Up From Lo-Debar: A Study in Grace

INTRODUCTION

Grace is the topic in this lesson and rather than use a lot of man-made portrayals of it – I would like to turn to one of God’s illustrations in the Old Testament.

This is one of the wonderful reasons for studying the Old Testament

Romans 15:4 ASV 1901

4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11 ASV 1901

11 Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.

We find David now comfortably settled in the palace of Israel – the absolute monarch over the Jewish State.

He is successful, secure, and satisfied with what God has done for him.

David had defeated and subdued the Philistines, Moabites, and the Syrians (2 Sam. 8).

His name is well-known over all the land.

One particular day as David was pondering the events that had brought him from the pasture to the palace – a bittersweet memory crossed his mind, a bygone friend name Jonathan.

Jonathan’s life had ended in an untimely manner when he and his brothers were killed, along with their father, in a battle on Mt. Gilboa.

David never completely got over the loss of his friend as we are about to see in 2 Samuel 9.

2 Samuel 9:1 ASV 1901

1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

In remembrance of the friendship David had with Jonathan, he recalls a certain covenant he had made with Jonathan

Jonathan knew that David would be the next king

It was common for the family of the previous regime to be exterminated, thus, Jonathan said...

1 Samuel 20:14–16 ASV 1901

14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not; 15 but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

So the agreement was that when David became king he would show kindness to any living relatives of Jonathan rather than exterminate them

2 Samuel 9:2–3a (KJV 1900)

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. 3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him?...

I want us to note a key word in these verses – “kindness” it occurs three times in this chapter (vs. 1, 3, 7). - It is the Hebrew word chesed and is used 240 time in the Old Testament.

The word is translated as “lovingkindness, mercy, favor, goodness, devotion, and grace.” W. E. Vines says, it is “one of the most important terms in the vocabulary of Old Testament theology.

So, Ziba is asked about the survivors of Saul’s house

2 Samuel 9:3b–6 (KJV 1900)

3 ...And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. 4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar. 5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

Many years before, at the tender age of five, Mephibosheth was in the home of his father, Jonathan, being cared for by a nursemaid, when word reached the palace that Saul and his sons were killed

For fear of being hunted down they fled and hid

2 Samuel 4:4 KJV 1900

4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Now years later, the little boy has become an adult, and he is still hiding in a place called Lo-debar – fearful that at any moment he could be found and killed.

This part of the story illustrates the first point I want you to see...

DISCUSSION

OUR NEED FOR GRACE

Mephibosheth is separated from David and the palace

Lo-debar was in northern Palestine – Jerusalem (where David was) was in the south.

There were many miles separating them – in similar fashion, man is separated from God

Isaiah 59:1–2 ASV 1901

1 Behold, Jehovah’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, so that he will not hear.

The number one reason that we need grace is because our sins separate us from God

Mephibosheth is afraid of David

The first thing that David said to him when he arrived at the palace was “Fear not…” (v. 7)

He didn’t have to fear David, but he didn’t know that - because he didn’t know David

It is just like the case of man in general.

Separated from God and ignorant of Him - he is fearful

Man is fearful of God because they do not know Him

But, sadly, there are many who do know that they should fear the wrath of God

Just as Mephibosheth learned he didn’t have to fear David – so, we too learn that we do not have to fear God

We must know Him… Bible study

We must obey Him

Mephibosheth was in a miserable place

The place where he was staying was called “Lo-debar,” which means “no pasture.” Thus, it was a place of desolation and barrenness.

This a perfect description of man’s residence away from God – barrenness and desolation.

Are lacking true happiness and joy?

Does your life seemed unfulfilled?

Maybe you are living in Lo-debar spiritually

Sure it takes a while for some to learn that, but ultimately that’s where life away from God leads.

The need of grace then is that man, away from God, afraid of God and in a miserable place, needs to hear the good news that God isn’t the way man thinks He is. God wants to help us.

THE MEANING OF GRACE

2 Samuel 9:7 ASV 1901

7 And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

Several things about grace are shown in this verse:

David was seeking someone to whom he could show kindness (or grace)

Mephibosheth hadn’t been seeking David – David sought him!

In the same way, God is seeking us, and has provided His Son – the Gospel…

John 3:16 ASV 1901

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Mark 16:15–16 ASV 1901

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.

David was lavishing abundance on someone who had done nothing to deserve it

Mephibosheth had no value to David – he had done nothing to attract David’s attention, much less anything to merit such generous treatment

It would be more understandable if David was rewarding a hero or a model citizen – but he wasn’t!

Are we not like Mephibosheth?

What have we done to deserve God’s kindness?

God doesn’t owe us anything

2 Samuel 9:8 ASV 1901

8 And he did obeisance, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

To Mephibosheth, it was incredible that David would want to be so kind to him when he had never given David so much as the time of day

He didn’t deserve what David had done for him

Luke 17:10 ASV 1901

10 Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.

2 Samuel 9:9–13 ASV 1901

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given unto thy master’s son. 10 And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king commandeth his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he did eat continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in both his feet.

David lavished abundance upon Mephibosheth that he had not deserved – but remember, he had to accept it and come to David

God does the same for us today, but…

Ephesians 2:8–10 ASV 1901

8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, that no man should glory. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.

Mephibosheth was given grace based on the merits of someone else – Jonathan; and so, we are given grace based on the merits of someone else – Jesus

Notice also that David was helping someone who could not help himself – the same is true of us…

THE EFFECTS OF GRACE

What do you suppose it was like for Mephibosheth to live there in the house of David as a son?

The benefits of royalty!

We are God’s adopted sons!!!

Every time Mephibosheth came to the table (clump – thud) he and everyone else was reminded of his condition

But he was seated at David’s table - and his true condition was covered up

We come to God crippled in sin

Beloved, our true condition is covered up at the Lord’s table

Because of the grace that David had shown Mephibosheth, he remained faithful to the king even in Absalom’s rebellion

A true recipient of grace will always be indebted to the one who showed them kindness.

Do we have that kind of spirit among us?

Do we feel indebted to God?

So much so that we are willing to:

Obey Him

Reverence Him

Worship and glorify Him

CONCLUSION

We need to understand the spirit of grace better than we perhaps do

Are we really grateful?

Does our gratitude show?

Are you in need of God’s grace this hour?

Are you in the same place as Mephibosheth when David took him in. Then you are away from God!

Are you in a place of desolation as was Mephibosheth?

Beloved, all God wants you to do to receive this free gift of grace is become obedient to the Gospel Message