Okay, you can turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 9. 2 Samuel chapter 9. I'll begin reading in verse 1. Now David said, is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba.
So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, are you Ziba? He said, at your service. Then the king said, is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God? And Ziba said to the king, There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.
So the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Indeed, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Amiel, in Lo-Debar. Then king David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir, the son of Amiel, from Lo-Debar. Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself.
Then David said, Mephibosheth? And he answered, Here is your servant. So David said to him, do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather, and you shall eat bread at my table continually. Then he bowed himself and said, what is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?
And the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, I have given to your master's son all that belong to Saul and to all his house. You, therefore, and your sons and your servants shall work the land for him. And you shall bring in the harvest that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's son, shall eat bread at my table always.
Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. And Ziba said to the king, according to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do. As for Mephibosheth, he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons. Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah, and all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth.
So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table, and he was lame in both his feet. Amen.
Introduction and Book Outline
Well, just to remind us of the overall outline of the book, we're in a new section here beginning in chapter 8. Essentially what we have back in chapters 1 to 4 is the commencement of David's reign in Hebron. In chapters 5 to 8, we have the consolidation of David's reign over all Israel. And then in chapters 9 to 20, we have the consequence of David's sin.
And then chapters 21 to 24, the close of David's reign. Now, you might be inclined to ask, why would we put chapters 9 and 10 with the consequences of David's sin. In fact, chapters 9 and 10 are very positive, but they do show an inconsistency and sort of a buildup going into chapter 11. Essentially, what you have in chapter 9 is David's kindness to a descendant of Saul.
In chapter 10, you have David's kindness to an Ammonite, basically in his foreign policy. And then in chapter 11, you see David's ruthlessness to both Bathsheba and to Uriah. So 9 and 10 sort of serve as a precursor. It shows David in his godliness and in his kindness.
And then in chapter 11, we see his downfall in terms of the particular sin he engaged in with reference to adultery and murder. And if you look back at chapter 8 for just a moment in verse 15, we should always remind ourselves, chapter 8 verse 15, so David reigned over all Israel and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. That describes the general tenor of David's reign. Certainly up through chapter 8, we have a positive sort of assessment of David's reign.
Chapters 9 to 20 is a bit more negative in nature of David's reign, but the overall tenor, the overall sort of characteristic of David's reign was good. He sinned, he was not perfect to be sure, but we could identify verse 15 of chapter 8 as sort of a summary statement of the entirety of his ministry. He did administer judgment and justice to all his people, but he didn't do it perfectly. Remember that he's a heroic man, he's a figure in Israel that is to be prized, to be sure, but he comes up short.
There's one hero that the Old Testament continually points the nation of Israel to, and that's David's greater son. Well,
The Intention to Show Kindness
let's pick up chapter 9, the kindness shown to Mephibosheth. And as we read this particular chapter, you're probably wondering, are we going to get out of here early tonight? Because essentially, David just does a solid for a descendant of Saul. But there are things that we ought to look at in this particular chapter and things that it teaches us concerning, first and foremost, our gracious God.
But I want to look at it in two considerations. First, the intention to show kindness in verses 1 to 6, and then the execution of kindness in verses 7 to 13. Let's look at his intention to show kindness. Notice verse 1.
Now David said, Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? In our marginal reading in the New King James, it translates or it shows that another reading for kindness there is covenant faithfulness. This is a word that we have met with before. It's the Hebrew word that is called hesed.
And that means covenant faithfulness. One translation tells us it is faithful love. It's a very rich and a very strong word. One man has defined it this way.
Chesed is a covenant term, wrapping up in itself all the positive attributes of God. love, covenant faithfulness, mercy, grace, kindness, loyalty. In short, it refers to acts of devotion and loving kindness that go beyond the requirements of duty. And I think the rest of this chapter will flash this out. It's very important.
It refers to acts of devotion and loving kindness that go beyond the requirements of duty. Notice in verse 3, is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God? David identifies this hesed as something that is characteristic of God, and David wants to have or imbibe that sort of an approach to somebody that remains in Saul's house. So it's a very strong, a very rich, a very wonderful word.
I think the ESV renders it in places in the Psalms as steadfast love. Again, a way to sort of see that it's love to be sure, but there's something undergirding it. There's something foundational to it. And more often than not, it has the idea of covenant.
And that's what is laced throughout chapter 9.
The Covenantal Background of Hesed
Notice when David says, for Jonathan's sake, in verse 1, and then he says it again in verse 7, that reminds us of the covenantal background. So David is operating consistent with promises made to Jonathan, when Jonathan was alive, when they had sort of interaction together, they had a covenant, they were bound together, and we'll look at that in just a moment. But it is important to see that emphasis on hesed in verse 1, 3, and 7. It is conspicuous.
