recognized this. He restored Mephibosheth back to his grandfather's household.
David also recognized that Mephibosheth was a cripple and couldn't cultivate the land himself.
So he (the king) told them to do it... not only for themselves... but for the sake of Mephibosheth.
It seems Ziba had the man power to do this. Fifteen sons, and twenty servants.

Yet even though Mephibosheth now had a way to have food on his 'own' table. David told him
(and Ziba) that he would be eating at his table (the king's table) regularly.

In verse 11, Ziba tells the king he will do as the king has commanded him, and Mephibosheth
started eating regularly at the kings table.

In verse 12 we see that Mephibosheth had a son of his own... named Mica.
It isn't specifically mentioned, but I would guess that sometimes even Mica had a spot at the king's table.

It says that all who lived in the house of Ziba became servants to Mephibosheth.

This David seems to be a nice caring David, a godly man (after God's own heart)... this was before
he had an affair with Bathsheba. It was great that David invited Mephibosheth to his table, but I
wonder if the greater healing here... the greater miracle... was that David restored Mephibosheth
to his father's household.

Is it ironic that we have a King that restores us to our Father's household? (not only our earthly father's).

Verse 13 says that Mephibosheth lived n Jerusalem, and ate at the king's table regularly. But he was still
lame in both feet.

We don't have to be perfect to come to the king's table. We don't have to be already "fixed".
In fact... can we really fix ourselves? Can we fix ourselves without Jesus?

.. Amen.