MEPHIBOSHETH-The Cripple who was blessed by the King
The experience of Mephibosheth is a story which is rich in the teaching of divine grace and mercy. But before we look at these aspects, let us review the background of the life of Mephibosheth.
It all begins with Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan. While Saul was king his jealousy of David knew no bounds and on several occasions he tried to murder David. Jonathan, Saul’s son, however, knew in his heart that David would become the next king of Israel instead of himself. Jonathan and David had a deep manly respect and love for each other, and on more than one occasion Jonathan saved David from the wrath of his own father.
Things finally came to a head when Saul attempted to murder Jonathan because he spoke to his father in defense of David. Jonathan and David then made a covenant together and David decided to make himself scarce from Saul’s influence. In 1 Samuel 20:15, Jonathan asks David to promise, that when he became king, he would treat with loving kindness any remaining members of Jonathan’s house. This David did. Later in 1 Samuel 31:2 we read of the slaying of Saul, Jonathan, and two other sons of Saul by the Philistines. Then, in 2 Samuel 4:4 we are told of one of the results of this disaster. “Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.”
In 2 Samuel Chapter 9, when David had become king over both Judah and Israel, he remembered his promise to Jonathan and said, “Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” And through an ex servant of Saul, David learned of the existence of Mephibosheth, and where he was living, “and that he was crippled in both feet,”2 Samuel 9:3. Having sent for him, David restored to Jonathan’s son all the land and possessions which had belonged to Saul, his grandfather.
When Mephibosheth came into David’s presence he prostrated himself before David. But ”David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan,…….and you will eat at my table regularly,’” 2Samuel 9:7. “Mephibosheth shall eat at my table regularly,” 2 Samuel 9:10. “So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as one of the kings sons,” 2 Samuel 9:11. “So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king’s table regularly. Now he was lame in both feet,” 2 Samuel 9:13.
In this short chapter of 2 Samuel 9, we are twice told that Mephibosheth was lame, or crippled in both feet; and four times that he ate at the king’s table. When God tells us of something so many times, it would reward us to pay attention and ask ourselves, “What does God want us to see or learn from this incident?” Another interesting fact is that in verse 5, Mephibosheth, before coming to David, the king, was living in Lo-Debar, which means “pastureless.” We can therefore surmise that here we have a man who was both lame and poverty stricken.
The story of Mephibosheth has often captured the imagination of the preacher. Why? Because Mephibosheth both in his life and his person encapsulates a wonderful “type,” (or picture) of a sinner coming to faith, and of his life afterward as a Christian.
In 2 Samuel 4:4, we are told that Mephibosheth, who was of the royal line, became a cripple through a fall. Our Bibles often refer to the sin of Adam as the “fall,” and in Adam we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. As a result of his fall, Mephibosheth suffered with an imperfect walk and his way of life was crooked. Does this not describe the way of our own life before our coming to faith in Christ? We did not walk in God’s way and our life was so wrapped up in self and the world that we told ourselves that we had neither time or need of God, so our lives were often crooked.
Like Mephibosheth, who was no longer a prince of the royal line and lived in exile, so we, as sinners were estranged from the Kingdom of God and lived in a spiritual Lo-Debar. We may have been materially wealthy, but spiritually our lives were dry and barren. It was while living in this state that both Mephibosheth and we received a summons from the King. He had made a Covenant to save us, and this was His time.
In 2 Samuel 9:7, David said to Mephibosheth, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan.” Has not God shown kindness to us for the sake of Jesus Christ and for all He did for us through His Cross and Resurrection? Not only this, but David restored a heritage which had been lost. And we too have been made into sons of the King and we have a heritage in the Kingdom of God, and in which we shall reign with Him throughout eternity.
Whenever Mephibosheth was sitting in the Kings presence at his table, you will notice that his crippled feet were hidden and out of sight from the king’s gaze. This is so with us; whenever our sin is confessed and forgiven by the King, it is as though it never existed. Our sins are put behind His back, and buried in the deepest sea, to be remembered no more, Isaiah 38:17, Micah 7:19. Hallelujah!!
For a period of time David was later absent from Jerusalem, and during this period Mephibosheth lived a life of self-denial and experienced persecution and slander, 2 Samuel 16:3 and 19:24-27. Once again, this is so like the experience of Christianity. While our King is absent, in many countries of the World, God’s people are suffering persecution, and in our own Country it is ever more difficult to confess our faith without being slandered due to “Political Correctness,” and other reasons. However, in 2 Samuel 19:30 we also note how Mephibosheth rejoiced at the return of the king. Are you looking and hoping for our King’s return? Surely, His return is the only answer for this sin-sick world, and He cannot come soon enough.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!! In that day, our rejoicing will know no bounds.
God bless you
John.