MEPHIBOSHETH

2 SAMUEL 4:4

A. "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"
  1. So reads the story of the son of Jonathan, whose name was Mephibosheth:
    1. That became the exception in the house of Saul
    2. For it was the normal procedure in those days, that the family of a fallen ruler must be exterminated, so that there can be no rivalry between the house of the winner and the loser over the throne of the kingdom
  2. This story is in a way symbolical of the fall of man:
    1. Through the fall he became alienated from God and the right to the kingdom - compare Eph. 2:11 with Matt. 21:33-46
    2. As Jonathan became the reason of Mephibosheth's exception, so Christ is the great reason for the penitent sinner's exception - Rom.. 8:31-38
B. THE STORY OF MEPHIBOSHETH
  1. Mephibosheth - "Destroying Shame"
    1. Was the fortunate one because of his father Jonathan's relationship to David
    2. Normally, all the descendants of a fallen ruler were doomed to be destroyed
    3. But the special friendship between David and Jonathan brought a solemn covenant between David and Jonathan that was to be remembered - I Sam. 20:14-15; 2 Sam. 9:3-4
    4. King David had Mephibosheth brought to him and the king honored him to eat of the king's table all the days of his life - 2 Sam. 9:9
    5. He was subject to persecution and slander - 2 Sam. 16:3; 19:27; but rejoiced at the return of the king and cared little about material things - 2 Sam. 19:30
  2. Thus did David remember and pay off the love and kindness of his friend Jonathan:
    1. That attitude of David made his relationship with Jonathan immortal
    2. Love between two friends is a beautiful memorial of the true brotherhood of men
C. IN THE STORY OF MEPHIBOSHETH WE HAVE A POWERFUL PORTRAYAL OF THE LOVE OF GOD TO FALLEN HUMANITY
  1. The experience of man to begin with:
    1. He belonged to the royal house of God
    2. Was made ruler of this world by God crowning him with honor and glory - compare Gen. 1:26-28 with Ps. 8:4-7
    3. He disobeyed God, fell from both his relationship to the royal house of God; became an alien to the world that was created for him - Eph. 2:11-14
    4. The sentence of death hung over him and his posterity - Rom. 5:12-19; 3:23; Gal. 3:22
  2. But man had a Jonathan, the Son of Man, who makes the difference:
    1. This Jonathan entered into a special covenant with His Father to redeem the fallen race - compare John 3:16 with Rom 8:31-38; 2 Cor. 5:18-21
    2. In this special covenant the Jonathan of God tied himself to penitent sinners forever in that He took the nature of sinful flesh, became man - partaking of man's experience - Heb. 2:9-17
    3. Moreover, He removed the animosity between the sinner and God by His death on the cross - Eph. 2:15-16
    4. And in this manner the King of the universe spread the table before men and freely invites him to eat and drink of the bounties of grace from the Lord's table Luke 14:16-23; Matt. 22:1-12; Rev. 22:17-18
  3. These and other related truths make the story of Mephibosheth a might gospel appeal to truth hungry souls:
    1. By nature we are sinners, alien to the blessings of God
    2. But we have a Jonathan in the person of Jesus Christ; He makes the difference. Dear reader, have you experienced the love of Jesus; and you enjoying the blessings of the kingdom?


Design © John Bryant 2011