Issue 703 – Mephibosheth – April 3, 2022
Who or what is a Mephibosheth?
Mephibosheth was the disabled son of Jonathon and grandson of King Saul. His family tree made him a potential threat to David. When a king was killed, it was customary for the victor to kill off all his rival’s family and friends so that there were no heirs left to the throne to rise up and seek revenge.
While Saul was a bitter enemy of David and repeatedly tried to kill him. David went out of his way not to kill King Saul. In due course, the warring was over, Saul and his son Jonathon were dead, and David was the new king of Jerusalem.
With his throne established, David did something very unusual. He looked for surviving members of Saul’s family but not to kill them.
Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.”
And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.”
Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s [a] table, like one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
2 Samuel 9:5-13
That’s a touching story about David’s mercy, but few of us think through the application between the young man with disabilities and our own lives.
You see, we’re no different than Mephibosheth. We are not heirs to the throne of Jerusalem, and we might not be crippled in both feet, but we’re a lot alike.
Given the customs of the day, David should have killed the boy. He was a potential threat to David. Despite that, David chose to spare him.
Mephibosheth was crippled and likely needed to be carried everywhere. People with visible disabilities we not welcome at the table of royalty. If they were permitted to live, they stayed clear of the king and his court eking out a living as beggars.
Sitting at the king’s table for the rest of his life was an insult to the day’s customs. David was declaring that no matter what others had to say, Mephibosheth was welcome to stay with him.
Do you see the similarity yet to your own life? God is our king. Our sin is rebellion against God, and we are deserving of death because of it. Our death at the hand of God would be the just reward for our treachery. We’re crippled. Perhaps not physically, although maybe even physically in some ways, but we’re damaged goods. We are sinners living in a broken world. We’re scarred and banged up emotionally and spiritually by that sin.
Yet, for the sake of Jesus, God says that we are welcome at His table no matter what the rest of the world thinks. We have no right to claim a seat at the table of the King. We should not expect eternal life with Him, yet out of His mercy and grace, we needn’t scurry out of his way and hide when he approaches.
We are saved alone by God’s grace alone in the shed blood of Jesus Christ alone. Okay, perhaps we recognize that, but here’s the big question … “SO WHAT?”
So it’s time to drop any arrogance that we might have acquired about being Christians. We didn’t get saved because we deserved it. We got redeemed because the King had mercy on His little disabled children.
We ought to humbly live lives in keeping with the unmerited grace we have received. We ought to be thankful for God’s grace, and we need to show it to others.
King David didn’t just let Mephibosheth live, he gave him the lands that were forfeit by Saul’s death, and he allowed him to sit at the king’s table.
God didn’t just forgive your sins. He gave you a seat in eternity with Him and blessings in this life and beyond.
Until next time rejoice that you and I are not only permitted into the presence of the King of Kings, but we are welcome at His table.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed.
Kevin.
Gleanings From The Word.
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone.)
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV). Spelling modified to Canadian English as required.
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