The Bible Binge: The Always Table (2 Samuel 9:1-13)

Two Families in the RGV

There were two rival families in the Rio Grande Valley during the late 1700s and early 1800s, the de la Garzas and the Ballis. Both families are important to the history of the lower rio grande valley. Both were instrumental in the development of the Brownsville region, the de la Garzas in Brownsville and the Ballis around La Feria and on Padre Island. In fact, Padre Nicolas Balli’s statue is the one you see at the end of the causeway as you move onto the island. What’s fascinating about both families and their stories is that their claim to the vast holdings of land could be traced back to the king of Spain. This was once the King’s land, and he was in the habit of rewarding the influencers of his day with land titles in the new world. These two families found themselves on opposite sides of the destiny of the future of the king’s land… eventually de la Garzas sided with the Republic of Texas and the United States, while the Ballis’ interests were heavily bound up with the Mexican republic. Two families. Two sides. But even then.. both families got along. And in 1830, there was a marriage that united the two families in history, even as their political and economical destinies were headed in different directions.

Two families in the Book of Samuel

That’s what is happening in the book of Samuel. The book begins at the time of the judges. There is no king. Israel asks God for a king and so he gives them what they want and the kind of a guy they want… a guy named Saul. And Saul does some good things and some not so good things, including making unauthorized sacrifices. God then gives the throne to a guy named David.. David who, as a teenager, beat the giant Goliath. And for beating Goliath, Saul gave David his own daughter in marriage. Not only does he get the girl, his best friend is the girl’s brother… Jonathan. David and Jonathan both know that David is destined for the throne because of God’s promise, not Jonathan. But David promises Jonathan he would always take care of him and his family when that time comes. Two families… two houses. The house of Saul and the house of David. The one who shouldn’t be king.. Saul… and the one who was the divine choice to be king.. David. Most of the book of Samuel is the conflict between these two houses, especially while Saul was king… trying to take out and kill David before David would have the chance to be king… trying to take out his own son-in-law.

What is the Book of Samuel?

As we make our way to our story today… here’s the synopsis of the Book of Samuel.

There is a king in Israel

Saul loses; David wins

God Promises David a Forever Throne

This last item is important. David eventually becomes king. And God promises David that his throne would last forever. That the throne would never leave the house of David. David wants to build God a house, but God says “no, your son will build my house.” But you will always have someone from your family on the throne. David’s house gets the promise, but Saul’s house does not.

David’s Kindness

David was made king when Saul and Jonathan are killed in battle. 10 years later, David remembers the promise he made to Jonathan and that brings us to a very unusual story.

Is there anyone left? There is someone. What’s great about this story in chapter 9 is that it had been set up by one sentence earlier in the book. On the day that Saul and Jonathan are killed in battle, here’s this note:

2 Samuel 4:4 “Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nanny picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.”

That’s it. That’s all we’re told. Until we get to this chapter 9… 10 years later, almost as if it is out of the blue, David asks this question:

2 Samuel 9:1 “David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from the family of Saul I can show kindness to for Jonathan’s sake?”

We’re not told why David all of a sudden has this thought, but what we do know from chapter 8 is that David is at the pinnacle of his kingship. David hasn’t lost a battle in years. Everything he does is successful. And God has promised that his throne would be forever. It’s all good all the time. And then there’s this. As if something is off, something is missing. No matter how big one gets, life has a way of being real. Nothing was more real to David than his friendship with Jonathan. No matter how big, there’s reality. And there’s David’s kindness.

Twice, David’s kindness is mentioned here. David’s kindness isn’t content with all the military victories and all the acts of piety. David’s kindness is on the hunt. Looking for an opportunity to act on behalf of someone not in a position to help themselves.

The Always Table

Through the course of conversation, David is made aware of Mephibosheth. Remember that one sentence about what happened on the day the news got back to Jonathan’s house that he and his father would not be coming home? Here’s the landing point for that comment from the author. Mephibosheth is the answer to David’s question. There is one who is alive. And not just alive, he needs help getting around.

Here’s what David says:

2 Samuel 9:7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “since I intend to show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul’s fields, and you will always eat meals at my table.”

David begins with “don’t be afraid”. Mephibosheth had a right to be afraid. In those days, royal families were notorious for making sure that any threat to the throne didn’t live to be a threat. I’m sure this is going through Mephibosheth’s mind. At the same time, there is risk here for David. David is pulling a potential threat to his throne into his circle. And yet, it doesn’t matter. Here’s David, in grace and mercy, giving Jonathan’s son his father’s lands back. And then there’s this:

You will always eat meals at my table.

