Grace of the King

The Search 2 Samuel 1-3

Today we will be spending sometime in 2 Samuel 9:1-13 In these versus this is the time when King David is searching for someone. This person is important to David because he wants to accomplish something that would bring God’s Kindness to Them.

So at this moment David is asking the question if there is anyone left from the house of Saul. Some might ask the question of why is David looking for them. The obvious answer is he is looking for them because he wants to bring harm to the last surviving members of the house. However that is not Davids intentions. Instead David wants to show kindness to the house of Saul. 2 Samuel 9:1.

So the next thing to examine is to how to find them if any exist still. So the king asks if there is anyone from the house of Saul to show Gods kindness and a servant answers Yes there is. Ziba is the one that answers that their is one left and he knows where he is. The one question to ask is if this man Ziba can be trusted and the question to that answer is yes. He was a servant that also had serval others under him so it can be considered that he can be trusted. He did serve under Saul with honor so why should it be any different here. Saul would not have given someone so much responsibility if he was untrustworthy regardless of Sauls transgressions.

Who is King David Searching for?

Why was King David Searching?

Was David out for Blood because of what Saul did to him?

Who was Ziba and can he be trusted?

The summoning 2 Samuel 4-6

It is possible that Mephibosheth was hiding from King David because he was afraid of what might happen to him. In history of one Dynasty over throwing the other it was very well practiced that if there was any kind of surviving family members that they are taken care of as soon as possible for the fear of rebellion against the throne. However Mephibosheth knew that David had every right to be angry against the family of Saul because of what he did to him. He had to flee because of how King Saul was treating him and feared death. 2 Samuel 9:4

One of the things about Mephibosheth is that he in no way was a threat to David and that is mostly because of his physical state. 2 Samuel 9:3 However though because of the way the biblical text reads their is no indication that he had any intention of bringing conflict to the house of David instead he bowed down to David to show his honor to him 2 Samuel 9:6.

Somethings that were going threw Mephibosheth head are most likely unbelievably unimaginable. He is here before the king thinking that he has every right to Kill him where he stands because of the sins of his house. His own grand father tried to kill him and he believes that is what King David plans to do to him so he though but their was a much larger goal that David had. As the texts reads in 2 Samuel 9:7 it is very clear that he was feeling a sense of fear because David relied to not be afraid.

Was Mephibosheth scared?

Should he considered a threat?

What was Mephibosheth thinking before meeting David?

The Grace 2 Samuel 7-13

It is from the understanding of the text that David cared and morned for Saul at his death and of Johnathan. 2 Samuel 1:12 David would have never done this if he would have not cared for Saul even with all that he did to him. He served him with honor and at the current moment he is on the run. So because of this and because of the love he has for both Saul and for Jonathan he does what he seems is best in the eyes of the Lord he shows him Grace for the sins of his grad-father and honors the covenant that he agreed to with his Father Johnathan. 1 Samuel 20

At this moment in the versus 7-13 we see a lot of what David did for the house of Saul. He showed kindness for his enemy and gave the house of Saul there land back. 2 Samuel 9 Not only that he even gave Mephibosheth servants to mange the land for him because of his physical disfunction. David has shown great kindness and grace to the house of Saul and does it for the sake to show the kindness of God and to the promise that he made with Johnathan. He also shows the mercy to all who are crippled spiritually by sin and longing for grace as we see in Romans 5:6-8 and Ephesians 2:8,9

The last act of kindness that David did of the house of Saul could be the most passionate act any king can do and that was that Mephibosheth offered a seat at his table. 2 Samuel 9:13 This was a very high honor because it was showing a public gesture of friendship, privilege and acceptance. It was indeed an act of grace that would fulfill the covenant that David had with Johnathan. 1 Samuel 20:14-16 It should also be remember that it is a very high honor to eat at the kings table 1 Kings 2:7 however it should be noted as well that it doesn't mean that he may have eaten at the physical table of the king that is unclear for obvious reasons.

Why was David showing Kindness to the house of Saul?

Why do it?