MEPHIBOSHETH

MEPHIBOSHETH

 Jonathan had been David’s most loyal lifelong friend. Now that he was King, David desired to honor Jonathan’s memory. This is how we come to know a man named Mephibosheth.

David knew Ziba had been a servant of the household of Saul.   He called Ziba to question him.  David asked Ziba if there was anyone still alive from the house of Saul to whom he could show kindness.  Ziba informed King David that Jonathan had a son who was lame in both feet.  “Where is he?” asked King David.  Ziba replied, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

FROM LO DEBAR TO THE PALACE OF DAVID

So, King David had Mephibosheth brought from Lo Debar to the palace in The City of David.  When Mephibosheth found himself before King David he bowed to show him honor.  Then David called his name out, “Mephibosheth!” 

Mephibosheth replied, “At your service.”

“Don’t be afraid,”  said David, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. You will always eat at my table.”

FAVOR TO THE HUMBLE

Again, Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”

David called the servant Ziba over and spoke with him.   “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him. You are to bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.”

Fortunately, Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.  He agreed to do whatever the King commanded of him.  From that point in time and forward Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.

A NEW HOME IN JERUSALEM

It was discovered that Mephibosheth also had a young son named Mika.  Ziba and his household served Mephibosheth and provided for them both.  Their new home was Jerusalem. They were fed from The King’s table.

THE REST OF THE STORY

It is a long time before we hear of Mephibosheth again. However, there is more of his story to be told.  Without giving all the details of this later lesson of our study, I want to mention parts of what happened from another story.  So, here we are moving from 2 Samuel 9 (where David honored Mephibosheth because of Jonathan’s memory,) to 2 Samuel 19.

FAMINE IN THE KINGDOM

At this much later time, but still during the reign of David, there was a famine.  The famine lasted for three years in a row.  David sought answers from The Lord.  He was told this famine was “on account of Saul and his blood-stained house.”  The word was that this drought was happening to Israel because Saul had previously put the Gibeonites to death. This was God’s judgement delayed.

So David summoned the Gibeonites to speak to them.  These Gibeonites were the survivors of the Amorites.  They had survived because the Israelites had once sworn to spare them.  However, Saul had tried to annihilate them.

DAVID AND THE GIBEONITES

 David asked them, “What shall I do for you?  How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?” The answer they gave to David was that they had no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family. Nor did they have the right to put anyone in Israel to death. So again King David asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The Gibeonites answered, “As for the men who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the Lord at Gibeath of Saul.”

David agreed to this request.

SAUL’S SINS VISITED HIS DESCENDANTS

You might notice here that the lame Mephibosheth could seem to be one of the most logical offerings from David at the time this request was made known.   Not so.  King David spared Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan. 

We can read in 2 Samuel 21;7-9 about how David fulfills the agreement with the Gibeonites.

“But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of the barley harvest.” (2 Samuel 21:7-9)

SPARED THROUGH A COVENANT

Mephibosheth was spared because of the covenant David had made with Jonathan.  So was Armoni. 

The two sons of Rizpah (Saul’s wife) and five sons of Michal (Saul’s daughter) were taken to the Gibeonites to be hung.  They were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.

MORE SUFFERING FOR MICHAL

You may recall when we studied the life of Michal previously. She was the first wife of David who was much later returned to him when he became King of Isreal.  Here is yet another way she suffered through no sins of her own, but merely due to the circumstances which men had forced upon her.   

The scriptures speak of how she remained childless all of her life because of the disrespectful way she spoke to David when he danced before the Lord while bringing up the Ark to Jerusalem.  Now, at this much later date, we hear how the five sons she raised while forced to live with another man are to be hung because of the sins of her father, Saul.

History does record that Michal brought up sons born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.  This was the man Saul gave her hand to and forced her to live with while she was still married to David.  Obviously, Adriel  must have had sons from another wife.  Deeper research seems to reveal that other wife was Merab, the other daughter of Saul, Michal’s sister.  So Mereb was the sister of Michal.  Michal was the one who brought up these five sons after her sister’s untimely death.