David is wanting to show kindness to Mephibosheth. Some have taken this and said, well, Mephibosheth was a surviving son of Saul and therefore a rightful heir to that particular throne. And so David would have perceived him as a threat in that capacity. So the idea was to bring Mephibosheth into David's house and put him in sort of a house arrest situation. keep Mephibosheth under watch, keep him under wraps so that he couldn't go out and sort of rally up popular support and try to have an uprising against David and the consolidation of the kingdom.
That's not what's going on. It's David's consistency with the covenant obligation that he had entered into with Jonathan, and he's designed to show hesed, or kindness, or this faithful love for Jonathan's sake to Mephibosheth. So, that's the conspicuous purpose. Now, notice the covenantal background.
The Covenant Between David and Jonathan
You can turn to 1 Samuel 18, just to see the covenant made by David with Jonathan. 1 Samuel 18.3, we'll just look at the various references to their covenant together, and then we'll look at the specific feature in view here with Mephibosheth. But notice in 1 Samuel 18.3, then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul." This is that particular instance when Jonathan takes off his robe and he gives it to David. That is emblematic. That is a symbolic reference that Jonathan is saying that David is worthy to wear the king's robes.
David is the heir apparent. David had been victorious in the Valley of Elah against Goliath. He comes back from battle and Jonathan takes off his own royal robes and hands them over to David. This was very significant and very self-effacing on the part of Jonathan to willingly part with that heir to the throne for David.
But nevertheless, notice that Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. Notice in 1 Samuel 20, 20 at verse 8, 1 Samuel 20 at verse 8, Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father? They have a covenant together.
Notice in 20. 20, 42, they depart. We see that Jonathan said to David, go in peace since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord saying, may the Lord be between you and me and between your descendants and my descendants forever. And then again in 1 Samuel 23, specifically at verse 18. Verse 18 of chapter 23, so the two of them made a covenant before the Lord and David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his own house.
So you see that covenant is intact, it's in place. It is something that is binding. Now the specific feature that does apply with reference to Mephibosheth is found back in chapter 18. You can look there, I'm sorry, chapter 20. 1 Samuel chapter 20.
Notice what Jonathan says to David. In verse 14, he says, and you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die, but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever. You see, Jonathan understood what happened when a king occupied the throne. The king who occupied the throne tended to liquidate the rival dynasty.
In other words, if David takes over Saul's throne, if David is going to function like kings in the ancient Near East, he's going to kill the entirety of Saul's house. That's just the way you secured power. That's the way you secured the throne. And so Jonathan, understanding that, asks specifically in verse 14 that if David takes the throne while Jonathan is alive, David, please do not kill me.
Remember, we have this covenant together. You shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die, but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever. No, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. This is again repeated, or this is repeated later by David to Saul himself.
Notice in 1 Samuel 24 at verses 21 and 22. 1 Samuel 24, verses 21 and 22, Therefore, this is Saul, swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house. So David swore to Saul, and Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. So back to 2 Samuel 9, it is for Jonathan's sake, it is because of covenant that David wants to find a surviving member of the household of Saul so that he can express this covenant love, this steadfast love, so that he can show this kindness This hesed, this hesed of God, he wants to pour it out upon this man. I think there's just a couple of things that we ought to observe here with reference to David.
The passage of time did not nullify his promise. Now it's probably about 15 to 20 years later than when he first covenanted with Jonathan. We know that because in 2 Samuel 4, at verse 4, Mephibosheth was 5 years old when he was dropped and he was lamed or maimed. Remember that? 2 Samuel 4, 4.
You can look like you remember. You can just peek back if you don't. But in 2 Samuel 4, 4, Mephibosheth is dropped. He wasn't born lamed.
He was dropped and that maimed him. It hurt him. Well, here at the end of chapter 9, Mephibosheth has a son called Micah. So there's probably about 15 to 20 years that has transpired.
Remember I said, we cannot read these historical books unless indicated that it's a strict chronology. Chapter 8 probably deals with all of the wars and all of the battles that took place during David's life or during David's reign. It's not just, you know, we got out of chapter 7 and boom, boom, boom, and then chapter 8 and boom, boom, boom. No, it's not always necessarily structured like that.
One of the elements of Hebrew narrative, it's not necessary that it be written like we are inclined to write history books. So, there was a period of time that had gone by. In fact, in Calvin's sermon on this particular passage, he is really tough on David. I mean, he says that David should have shown this kindness to Saul's household based on the covenant with Jonathan right away.
In fact, Calvin really, really, really, really, really lets David have it for letting 15 to 20 years pass before he shows this hesed to Saul's house. Now, I don't know if that's necessary. I mean, David was busy doing a whole host of other things like killing Philistines and subjugating the enemy nations around them and bringing peace and stability. But the fact is that David did remember that covenant.
