When Leaving Lo-debar

When Leaving Lo-debar

2 Samuel 9:1-13  

 

Illus. What’s involved.

 

            This morning we will be introduced again to a man by the name of Mephibosheth. We first learned about Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 4. He was the grandson of the first king of Israel, Saul and the son of Jonathan. In second Samuel 4, we were given insights into his situation. There was a son of Saul who had started a war to try and keep the kingdom away from David, but he became fearful. And we received an update regarding to the line of Saul in chapter 4 which helped our understanding that the son of Saul named Ish-bosheth was really the only true threat to David because the only other son, his grandson Mephibosheth, was unable to walk.

 

2 Samuel 4:4, Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was disabled in both feet. He was five years old when the news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up and fled. But it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and could no longer walk. And his name was Mephibosheth.

 

That is all we know of his story up to this point. It was a sad story. He had a caretaker and as the news came that Saul and his sons were murdered by a Philistine army, his caretaker knows that they may come for all the sons of Saul. He was 5 years old at the time and as his caretaker picked him up to run and flee, then dropped him and he ended up disabled for the rest of his life in both feet. 

The circumstances of his life, put him in a difficult place physically, and this morning we will learn that he moved to barren place geographically which seems to indicate that he was living a life hiding and hurting. His house, his line, once the pride of Israel, had seen a sharp decline and Mephibosheth was living out his life in a town called Lo-debar.

In chapter 3:1 we learned that the house of David was growing stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul, was growing steadily weaker and weaker. David became king over all Israel in chapter 5, he set up his kingdom in Jerusalem, had the ark of God brought in. In chapter 7 we read that there was peace in Israel and God had given David rest from his enemies. He was given promises from the Lord that his sons would follow him as kings and then that through his line would come the King of Kings, the promises Messiah who would reign eternally. In chapter 8 we see David taking more land and territory, in verse 14 we read that the Lord helped him wherever he went.  Things are going well for David and his family, he was truly growing stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul, weaker and weaker.

In this chapter, we see Mephibosheth, the only remaining son of Saul at the time, in a place of great tragedy. Unable to walk due to his injury, and living in the town called Lo-debar.

The name of the town has a meaning, “no pasture,” “no word,” “no thing.” It was about 80 miles from Jerusalem, and the picture we get was that Mephibosheth that gone to a nothing town in the middle of nowhere, hiding in a desolate place because his family had lost its way and due to his circumstances, there seemed to be no way out.

After about 15 years away in that nothing town,  David is going to call for him to be brought into Jerusalem from Lo-debar. Mephibosheth would have much reason for concern, there would be many unknowns as the household of his grandfather had largely declared themselves David’s enemy, but David is going to show him differently.  He is going to show kindness to him, he is going to show care and concern for his situation, and he is going to offer a better place for him than the place he has been.

It is a powerful story that speaks not only to the life of Mephibosheth historically, but to our lives spiritually and presently. Perhaps you have been living in “Lo-debar,” if so, there are three things Mephibosheth learns in this chapter regarding the King David, that are important for you to know about King Jesus.

 

1. Know The King Desires to Show You Kindness

 

2 Samuel 9:1, Then David said, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul, so that I could show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

 

• The chapter begins with king David asking a question. “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul, so that I could show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

 

• It is a surprising reason for David to ask such a question. It is one think for a king to ask if anyone was remaining of the household of a previous king, but another altogether for the expressed purpose of showing kindness.

 

• It was customary in that day for kings that were from a new line, a new dynasty, to destroy anyone in the line of the previous dynasty.

 

• There was always a threat of someone starting an uproar to try to put someone else in place. It had already happened with Ish-bosheth even though it was known in the land that David was the Lord’s anointed.

 

• Considering all of this, it would have been quite normal for David to ask the question, “is there any still let of the house of Saul?” But to ask for the purpose of showing kindness, was something unheard of.

 

• While it may be surprising to those hearing the question, it seems to be something that David had in mind for quite some time.

 

• There is a backstory to his question, and it goes back to the book of 1 Samuel when David had a best friend named Jonathan who was a son of Saul.

 

• We know that Jonathan was killed in battle with his father Saul, and when that happened, David had lost his best friend.

 

• David deeply mourned the loss of Jonathan in 2 Samuel 1, and he had reason to do so because throughout the book of 1 Samuel we see Jonathan as one of the, if not the, only true and faithful friend to David.

 

• Their friendship was quite surprising because very early when David came on the scene, He was anointed as the next king.

 

• Saul would still sit in the seat as the king for several years, but Saul was told that the kingdom was going to be taken away from him, in other words, his sons would not succeed him, Saul was going to be it.

 

• This had a direct impact on his son Jonathan, because he would not be the next king, and it became evident that David was the one the Lord had chosen.

 

• In response to it, Jonathan took an uncommon posture, rather than preserve his own place, his own house, he handed his royal robe and military gear over to David, as if to say, “this is rightfully yours” (1 Samuel 18)

 

• And Jonathan is consistently seen looking out for David, offering him warnings, and confirming to David that he knew he was going to be the next king.

 

• In chapter 20, Jonathan reveals that he knows David is the next anointed king of Israel, and in their final exchange, as David is going to flee from Saul for his life and Jonathan is going to go fight in battle with his father, he knows he is the next king and he makes a covenant with him…

 

1 Samuel 20:13(b) -16, …May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness 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.”

 

• Jonathan says, make this covenant with me, show kindness to my family, show kindness to my house.

 

• Jonathan knew that Saul was after David, that things weren’t looking good, and as things went from bad to worse, Saul will set out kill David and Jonathan wanted him to promise that he would not take out vengeance on his house, but would show kindness.