There will always be a place for Mephibosheth at the king’s table. Always. And if there’s any doubt as to what is taken place, the author repeats this detail 4 times… always eating at the king’s table, always eating at the king’s table, always eating at the king’s table. And if we haven’t made the connection, he also says this:

2 Samuel 9:11 Mephibosheth ate at David’s table just like one of the king’s sons.”

The king’s table is only for sons. And there Mephibosheth is included. Mephibosheth is family. He has a privilege only reserved for the king’s family… always eating at the King’s table. It’s a remarkable picture. David’s kindness that had been on the hunt finds a forgotten heir of another royal family living in obscurity, and when it is all said and done, the forgotten one is eating at the King’s table… always.

The Always Table for the Lame

But there’s also this. It’s not just that Mephibosheth belongs to the wrong family. He is also among society’s outcasts. The lame were not allowed into Israel’s tabernacle. They were considered among the unclean. So David isn’t simply entertaining a less fortunate individual at his table. This is one who has no access to anything. He has no access to worship, he has no access to the common religious practices. He is unclean. And yet there he is, with a forever pass to David’s table, a spot he had no business occupying because of his unclean status.

The King’s Table

Mephibosheth has his world turned upside down. One minute, he’s living in obscurity, probably out of fear for his life as well as his status as an outcast. The next, he is sitting at the King’s table as royalty. A royalty that is not his own… that was long gone. A royalty that is granted to him by the King himself.

The Family’s Table

And Mephibosheth isn’t simply royalty. He is family. He eats as a son at the King’s table. His status has changed. His family has changed. He has moved from one family, the family that has lost everything, and has been adopted into the King’s family as if he was His own son.

This is the story of David in the book of Samuel. Too often, we look at David’s heroics in killing the giant Goliath. We also consider that he is a military genius. A powerful king, the greatest of Israel’s kings. David does point forward to a coming king. He does anticipate a King who is coming to rescue Israel. But make no mistake… the picture of David is not complete if we don’t also have this story. The King is kind. Full stop. Yes, the king is powerful. Yes, the king is grand. Yes, the king leads his people in the worship of the true God. But this king is kind. This king is exactly the kind of king Mephibosheth needs.

The King’s Table for the Lame

Jesus picks up on this. He tells one of his famous stories keying off of this story of Mephibosheth. We read it earlier. He tells the story of a banquet being thrown by a king. When no one shows up, this is what the king says:

Luke 14:21 The master of the house told his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’

The king’s table is precisely for those who are not supposed to be there. All the people who are not allowed into the temple? Go get them. This feast is for them. The King’s table is for those who are renegades and rejects. That’s the story of Mephibosheth. Giving us a picture of the kindness of Jesus for those who have no access to God.

What is it that makes us deserving to eat at the King’s Table? Is it our good works? Our ingenuity? Our integrity? Our “saying the sinner’s prayer?” Our repentance? Our worthiness? None of these things make us deserving to eat at the King’s Table. And yet, here we are. At the King’s Table. How’d that happen? Mephibosheth knows.

This story is about you and me. You and I are the Mephibosheth’s in this story. We are the lame, the poor, the maimed, and the blind. This is us. We have no business being at the king’s table. We are full of sin and deceit and rebellion. And the King brings us to his table anyway. And he doesn’t just bring us to the King’s table. He makes us sons. He makes us heirs. He says this is your always Table.

Let’s Pray

The Table

This Table is the King’s always table. This is where the lame are always welcome. Sinners are made sons here. This table is for us. Only those who are sinners. Only those who don’t have their act together. Only those who are marginalized. Only those who are undeserving. This table is for us, because this is us. We are those who are desperately in need of Jesus. Jesus and his kindness has been on the hunt for us. And he gives us a new family. Right here. At His table. Even though we have no business eating here He says, “this is for you.” The church is for the sick. The church is a hospital for those who are broken. And in need of Jesus. The Table is a place for those who are “poor, maimed, blind, and lame” to come and sit at the feet of Jesus and have him feed us at His Table through His Word and through His sacraments. Through His people and His community. It is at Christ’s table gives us grace and forgiveness of sins.

Benediction

Numbers 6:24–26

May the Lord bless you and protect you;

may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;

may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.