Last time in 2 Samuel, we saw highlighted some of David’s military victories, and how the Lord preserved him wherever he went. We also saw the men in David’s government who helped him run things. Every successful leader has qualified individuals around them to help them do their job better. In this chapter, we will see David keep a long-held promise.
If we recall from 1 Samuel, David and Jonathan had made a covenant with each other that when David was king, he would not cut off Jonathan or his descendants forever. It was common practice in those days for a new king to completely wipe out the old dynasty as to prevent any threats of someone trying to take back the throne. David could have not kept that promise to Jonathan, because Jonathan had been dead for quite some time and any son of his could be viewed as a potential heir to Saul’s throne. However, David was a man of integrity, and he would keep his promise.
He asked if there was any left of the house of Saul that he could show kindness (covenant faithfulness) for Jonathan’s sake? So, they called Ziba, a servant in the house of Saul, and David asked him if there was anyone of the house of Saul that he could show the kindness of God? He did not view this as some random act of kindness, but as something done in God’s name with God’s heart. God always keeps His promises, and David wanted to do likewise. Ziba responded that there was still a son of Jonathan who was lame in his feet. He was living in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar. We are told of him in 2 Samuel 4: when news came of Saul and his sons’ death, the nurse grabbed him in haste to flee, and she dropped him, causing him to be lame in his feet. His name was Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was likely in hiding for fear of being executed by David. Mephibosheth means shameful one, and he was living in Lo Debar, a place of barrenness or nothingness, and it was in Gileadite territory on the other side of the Jordan. So, we have a lame man named shameful one living in the place of barrenness who was about to have his world turned upside down for the better.
David had him brought back to Jerusalem, and when he saw David, he fell down prostrate before the king. The King told him to not fear, for he was going to show him kindness for his father Jonathan’s sake, he would restore to him all the land of Saul, and Mephibosheth would eat bread at David’s table continually. Mephibosheth responded by bowing to David and saying, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” David did not respond to this statement, but called for Ziba and charged him, his sons, and servants that they should work the land and bring in the harvest for Mephibosheth. Ziba responded that he would do all that the king commanded him. The king told Ziba that Mephibosheth would eat at his table like one of the king’s sons. We are also given an extra detail here that Mephibosheth had a son named Micha, meaning that Mephibosheth was probably married. He was only five when his dad and grandfather died, so this is an indicator a good 10-15 years had passed since the death of Saul and Jonathan. David was probably 45 or so years old at this point. Mephibosheth thought himself unworthy of such blessings, but he nonetheless received it.
In a lot of ways we are not a whole lot unlike Mephibosheth. We are lame, crippled from sin, and are the shameful one. This has caused us to live in the place of barrenness or nothingness of life with the sentence of death hanging over us. But we have been called out of hiding by the king of kings, we have responded by faith and have been restored the years that the locusts have eaten, and we have been invited to eat bread at His table continually. We do this in a figure at the communion table now, but we will literally eat at His table in eternity. This is all due to the covenant faithfulness of God through Jesus Christ. If you are reading this and are not a Christian, you are unworthy of such blessings, but the King is. You only need to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior by faith, and then you will be brought out of the place of barrenness to the marriage supper of the Lamb and then the heavenly Jerusalem for all eternity.
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