Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
When was the last time you were invited to the King’s Palace? If you answered like me…never! If I ever got that invitation, first I would be over the moon ecstatic. Then, in retrospect, I would begin to suspiciously begin asking questions in my head; What? Why? and Who am I?
In today’s text we find our main character, Mephibosheth, (catchy name for a boy, right?) asking these questions. King David gives answers that Mephibosheth did neither expect, ask for nor even imagine in his wildest dreams.
Back in Bible days if you had a handicap like our hero, you were dependent on others to help meet your needs for sustenance. Often handicapped people became the beggars in the streets! Mephibosheth, however, was the son of Jonathan, grandson of King Saul. Both were killed in a brutal battle. Mephibosheth was a child at the time, so his caretaker grabbed him and quickly tried to run to safety with him. Unfortunately, she fell, dropping the toddler. Not sure what happened to her, but he became crippled in both feet! And both his dad and Grandad died that day! That’s a lot for a little kid to handle, but on top of that since he was an heir to the throne he would have been sought after-to kill him! If the Kings relatives were still alive, there would be the possibility of a take-over of the government from the opposition!
Well, as our history of Mephibosheth goes, he runs from the Palace to a pretty forsaken area, Lo-debar. He was safe there and grew up having his own family. Still, one person who knew of his heritage and whereabouts, was still in the palace. When King David remembered his promise to Jonathan to take care of anyone related to Jonathan, he began asking if anyone knew if anyone related to Jonathan was still living. When King David heard from Ziba, a servant of Saul, about this relative in Lo-debar, it was also told; ‘but he is crippled in both feet.’ King David had him brought to the Palace. Crippled or not, King David had made a promise, and he was about to make good on it!
Now, think about Mephibosheth. He gets a summon from the King. This is the King that is not related to his family line. It is the King that his grandfather tried to kill several times to prevent David from becoming King, without success. So, when Mephibosheth is summoned, his first reaction is probably a mixed one of shock, incredulous, and terror! How did he find me? What does he want with me? What will happen to my family?
When he is finally there and is called before the King, his mind is still thinking ‘danger.’ He makes his way to the King groveling with each painful step on his crippled feet as the King begins by bestowing blessings on Mephibosheth; I intend to show kindness to you because of your father Jonathan and restore all your fields.”
What Mephibosheth heard was; ‘you are as good as dead to me.” And he asked, “What is your servant that you would take an interest in a dead dog like me?”
The King tried to explain to Mephibosheth that he was not in any danger, he finally asked an aide to help explain all this to Mephibosheth as he was not comprehending what the King was saying because his vision was that the King would kill him! King David extended a welcome to Mephibosheth and his entire family to come and live at the palace with King David’s own family. They would all be taken care of because that was the promise King David made with his friend Jonathan.
When all the arrangements were finally understood and Mephibosheth was living in the palace, he must have been completely overwhelmed! Here he is, the man with two crippled feet, being called to the Kings table. Imagine that scene! Dinner is called and everyone is at the table expectantly. King David, his Queen, the Kings handsome sons come strutting in, chatting about their day. The daughters tossing their hair and arranging their gowns as they take their place at the table. They are told to wait to begin by King David, Dad, until Mephibosheth arrives. He is on his way, they can hear the ‘tap, clunk, tap, clunk, of his handicapped feet and crutches as he walks through the palace halls. ‘Tap, clunk, tap, clunk.’ They all wait. Finally, he arrives, is seated and greets everyone. He slides his two crippled feet under the opulent, gold table-cover. Now, he is ‘just one of the family.’ His deformity is covered.
In this Bible narrative, King David is a ‘type’ of Jesus. We are all, Mephibosheth! We were deformed, broken, unable to care for ourselves living in our sin. Even though we lived far away from the King, we were always on his mind, and he longed to bring us home to be with him. Though it was difficult to comprehend that this King, all knowing, all powerful and all-encompassing would be interested in us, when we finally got it, we were enthralled with the concept that we could become a ‘King’s kid’, just by accepting the King’s offer!
Christmas is coming. It is a portrayal of acceptance into a King’s family. He, Jesus became that crippled outcast. He left it all behind to become one of us! Now, we can become like Him, sitting at THE King’s table, all our guilt, shame, all our sin, is under the covering of the blood of Jesus.
You really cannot think about the joy of Christmas without thinking of the torture of the cross. It was there that the promise for our destiny was fulfilled. Thank You Lord!
Question: Have you ever felt undeserving of forgiveness? None of us deserve it, but all of us can have it, that’s why it’s called grace!
Leave a Reply