Loyalty in Action

I. What is Chesed [חֶסֶד]?

God is known as the God who keeps Covenant and Mercy Deut 7:9 . It is closely associated with God’s Covenant relationships with his people. That is, God makes a promise and seals it with a Covenant, then by keeping his end of the bargain, whatever it was, that is Chesed.

Not a Random act of Kindness or generosity, but good deeds that stem from a relationship with obligations - Covenants,

king/people, 2 Samuel 5:3

2 Samuel 5:3 NKJV

Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel.

husband/wife, Prov 2:16-17

Proverbs 2:16–17 NKJV

To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words, Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God.

parent/child,

master/servant.

II. What was the Covenant between David and Jonathan.

1 Samuel 20:12–17 NKJV

Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, may the Lord do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

III. What did David Do about it?

He sought out Mephibosheth/Meribaal. Now David must have been ruling in Jerusalem for some time. Mephibosheth was five when Jonathan died (2 Sam 4:4), David spent 7 1/2 years in Hebron, but now Mephibosheth has a young son, Mica (2 Sam 9:12 ). So when David began ruling in Jerusalem, Mephibosheth was only about 12 or 13.

David isn’t sure there is anyone left, the house of Saul is so damaged that Mephibosheth has been in hiding in Lo-debar [lit. “nothing.”], way in the north.

David technical was keeping the covenant if he just didn’t kill Mephibosheth, but he goes much farther, for he isn’t trying to do the minimum. He loved Jonathan so he really wants to help

Apparently Saul’s ancestral lands had become property of the Crown, so Mephibosheth was without land and impoverished. This wasn’t right, as the ancestral lands were never to be sold. David restores the considerable property of Saul to him, so he instantly becomes wealthy

David gives him free food and housing at his own table for the rest of his life.

Mephibosheth was in no physical condition to run a large estate, so he orders Ziba to manage the land for him. It seems that Ziba in the absence of Saul’s family had become the de facto owner of it. Now he is forced to work for another. His wealth is seen in his many sons and servants. Later he tries to manipulate David into giving him better terms when David flees from Absalom, but David eventually sees through it (2 Samuel 16:1-4, 19:24-30).

Mephibosheth was truly grateful for the opportunity the King had given him. His son Mica became a leader in Benjamin, and had many children that also were important local leaders. The house of Mephibosheth became an important ally to the Judean Kingdom until the Exile (1 Chron 8:34-40; 9:40-44).

IV. What does Chesed [loyalty] look like for us?

Covenant faithfulness depends on relationships with obligations, so it’s about genuinely trying to do the best for you obligations.

For a marriage - it’s about love/submission, genuinely seeking the other’s best interest and sacrificing to help them. It’s about following them.

For a church

Church members do more than just show up on Sunday and drop something in the offering box. They seek the welfare of the other members and the advance of the gospel.

It means joining a church so you can do this, if you haven’t already

For an employee - it means doing your best job for your company.

To God:

Recognize that God’s grace is this - it isn’t just a random act of kindness, God seeks a relationship and makes a commitment to save you just because of your faith.

Worship him in gratitude for the greatness of his loyal love towards you.

Be yourself faithful to serve him and love him with all your heart.