When my uncle, Dr. Walter Bobby was visiting us this weekend past, he shared in the Austin Christian Fellowship of India on “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” from Hebrews 12:2, and in one part of his message, he mentioned the story of how King David looked at Mephibosheth, his friend Jonathan’s son, who was lame in his feet, as one made in the image of God and that we ought not to judge others. As I pondered upon the story of David and Mephibosheth, the Holy Spirit revealed that the story of Salvation of mankind is represented in this account.
David sought his enemy’s (Saul’s) own because of the covenant he had made with his friend, Jonathan. Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth was lame in his feet but he had become lame not on account of his own fault, but because he had been dropped as a child. Mephibosheth had reason to fear for his life as David was the king that succeeded Saul, but David tells him not be to afraid and extends his act of kindness and grace to have Mephibosheth be restored in full and to sit at his own (the King’s) table.
God sought the world that had turned to be an enemy of His. He remembered the covenant He made with His friend Abraham, to whom He had promised that the nations will be blessed. We like Mephibosheth, before meeting Jesus, were consumed in sin and in a sense lame as we could not walk in the newness of life. We were doomed to death because the wages of sin is death. Jesus removed the fear of death by extending His kindness and grace, restoring our lives in full measure, and allowing us to sit at the King of kings table and commune with God the Father.
Just as David asked “Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”, Jesus is asking the same, “Is there any that is left, that I may shew him/her kindness?“, and if you are one who has not come under His grace and liberty, He will telling you “Fear not, for I will show you kindness and you shall be restored all, and shall commune with me, The King, at my table continually.”
2 Samuel 9:1-7 (KJV)
1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?
2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
Romans 5:8-11 (KJV)
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
