King of Grace

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God Makes a Covenant with David

God will Make David a Royal Dynasty

One of David’s Descendants will Build God a House

This Descendant will be a Son to God

This Descendant will have an Everlasting Throne

David then Praises God for the Wonderful Promise that He has Made to an Insignificant Person like Him

2 Samuel 8

This Chapter Focuses on David’s Conquests and Victories

A Good Summary of this Chapter can be Read in Verses 6 & 14

“And Yahweh helped David wherever he went.”

David Turned Many Enemy Nations into Servants of Israel

They would Begin Paying Tributes and Offerings to Israel

David Dedicated the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Taken from the Other Nations to God

David’s Name Became Famous for His Legendary Conquests

2 Samuel 8:15 NASB95

So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people.

David was Ruling Over Israel, had His Enemies in Subjection to Him, and was Making Sure that Justice and Righteousness Ruled the Day in His Kingdom

2 Samuel 9

In 1 Samuel 20, David Promises Jonathan that He will Show Kindness to Jonathan’s Descendants Once He Becomes King

Also in 1 Samuel 24, David Promises Saul that He Will Not Destroy Saul’s Descendants Once He Becomes King

Those Promises Play an Important Role in this Chapter

2 Samuel 9:1–4 NASB95

Then David said, “Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” The king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.” So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.”

David Wants to Keep His Promise to Jonathan by Showing Kindness (Mercy/Grace) to His Descendants

A Servant of Saul’s House, Ziba, Tells David of a Crippled Son Who Lives in Lo Debar

He Lives with a Man Named Machir the Son of Ammiel

Machir will Help David When He is in Need Later in 2 Samuel

If Machir’s Father Ammiel is the Same Man We See Later, then Machir is Bathsheba’s Brother

2 Samuel 9:5–8 NASB95

Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he said, “Here is your servant!” David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly.” Again he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?”

David Went and Brought Jonathan’s Son Mephibosheth Back to Jerusalem with Him

We Met Mephibosheth and Learned How He Became Lame in 2 Samuel 4

Mephibosheth Falls on His Face Before David and Calls Himself David’s Servant

This was Likely Painful or Difficult for Him to Do

He Might have had the Expectation that David was Going to Kill Him Since He was an Heir to the Throne of Saul

But David Assures Him that Nothing but Good Things are Coming His Way

David is Giving Him All of His Grandfather Saul’s Land and is Giving Him a Seat at the King’s Dinner Table

Mephibosheth is Humbled and Calls Himself a Dead Dog

This is the Same Reaction David had to God After God Makes Him the Dynastic Promise in Chapter 7

2 Samuel 9:9–13 NASB95

Then the king called Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. “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. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as one of the king’s sons. Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king’s table regularly. Now he was lame in both feet.

David Makes Ziba, His 15 Sons, and 20 Servants Servants of Mephibosheth

They Were in Charge of Cultivating and Taking Care of Mephibosheth’s Land

David Treats Mephibosheth like One of His Own Sons

It’s a Touching Thought to Remember What Jonathan Said to David Back in 1 Samuel 23:17

“You will be king over Israel and I will be next to you.”

Jonathan Died Before that could Ever Become a Reality for These Best Friends

But Jonathan’s Son would Take His Father’s Place Beside David

2 Samuel 10

2 Samuel 10:1–4 NASB95

Now it happened afterwards that the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son became king in his place. Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console him concerning his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away.

Nahash, King of Ammon, has Died and His Son Takes His Place

Nahash was the King Who Threatened to Cut Out All of the Right Eyes of the People of Jabesh Gilead in 1 Samuel 11

Apparently, David and Nahash had had a Treaty

David, Again, is Trying to Show Grace and Kindness to a Royal Descendant Who has Lost His Father

This Time to a Gentile in an Enemy Nation!

David’s Gesture of Grace is Not Accepted, but Instead, Hanun Humiliates the Men Sent to Extend the Gesture

He Cuts Their Beards and Their Garments to Expose Their Private Areas

Both would have Been a Terrible Insult and Shame

This Act Initiated a Battle Between Israel and Ammon with the Help of the Arameans (Syrians)

Joab and the Army of Israel were Surrounded in the Front and Rear

They had to Fight Both Directions

Joab Took Some Men and Fought the Arameans

His Brother, Abishai, Took Some Men and Fought the Ammonites

2 Samuel 10:12 NASB95

“Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

Strong Words of Faith and Courage from Joab

Before Long, the Arameans Started Fleeing

This Led to the Ammonites Fleeing as Well

Then the Aramean (Syrian) King, Hadadezer, Rallied the Troops Together to Battle Israel

Once They Saw that They were Defeated a 2nd Time, They Made Peace with Israel and Became Servants to Israel

Applications:

We Saw the King’s Grace Extended to 2 Different People

And We Saw Their 2 Very Different Responses to that Grace

God’s Grace is Undeserved

Neither Mephibosheth Nor Hanun had Done Anything to Deserve David’s Gracious Gestures

But the Grace was Offered on Behalf of Another

They Both Received Grace Because of Who Their Fathers Were

David Represents God & Mephibosheth and Hanun Represent Us (Humanity)

We Have Nothing to Offer God

Grace Isn’t Offered to Those Who Deserve it but to Those Who Don’t

God’s Grace is Poured Out on Everyone

Titus 3:3–7 NASB95

For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

God’s Grace is a Gift for Every Single Person

Accepting God’s Grace Vs. Denying God’s Grace

Mephibosheth Gives Us an Example of Accepting God’s Gift of Grace

A Young Crippled Man with No Family Living in Lo Debar (Pastureless)

Picture a Lost and Lonely Orphaned Lamb that’s been Mangled by a Predator in the Wilderness

But Suddenly a Shepherd Seeks the Lamb and Gives it a Pasture Where it will be Protected and Taken Care of for the Rest of its Life

Mephibosheth Accepted the Crazy Generous Offer to Receive Everything He Could Ever Want or Need

Hanun, on the Other Hand, Gives Us the Example of Denying God’s Gracious Gift

He Heard the Offer of Grace and Thought it was Too Good to be True

So He Denied it, and it Led to His Destruction

We are Offered an Infinitely Greater Grace

We can be like Mephibosheth and Accept God’s Gift of Saving Grace with Eternal Gratitude

Or We can be like Hanun and Deny God’s Free Gift

God’s Unconditional Offer of Eternal Love, Life, and Joy is Unfathomably Crazy

But to Deny Such Amazing Grace is Even Crazier

David was a King of Grace, but He was Only a Shadow of the True King of Grace that Reigns in Heaven Today