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DAVID’S KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH
II Samuel
9:1-3
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
Romans
15:4
For whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
B.
This being true, we will
turn our attention to II Samuel 9.
This is an encounter between David and Jonathan’s son named
Mephibosheth.
1.
Verse
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?
2.
This question goes back to a
covenant made between Jonathan and David just prior to David’s flight from
Saul. The portion of their
agreement hat applies to this text is found in I Samuel
20:14-15.
And thou shalt
not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not: but also thou shalt not cut off thy
kindness from my house forever: no,
not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of
the earth.
3.
In II Samuel 9, David is now
honoring his word long after the death of his good friend.
C.
A
summary of the story.
1.
A
servant of Saul named Ziba tells David about a son who was lame in his
feet.
2.
David secures this young man
and blesses him.
a.
He gives him the land of his grandfather Saul.
b.
He allows Mephibosheth to eat bread at the king’s table
constantly.
D.
There are numerous lessons
for us to apply from this one chapter of the OT.
I. JESUS
CHRIST STAND IN DAVID’S PLACE
A.
David was the king over physical
Men and
brethren, Let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David that he is both
dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing
that God had sworn with an oath unto him, that of the fruit of his loins,
according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his
throne.
B.
This King also desires to
show kindness to others (
But God
commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us.
II. HUMANITY IS
REPRESENTED BY MEPHIBOSHETH
A.
Mephiboseth was of the
lineage of David’s adversary, Saul.
Saul was his grandfather. We
also served a father who was an enemy of Jesus.
1.
All of us are sinners (Rom.
3:23). Romans 6:16 teaches that we
are the servants to the one we chose to obey.
a.
Jews (John 8:44).
Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do…
b.
Gentiles (Eph. 2:3).
Among whom also
we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the
desires of the flesh and mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others.
B.
Mephibosheth was physically
lame (II Sam. 4:4). We, too, are
lame in our inward man due to sin (Rom. 3:10-18).
As it is
written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there
is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with
their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their
lips: whose mouth is full of
cursing and bitterness: their feet
are swift to shed blood:
destruct-tion and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not
known: there is no fear of God
before their eyes.
III. MEPHIBOSHETH WAS WORTHY
OF DEATH
A.
In Oriental times, it was
customary for the new monarch to slay all the males of old monarch’s
lineage. They posed a threat to the
kingdom. Insurrection could be
instigated if one son remained.
B.
Mankind is worthy of
spiritual death.
1.
Ezekiel
18:20
The soul that
sinneth, it shall die…
2.
Romans
6:23
For the wages of
sin is death…
3.
Galatians
6:8
For he that
soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption…
IV. DAVID SOUGHT FOR
MEPHIBOSHETH
A.
In II Samuel 9, David is the
one who put forth the effort to find and secure
Mephibosheth.
B.
In like manner, God is the
one who sought after man in order to bring him into a right relationship with
Him.
1.
Ezekiel
34:16
I will seek that
which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up
that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was
sick…
2.
Luke
19:10
For the Son of
man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
3.
II Corinthians
5:18-19
And all things
are from God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given
to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
V. DAVID
EXTENDED KINDNESS AND GRACE TO MEPHIBOSHETH
A.
II Samuel
9:7a
And David said
unto him, Fear not: for I will
surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake…
B.
God does not give us what we
deserve. He shows us mercy,
kindness, and grace.
1.
Romans
3:23-24
For all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
2.
Titus
3:4-6
But after that
the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
VI. MEPHIBOSHETH RECEIVED
BLESSINGS
A.
He was restored to a
position of royalty (I Peter 2:9).
But ye are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people…
B.
He was allowed to eat at the
king’s table (Luke 14:15-24).
A certain man
made a great supper, and bade many…Then the master of the house being angry said
to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring
in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the
blind.
C.
He was given the land of his
father as an inheritance (John 14:2-30.
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.
CONCLUSION
A.
What would you have thought
of Mephibosheth had he turned this blessing of David down?
B.
Yet, many reject the offer
of the King of spiritual
