(2 Samuel 9, 16, 19)
David had had a very special relationship with Jonathan, the son of king Saul. David and Jonathan had sworn a covenant of friendship to each other in the name of the LORD, promising peace between their descendants for generations to come. So when David is king over all of Israel, after Saul and Jonathan have both died, David wants to know if there is anyone left from the house of Saul to whom he could show kindness for Jonathan’s sake.
In answer to king David’s request, a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba is summoned. Ziba tells David about a son of Jonathan named Mephibosheth, who is lame in both feet. David learns from Ziba where Mephibosheth had been living, and he brings him to his palace in Jerusalem.
When Mephibosheth is brought before the king, he bows down to pay David honor. “Mephibosheth!” David addresses him. “At your service,” replies the lame man. “Don’t be afraid,” David says to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.” He goes on to promise to restore to him all the land that belonged to his grandfather Saul, as well as give him a permanent place at the king’s table.
Mephibosheth is deeply humbled and grateful. “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” he asks in reply, bowing once again before the king.
Then David again summons for Ziba, and puts him and his household in charge of farming the land that had belonged to Saul, so that Mephibosheth might receive its income and be provided for. Ziba willingly accepts this responsibility, and from then on, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.
To make a long story short, the latter part of David’s kingship does not go well. He commits adultery with Bathsheba, and has her husband Uriah killed. And while God forgives David’s sin, there are still disastrous consequences and things in David’s family and kingdom go from bad to worse. He not only looses the baby that Bathsheba conceived, but his son Amnon violently rapes and disgraces his half sister Tamar, and so David’s son Absalom kills his brother Amnon in revenge. Next, Absalom conspires to take over the kingdom from his father David.
Knowing that Absalom has won the hearts of the people of Israel, and fearing that his son will attempt to kill him in order to gain the throne, David flees Jerusalem. And all those who remain loyal to David go with him. Except for Mephibosheth. When David arrives at the summit of the Mount of Olives with his band of men, Ziba is there waiting for him. Ziba had brought provisions and supplies which he presents as a gift to David and his weary travelers. Then David asks Ziba, “Where is your master’s grandson?” Ziba lies to David, saying “He is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks that he can now take over his grandfather’s kingdom.” Feeling betrayed, David tells Ziba that he can have Mephibosheth’s land and inheritance. This is exactly the response Ziba was hoping for. “I humbly bow, Ziba replies, “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
Absalom and his army go to war against David’s men, resulting in Absalom’s death and David’s men coming out the victors. And eventually, the people of Israel decide to bring David back to Jerusalem to reign as king once again.
When David returns home to Jerusalem, all the men of Judah come out to welcome him back to the kingship. Mephibosheth also comes out with them to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or shaved or changed his clothes from the day David had left until now. He had fasted and waited anxiously for his king’s safe return. When David sees him, he asks, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”
Mephibosheth explains that he had wanted to and intended to accompany David when he had fled from Absalom. But being lame, he hadn’t been able to mount his own donkey. When he had asked Ziba to saddle his donkey for him so that he could go with David, Ziba had betrayed him, and spoken slanderously about Mephibosheth to cause David to doubt Mephibosheth’s loyalties. But he tells David that he can do whatever he wants with the land, saying, “All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave me a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?”
David has heard more than enough to be convinced that Mephibosheth is truly loyal. And yet, he’s at a bit of a loss as to what to do about his stolen inheritance. He decides that Ziba and Mephibosheth should divide the land equally. But Mephibosheth says, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned safely.” He is so elated and relieved to have his king and his father’s best friend home safely, that he really doesn’t care about the land. And while we aren’t told the rest of Mephibosheth’s story, I am sure he continued to eat at the king’s table as long as David was on the throne.
There are so many beautiful parallels between the story of Mephibosheth and the story of what Jesus has done for each one of us.
Like Mephibosheth, we have a King who is committed to our good because of a special covenant that was made on our behalf. In Christ, we get to receive the benefits of a promise that was made long before we were even born...an eternal promise that says we are purchased and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb that was shed on our behalf. And so we have a special invitation to dine at the table of the Most High King, and be treated as one of His precious sons and daughters. Like Mephibosheth, we have been given an a wonderful, unmerited inheritance. Not because if anything we have done to deserve it, but because of who our Daddy is.
However, like Mephibosheth, we will also experience hurt and injustice as we live in this fallen world. Mephibosheth was lied about and taken advantage of because of his vulnerable position as a man with disabilities. He got left behind, betrayed, slandered and cheated. While you may not suffer from a physical disability, you have probably been hurt in some way by people who tried to manipulate your vulnerable situation for their own selfish gain. We have all endured loneliness and rejection of one form or another. Perhaps you have felt misunderstood or marginalized. Perhaps someone has overlooked or abandoned you. None of us can escape the brokenness of this world undamaged.
We also have a spiritual enemy who loves to steal, kill and destroy. He would like nothing better than to rob us of the spiritual blessings we have been given in Christ. He wants to steal our joy, peace, hope, and confidence, and leave us feeling defeated and alone. Similar to king David, King Jesus has gone away and temporarily left this world behind. And until He returns again as conqueror to reclaim the kingdoms of earth as His own, we will experience hardships and troubles. We will suffer at the hands of an enemy who wants us to doubt our own loyalties to the One True King.
But what I love about this story, is that Mephibosheth remains faithful. He could have easily said, “Well, Ziba has stolen my inheritance and turned David against me. There’s nothing left for me here; no reason to remain loyal to a king who thinks I’ve betrayed him.” But he didn’t. He waited patiently until the king returned to set things right. He didn’t even care about the inheritance he had lost. He wasn’t in it for what he could get. He simply loved his king, and wanted him back more than anything else. Mephibosheth recognized that he never deserved the king’s generous gifts anyway. The king’s friendship was more than enough.
And I wonder, when King Jesus returns for His own, will we be found faithful? Will we give in to the discouragement of the enemy and decide that it’s not really worth the cost of following Jesus? Or will we, like Mephibosheth, decide that nothing we could ever loose is worth more than the loving Presence of our King? Will we be overjoyed just to see Him? I know I want to be able to fall at His feet in worship and hear the words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and enter in to the joy of your master.”
We have a good and loving King who has invited us to dine with Him at His banqueting table. We have a King who sees every wrong done against us and cares deeply about our pain. We have a King who gave His own life for our ransom and healing. We have a King who has not left us as orphans but given us His Spirit. We have a King who will one day punish every injustice, and make all things right. We have a King who will return for us and take us to live with Him forever. We have a King whose presence is worth everything! We have a King whose love and friendship is more than enough.
So let’s be grateful and faithful servants. Let’s love the King Himself more than anything He can give!
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