MAKING THE SCRIPTURE PLAIN

Much debate has taken place about some of the revisions of this part of the scriptures.  Updates have been made in some versions to make the truth look more obvious and plain.  Other versions have not been changed or corrected, causing some confusion when people read these passages.

The Hebrew word “yaldah” in some of these text should not have been used in relation to Michal.  It means “to bear or give birth to a child.”  When the scriptural corrections are made we are left believing that Michal raised Adriel’s five sons (who were descendants of Saul through his daughter Mereb) during the time when she was estranged from David.  She did so because her sister, their Mother (Mereb) had died. Mereb’s husband was Adriel. When she died, Saul had Michal to marry him illegially.

SEVEN SONS IN PLACE OF MANY THOUSANDS

So with the five sons of Michal (Saul’s daughter) and the two sons of Rizpah (Saul’s wife) the seven descendants of Saul were given to the Gibeonites.  Saul had killed thousands of the Gibeonites, but they only sought the lives of seven descendants of Saul for recompense. These seven sons were hanged. They were and left out in the open land for all to see that the past sins of Saul had been avenged.

And the rain began to fall again and the drought ended. 

Rizpah mourned the bodies of these men (her sons) who were hanged.  She slept near them and kept the vultures from consuming their flesh. When David heard of what Rizpah was doing, he took the bones of Saul and Jonathan and buried them at Kish’s family tomb.  Kish was Saul’s father.  David also buried the bodies of these seven descendants.

DEEP PROPHETIC MEANINGS HIDE HERE

I believe this story carries a lot of prophetic significance underneath its surface. That is not for today’s lesson, but for the lessons to come in the future.  We will dive deeper into those facts when we reach this part of 2 Samuel in our further studies of the life of David. For today, I simply wanted to point out the fact that because of David’s covenant with Jonathan being honored, not only did Mephibosheth live in the palace for the remainder of David’s reign, but his life was spared a tragic ending. 

King David’s actions of loyalty and covenant were the very best thing that could have happened to Mephibosheth and his descendants.  Like so many other times, I am reminded of God’s compassion and love.  He is quick to show favor to those who honor Him. 

Michal had not shown honor.  She had only thought of herself. There was a total lack of humility in her actions toward others. It seems she thought too highly of herself. So we see how this saddened her life.  If only she had repented.  God would have given her a new heart. Instead she let bitteness control her ways. She might have been Israel’s greatest queen instead of living her life out in sorrow and regret.

VERSES TO PONDER:  As I reviewed the scriptures for this study I wondered if a Psalm of David might apply to all of these situations.  I found Psalm 86.  This is a powerful Psalm to remember in difficult situations and circumstances.  If you wish to meditate deeper into this subject, here is a link to an excellent sermon on Psalm 86: https://youtu.be/iULX09EOeO8?si=uNlPkt7jO0E5bh0P.  May these words bless you as they have blessed me and many others.

PRAYER:  Father thank you for how you look after the humble, the wounded, and the afflicted. I’m sure Michal needed You to comfort her.  We know you are able.   How we all wish she had reached out to you during her time of testing and need. It is clear to us that you have the power to change hearts from stone to hearts of flesh.

Also, I’m sure that Mephibosheth knew You were the reason he received great favor during these times. He was a very humble person who showed honor and respect to others.  We see how you reward such servants to Your Kingdom.

 Through Rizpah’s story we know You see those who mourn, and You send comfort to them.  Life is often full of tragedy.  Often this is tragedy caused by the sins of one’s ancestors.  We pray that you break every bond Satan holds over our ancestors.  Please let them be resolved the same as when David is seen trying to resolve these bonds from the household of Saul.  

Please bring healing to our nation and our people. Repair the world from blood-guilt in the land.  Send the rain of Your Holy Spirit to help us grow. May we receive the grace, mercy and favor that King David bestowed upon Mephibosheth because of his covenant before You with Jonathan.  May all who have come into covenant with You receive your favor and mercy.  Amen.

A SONG TO LIFT YOUR HEART TOWARD GOD: 
You Are My All In All / I Will Bow To You | Ft. Bob Fitts & New Creation Worship https://youtu.be/iULX09EOeO8?si=uNlPkt7jO0E5bh0P