[2Sam 9:1-5] Where Is He? (John Lim)

John Lim

II Samuel 9:1-5

Where is he?

 

 

The story of David and Jonathan is somewhat familiar to us.  The beginning history of Israel as a nation hinges on the rise of Saul as first king and David as king who succeeds him.  As we know, Israelites demanded that they also have a king like all the other nations surrounding them.  God relented and Israel was allowed to have Saul as first king.  But as time went on, Saul turned out to be a great disappointment.  He disobeyed God and usurped God’s authority through his actions. 

 

Later on, Saul is rejected by God and God raises David to be the next king of Israel.  Surely this does not bode well for Saul and he actively seeks to eliminate David whom he considers his enemy and rival.  Instead of submitting to the will of God, Saul does everything to thwart God’s design to his own detriment.  We know that what God ordains will come about no matter how desperately man attempts to overthrow His plan.

 

And eventually in a fierce battle with the Philistines, Saul is wounded critically and falls on his own sword and dies.  On that day Saul and his three sons including Jonathan die together along with their men in midst of mortal battle with the Philistines.

 

After the demise of Saul and his sons, David slowly gains support and is able to succeed Saul as the new king over Israel.  There were still some unfinished business in power struggle but David nevertheless emerges more powerful and garners allegiance from the Israelites. 

 

The story we are going to look at for the next few weeks is about David and Mephibosheth.  Mephibosheth was a son of Jonathan.  But before we take another step, let us briefly go back and examine the historical background for this story.  Look at I Samuel 20:13b-17.  This is what Jonathan says to his friend, David as this turns out to be the last time they see each other alive.  Not long after this final meeting, Jonathan is killed in battle along with his two brothers and Saul, their tragic father.    

“May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.  But show me unfailing kindness like that of the LORD as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family-not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”  So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD call David’s enemies to account.”  And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.  (I Samuel 20:13b-17)”

 

On that day in the field, David and Jonathan made a covenant.  This covenant is an oath which they affirmed out of love for one another.  As we ponder just briefly about this covenant or oath, think about the ramifications.  We make promises with people but at times, we are not able to keep that promise.  When David and Jonathan made this oath, they were fully committed in their oath.  The concept of covenant is much more somber and serious in nature than simple promises we make and break.  Covenant carries with it the grave magnitude of death as penalty for not fulfilling the commitment.  It is an oath of life and death.  So David and Jonathan made this covenant. 

 

In this covenant, Jonathan asks David to show him “unfailing kindness” like that of the LORD.  This word, “unfailing kindness” is “hesed” or loving kindness is a very rich word with great meaning and implication.  The word means lasting loyalty, kindness, or faithfulness that exists between son and dying father or wife and husband.  This word contains powerful meaning that evokes strong emotion for those who lived in that ancient time who valued and understood such concept.  They built their friendship and exchanged their mutual commitment on that notion of loving kindness.

 

David and Jonathan have sworn their friendship with each other in the name of God that will be between David’s descendants and Jonathan’s descendants.  Jonathan asks David to show him “unfailing kindness like that of the LORD.”  And Jonathan also asks David, “and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family.”  These are very serious promises or oaths between David and Jonathan. 

 

Now, let us look at I Samuel 20:41-42 as we see the final conversation David and Jonathan have in their final face to face encounter.  Not long after this conversation, Jonathan and David will never see each other again.  

           

“After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground.  Then they kissed each other and wept together but David wept the most.  Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever,’”  Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.”

 

At this time, David was in position of weakness and Jonathan was in position of strength but they affirmed their friendship and parted company.  So this is the context which we must be aware of as we begin to delve into the story of David and Mephibosheth.  Now that we are fully aware of this covenant and sworn friendship between David and Jonathan, we can now begin the sage of David and Mephibosheth. 

We might ask who Mephibosheth is and how we come to know him.  We are first introduced to Mephibosheth out of the blue in II Samuel 4:4.

‘(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet.  He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel.  His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled.  His name was Mephibosheth.)”

 

In this one verse from II Samuel 4:4 regarding Mephibosheth, we can mine some incredible historical information about the custom, culture and tragedy that befell on Saul’s family.

 

We learn that Jonathan had a son who was not born lame but became lame because of a terrible accident.  Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth or grandson of Saul was a five year old boy.  We can imagine he was a typical child who was growing up as a king’s grandson enjoying all the privileges and benefits of being born into a king’s household.  But his world came crashing down on that fateful day when he lost not only his grandfather, King Saul but also his own father, Jonathan who could lay claim to the throne. 

 

On that fateful day, after learning of the news that both King Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle, Mephibosheth’s nurse in the best interest of little five year old boy under her charge sought safety from those who would seek Mephibosheth’s life.

 

The house of Saul was falling apart and perhaps the situation called for fleeing as quickly as they could and in the course of this fleeing, Mephibosheth fell and became crippled for the rest of his life.  What a tragedy!  There was a time when Mephibosheth was a healthy five years old boy who ran around playing like all five year old boys.  This day was a day of calamity for the house of Saul.  On that one day, tragedy struck Mephibosheth.  He became fatherless and crippled.  This is double whammy.  It is a tragedy of significant magnitude to lose your father as a five year old child.  Two terrible tragic events visited Mephibosheth on the same day back to back.  Mephibosheth lost everything on that day.  All that he had was taken from him on that fateful day. 

 

Can we imagine what life was like for him from that day on?  He was no longer a grandson of a king.  He became nothing in one fell swoop.  He was now helpless and powerless.  His status had changed from being a king’s grandson to a potential enemy of the new king.  It can’t get any worse.  This crippled man is now introduced to us as Mephibosheth. 

