Lesson 13: David's Early Kingdom - Part 4 Mephibosheth

2 Samuel 9:1-13

Tonight we come to one of the most vivid pictures of Christ in the life of David. It is so because the picture here is one of the beloved loving the unloveable. The sovereign bending down to help the beggar. The king personally caring for the lowest one in society.

We come to this chapter remembering what Saul had done to David. Saul in his jealousy accused and abused David. He treated David harshly, cruely, and then tried to have him killed in battle and even tried to kill him with his own hands. David had to flee for his life, and the king chased him for a few years even. Finally the house of Saul fell and David was ruling over all Israel.

Now most tyrannical dictators would at this point, kill everyone in the kingdom that pertained to the old king, lest they try to rise to power again, but not David. David shows grace because:

David Remembers His Covenant with Jonathon

David had made a covenant with Jonathon, and David remembered it. He hadn’t forgotten his vows.

You and I would be wise to keep our vows before God.

When you sign your name on the dotted line, you are making a covenant, you are making a vow – to pay something back, to keep some commitment, don’t you forbear to pay.

When you said “I Do” you made a vow before God to love and honor that spouse until what parts you – death. Keep that vow. Don’t forget it, remember it.

David kept his word, his vows, his covenants and commitments.

1 Samuel 18:3 AV

Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

1 Samuel 20:14-17

I. His keeping of his covenant v.1

Two quick things to note here, David was king of the land now. No one would question him on anything. He had weighty matters to attend to on a daily basis for his kingdom.

Yet there are two reasons why it was important for him to

A. David cared to keep his word

He remembers a conversation and a covenant he had made some 23 years before.

No one around him knew about this private conversation, the other party had been killed about 18 years before. Yet, David knew and God knew, and that was enough for David to fulfill his word.

As David asks this question, we are reminded of the utter destruction that had come upon Saul’s household. If you read through 1 Chronicles 8:33-40 you will see how many descendants there were through Jonathan, and yet, out of all of more than 170, only Mephibosheth was left.

B. David cared for His friend

He was doing this for Jonathon’s sake v.1b

Why was David making this overture anyway, what was his reasoning, it was because of the relationship he had with the father of Mephibosheth. He loved Jonathon. It was because of what Jonathon meant to him, that he did this great kindness.

For Jonathon’s sake David had mercy and blessed Mephibosheth, and for Christ’s sake, God has forgiven us; and for Christ’s sake, we are now kind and compassionate toward one another and bless the Lord and witness to the lost.

Oh, what a beautiful picture the Bible gives of Christ here.

II. He makes a search vv.2-3a

Isaiah 53:6 AV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Matthew 18:12 AV

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

David searched for Mephibosheth, David didn’t even know his name, but he went looking for him until he found him.

The Lord searched for us and showed us mercy.

Can’t we serve the Lord and aid in the search for the lost? Can we not go the extra mile and to find someone to be a blessing to.

III. He cares for a helpless one v.3b

Those that were lame, blind, maimed, handicapped were not even allowed into the tabernacle or the temple. They were, in the Old Testament, a picture of the debauchery of sin. It had no place in the house of God nor with the people of God. Much like the leper, as leprosy was a type of sin, were not allowed in the camp, the lame were not allowed in the holy city of David, Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 4:4 AV

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.

In all actuality, there are two names he is listed by in the Bible, the other name is Merribaal, which somewhat honors Baal, and they changed it or added the name Mephibosheth, which had to do with shame.

He was lame physically, he had a bad lineage, and a bad name and replacement name. There was not one thing that was an endearing quality at all.

IV. The king reaches out to the peasant v.5

No doubt, Mephibsheth was living a low key life, if not outright hiding. Who knows how quickly a kings can turn and find someone to throw his wrath upon, one more person to show his anger, and who better than the rival to the throne, a direct descendant of his predecessor Paul.

Mephibosheth was not reaching out to David, he couldn’t – but it was David who reached down to Mephibosheth.

Likewise, we could never save ourselves, we wouldn’t even know how to do it. But God made a way for us.

John 12:32 AV

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

V. The attitude of the humble v.6

James 4:10 AV

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

The attitude someone that the Lord has drawn to himself through his Word, testimony, preaching, or whatever media – should be that of humility.

There must be realization of our own depravity and sinfulness, and an inability to save ourselves.

VI. The response of the sovereign v.7

A. Fears are taken away

Isaiah 41:10 AV

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Matthew 28:20 (AV)

...and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Revelation 21:4 AV

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

B. Kindness is promised

Psalm 36:7 AV

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

C. An inheritance is assured

John 14:1–3 AV

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

VII. The utter dependency of the redeemed v.8

Not only was Mephibosheth humble at initially meeting David, but he continued to be humble, even through the trouble near the end of the David’s life, where he realized he was worthy of not one of the blessings of his Lord and Master.

2 Samuel 19:25-30

This should be our attitude as well. No matter what comes our way, God is good and we are worthy of no blessings.

May we have the attitude mentioned in Luke 17:10 of a true servant:

Luke 17:10 AV

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

VIII. The restoration vv.9-10

=Mephibosheth was reconciled with the king. His family was restored in Israel. No longer was he a vagabond; or second class, but he had his own home, his own servants, his own land.

IX. The new status of Mephiboseth vv.11-13

V.11 – “he was as one of the king’s sons.”

Oh praise the Lord for the beautiful picture of what Christ would be to us.

Galatians 4:4–5 AV

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

What a wonderful picture David continues to portray of who Christ would be and what his conduct would be towards us, and what an illustration of humility and utter dependence Mephibosheth shows to us as well. May God help us to be utterly dependent upon him for all things.

Not on our jobs, not on our present circumstances; not on our tranquility in our home life or with our friends, because those things will not always be perfect, because others are involved, but we can always be dependent on our Saviour.