 

• So David is remembering his promise, and looking for someone form the house of Saul, for the sake of Jonathan, to show kindness to.

 

• The word for kindness is hesed which is a word that means kindness, mercy, faithfulness, lovingkindness.

 

2 Samuel 9:2-5, Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they summoned him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” Then the king said, “Is there no one remaining of the house of Saul to whom I could show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan, one who is disabled in both feet.” So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.” Then King David sent messengers who brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

 

• Ziba was a servant of Saul. He seems to be the one given charge over Saul’s estate. David calls him in to ask if there is anyone left.

 

• Ziba is aware of Mephibosheth, about 80 miles away, disabled in both feet, unable to walk, living in Lo-debar. The place of “no pasture” a “no thing” place.

 

• David then send messenger who go get him, and bring him from Lo-debar and they will bring him before David the king.

 

• It would have been around a 3-day journey to get him from Lo-debar to Jerusalem, and I wonder what he was thinking on the way.

 

• When he was leaving Lo-debar what might his thoughts have been regarding the king. He would not have known about the covenant between his father and David. In fact, many believe that he ended up in Lo-debar because he was likely in hiding from the new king.

 

• He was 5-years old when his father passed away and now he was in his early 20’s.

 

• He is being summoned by the king, he will be brought before him, the only surviving son of the house that had sought to end David’s life…I wonder if he was thinking, this is the end for me…But David was going to prove differently…

 

2 Samuel 9:6-7, Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he said, “Here is your servant!” Then David said to him, “Do not be afraid, for I will assuredly show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you yourself shall eat at my table regularly.”

 

• Mephibosheth fell on his face before the king, and David called his name “Mephibosheth, do not be afraid, for I will assuredly show you kindness…”

 

• I will surely show you kindness, goodness, favor, mercy…Do not be afraid.

 

• Right away, the king wanted him to know, he did not need to be afraid, he called him to show him kindness.

 

Illus. Just calling to say…

 

• This is a picture of salvation and spiritual reality in Christ for you and me.

 

• The Lord says, do not be afraid, I want to show kindness to you, I want to restore you, redeem you, welcome you to my table.

 

Titus 3:4-7, But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

• After hearing what King David desires to do, Mephibosheth responds…

2 Samuel 9:8, Again he prostrated himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should be concerned about a dead dog like me?”

 

1. See That He Is Concerned About Your Status

 

• Mephibosheth hears the words of King David and he seems to be in shock.

 

• David said, I am going to show you kindness, give you land, you will eat at my table…I other words, you have nothing to worry about from here on out, you’re all set, you will be taken care of.

 

• Mephibosheth falls to the ground again, “who am I, what am I that you would concern yourself with a dead dog like me?”

 

• The word there for “concerned” is to turn toward, to look upon, or to regard.

 

• Who am I that you would turn your face toward me? That you would look my direction? That you would be concerned about a dead dog like me?

 

• That saying, “dead dog” meant a worthless, or insignificant person.

 

• He did not see himself as worthy of what was happening, or worth the interest and inheritance the king was offering.

 

• For those in Lo-debar, you know right where Mephibosheth is…But it is also important you know that there is a better place to go than Lo-debar, and that is, into the presence and loving arms of the King of Kings, know he is concerned about your status.

 

• David sought him, “is he still alive? Bring him to me!”

 

• The king, in his kindness, looked toward him, welcomed him into his presence, and let him know he had a better place for him.

 

• The idea of someone face turning toward another had significance in Bible times. It signified grace, mercy, acceptance, and attentiveness.

 

• This is something that God does in our lives that is a depicted as a great blessing.

 

Numbers 6:23-26, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: ‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

 

• David was concerned about Mephibosheth, and the concern of the king was humbling to him. He knew he was not worthy, that is was only by his kindness, his grace, and his mercy that just a thing was happening to a dead dog like him.

 

• David himself knew this posture before the Lord, and he wrote about it in Psalm 8.

 

Psalm 8:4-5, What is man that You think of him, and a son of man that You are concerned about him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty!

• This is something in important for you to know this morning, the Lord is concerned about your status. He is mindful of where you are, and for those who feel like a dead dog out in Lo-debar, you need to know you that leave that place and the Lord will welcome you with his face turned toward you!

 

• I love how David calls Mephibosheth by name when he arrives, and he tells him, I am going to restore your inheritance!

 

Isaiah 43:1, But now, this is what the Lord says, He who is your Creator, Jacob, and He who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!

 

• That is what the Lord says to His people!

 

Illus. Called out.

 

Illus. Lost.

 

Ephesians 2:1-2(a), And you were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world…

 

Ephesians 2:4-9, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 

• As the chapter closes, Mephibosheth will be brought in, given a new status, and a place at the king’s table.

 

III. Live in Light of the Inheritance He Gives

 

2 Samuel 9:9-13, Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s grandson will have food to eat; nevertheless Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, shall eat at my table regularly.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “In accordance with everything that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as one of the king’s sons. Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he ate at the king’s table regularly. And he was disabled in his two feet.

• King gave an inheritance to Mephibosheth. There was territory set aside for him, a home for him, a place for him, provision for him, and a seat at the table for him.

Illus. Pictures.

1 Peter 1:3-4, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

 

Ephesians 1:11-13, In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory.  In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise.

 

Romans 8:15-17, For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

 

Ephesians 1:18-20, I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.

 

Illus. Rejected.

 

• Mephibosheth sat at the table as one of the king’s sons! He ate at the table of the king for the rest of his life.

 

Revelation 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

 

 

2 Samuel 9:1-13