 

His life must not have been an easy one as he struggled with his physical limitation and societal indifference.  In ancient times, we can well imagine that crippled people were not very well regarded by others.  It was obviously not the kind of life Mephibosheth had imagined for himself.  Life was not so good for Saul’s grandson, and Jonathan’s son.

 

The picture of Mephibosheth in a sense is a picture of a fallen man.  At one time, we were in the Garden of Eden enjoying God’s creation but because of Adam’s fall, we have been displaced from the Garden and banished.  We became crippled in a sense.  That is what our life was like after the fall.  We are like Mephibosheth, crippled and helpless living day to day without much hope and expectation. 

 

Even in the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the garden, it is God who seeks them out.  Fallen man simply hides while God actively seeks him to show His loving kindness. 

 

 The second time we hear about Mephibosheth is when King David actively seeks him out.  Look at II Samuel 9:1-5

 

“David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”  Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba.  They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?’  “Your servant,” he replied.  The king asked, “Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”  Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet.”  Where is he?”  The king asked.  Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”  So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.”

 

David’s reign as king of Israel has begun and God blessed David with success over the Philistines and other neighboring nations such as Moab, Edom, Ammonites.  His throne became well established as he continued to defeat the enemies of Israel.

 

After some stability, David might have remembered the oath and promise he had made with Jonathan.  So he asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 

 

David’s seeking out anyone left of the house of Saul to show kindness for Jonathan’s sake illustrates the heart of our God who seeks out the sinners for the sake of Jesus Christ.  God made a covenant with man that he would show His loving kindness to those who neither deserved nor earned that privilege.  When God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them in Genesis, it is implied that an animal was killed to make the covering for naked Adam and Eve.  Blood was spilt in that Garden of Eden to make a covering for the fallen man. 

 

Ever since the fall of mankind, God has been busy at work putting the plan of redemption in motion.  History of mankind is history of God’s redemption at work.  As God promised, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross that He might cleanse us of our sin and redeem us.  Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb who was killed because of our sins. 

 

Through David’s showing of loving kindness, we are able to grasp in a limited way the loving kindness shown by God for us, sinners.   

 

From this dialogue, we can picture how this scene played out.  When David heard that there is still a son of Jonathan, and that he is crippled in both feet, he might have risen from his throne filled with emotion as he remembered his friend, Jonathan and the oath he had sworn with him on that day.  We do not know what went through David’s mind.  Perhaps he became nostalgic of his many conversations with Jonathan and his last conversation when David wept most.

 

Who knows how others who witnessed this may have interpreted David’s emotion.  Is the king angry?  Is the king contemplating execution for Mephibosheth?  Does the king feel sorry for this crippled son of Jonathan who now resigns to live in a servant’s house? 

 

Now, we must understand this is still tense time for everyone.  Warriors who once served under Saul were still fighting the men of David.  As days went by, the house of David grew stronger while the house of Saul became weaker.  Men were switching their loyalties and sporadic killings still took place between David’s men and Saul’s men.  So when David sought out someone from the house of Saul, it is quite probable that some may have thought David is flushing the remnant of Saul so he could destroy them completely on the context of showing kindness. 

 

However, as we continue to study the story of David and Mephibosheth, we gain greater insight.  So David finds out from Ziba that Mephibosheth is crippled son of Jonathan and that he is currently staying at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar. 

 

Now that Mephibosheth’s whereabouts has been established, David moves quickly to bring him up for an interview.  Perhaps David immediately dispatched his men to bring Mephibosheth from the house of Makir in Lo Debar. 

 

Now let us turn to Mephibosheth’s tragic life in the household of Makir in a place called Lo Debar.  Somehow, Mephibosheth’s needs are being met by the kindness of Makir.  We are told specifically that Mephibosheth is in the house of Makir, implying basically that he is homeless but by the grace of Makir, presumably a servant of Saul at one time. 

 

Perhaps one day, out of the blue, David’s envoy shows up at Makir’s house, seeking Mephibosheth.  They may have told Makir that the King David has sent them to fetch Mephibosheth.  The king has spoken and there is no one who can disobey the king’s errand.  Mephibosheth may have been extremely distraught as his tragic life never seems to end but now continues in potentially more disastrous way than ever before.  He may have thought now for sure his life is over.  His uncles have died along with his father, Jonathan.   And not too long ago, his remaining uncle, Ish-Bosheth had been murdered by his own servants who thought this would please David.  Of course they were sadly mistaken for David punished them for killing Ish-Bosheth.  Though this seemed to indicate David’s integrity, it was hard to gauge where David stood.  David is a complex character with his own foibles and idiosyncrasies. 

 

Though he is living in Makir’s house, he may have been living in fear for he has heard of all the politics of the day.  He might have thought that now his day of judgment has finally come.  Can we imagine the fear and trepidation that filled Mephibosheth’s day?  News did not travel as fast in that ancient times as today but people still talked about the events and rumors spread quickly. 

 

He might have been thinking if life gets any worse than this.  David is getting stronger and perhaps this is a sleek way to seek out all male descendants of Saul’s household and decimate them in order to establish his own kingdom to ensure there would be no potential opposition from the house of Saul.  Many thoughts might have entered Mephibosheth’s mind on that fateful day when David’s men showed up to escort him to the king.   As Mephibosheth made that trip  from Lo Debar to Jerusalem, many thoughts must have been in his mind. 

 

Our Heavenly Father is seeking those who are crippled and helpless even this day.  He is seeking them out not to punish them but to redeem them for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ whom He sent to die on the cross.  As we come to God, let us humble ourselves and confess before God that we are like Mephibosheth in need of God’s loving kindness.