David did act consistent with that covenant. David is desirous to pour out this hesed upon a descendant of Saul. As well, we need to understand that the consolidation of the kingdom did not militate against him keeping his word. Now, can you imagine for a moment a man like David occupying this particular office or this particular position and reckoning in his own head, well, the northern kingdom is now mine.
Saul has no more claim whatsoever. I really don't care one bit about his descendants. I really don't care one bit about their claims to the throne. The power is mine.
I am not going to make good on this particular covenant. It would have been very easy for David to dismiss this. It would have been very easy for David to not follow through with this. But David operated by covenant.
David felt the binding nature of that solemn promise that he had entered into. And as a result of what he said to Jonathan, he is going to express kindness to a descendant of Saul. As well, the promise of covenant is perpetually binding. There's a lesson for all of us in this particular chapter, which we will see at the end of the evening tonight.
When we give our word to something, brothers and sisters, we need to be faithful. If we enter into covenant, we need to swear to our own hurt and not change our minds. That's one of the descriptions of the godly man in Psalm 15. We don't sign on the dotted line only to renege later.
We don't say I do at the altar only to renege later. We don't say that we're going to bring up our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord only to renege later. We don't have that privilege or that right under covenant to break it willy-nilly or as we see fit. David is a consistent man and he is going to hold to the promise made to Jonathan and even made to Saul.
If ever there was a guy who could have said, I'm not going to keep the promise made to Saul because Saul was a wretch. You see, we do that sometimes. We say, well, that person, they're not worthy of my promise being kept. If we've made a promise to that person, we need to keep it.
Bottom line, he didn't reason, he didn't rationalize it away. He didn't say, well, you know, Saul tried to kill me and he was a real miserable wretch, so I'm glad that he's gone. I'm glad that his descendants are out wandering the earth and that they have no right or entitlement to any good. No, that's not what David did.
David, beginning in the chapter, he says, is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? Dale Ralph Davis says concerning covenant, here is the power covenant exercises. The promise made in the past directs fidelity in the present. The promise made in the past directs fidelity in the present.
I think Paul appeals to our baptism in that manner in Romans chapter 6. When it comes to sin, when it comes to presenting our members as instruments of unrighteousness, what does Paul tell us to recall? What does Paul call us to remember, to recollect? He tells us to remember our baptism.
You died with Christ, you were buried with Christ, you've been raised again with Christ. That's a covenant of sorts. In that sacrament of baptism, there is that covenant expressed that we are giving up ourselves unto newness of life. We've received the remission of sins, and we're going to walk with the Savior.
So Paul appeals to that in Romans 6, and he says, remember, that past event, it has binding efficacy on your present conduct. Therefore, do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness. The past covenant that we swear or that we enter into has relevance to our present fidelity. I think he's right on there.
The Specific Plan: David Seeks Mephibosheth
Now note the specific plan with reference to the intention to show kindness, verses 2 to 6. He meets with Ziba, this servant of Saul. And Ziba, of course, identifies that there is a remaining heir to Saul. And it is interesting, Davis points this out too.
Whenever you see David and Ziba, he's referred to as king. Whenever you see David and Mephibosheth, he's David. Probably the author, just another means by which he shows the intimacy and the unity and the union and communion that David enters into with Mephibosheth. I mean, think about it.
The king calls to this man to sit at his own table with him. There is an intimacy that is enjoyed by sons of David that is conferred upon Mephibosheth. You'll hopefully start making the connections to David's greater son and the sorts of intimacy that he enters into with his covenant people wherein he lets us come to his table as undeserving and as unworthy as we are. So it's just an interesting note there that every time Ziba and David are mentioned, it's King.
Every time it's Mephibosheth and David, it's David. It shows that personal element and that intimacy and that union. Notice, specifically, Ziba indicates that there is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet. That's verse 3.
Remember, that's Mephibosheth. He's identified for us in the chapter subsequent, but we see him in 2 Samuel 4.4. So, of course, the king says, where is he? Ziba tells him.
Then King David sends and brings him out of the house of Makir, the son of Amiel, from Lo-Debar. Now, note their meeting in verse 6. Well, just backing up for just a moment, when Ziba says to the king, there is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet, why would he identify him that way? Robert Alter says Ziba's mention of the surviving Saulides handicap, that means descendant of Saul, Ziba's mention of the surviving Saulides handicap is probably intended to assure David that Mephibosheth will not pose any challenge to the throne.
He's not a threat, David. He's lamed in both feet. He's not a contender for the throne. He's just trying to reassure David.
Now notice, David and this man meet together. Verse 6, Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Why do you think Mephibosheth did this? Most likely Mephibosheth knew the practice of kings.
Mephibosheth knew that when David took the throne of Saul, the next logical step was to exterminate the descendants of Saul. So Mephibosheth is summoned to come and see the king. So Mephibosheth falls down before him, which is probably no small feat, for a man who is lame. I mean, I know from post-surgery, certain movements still hurt me incredibly.
Well, this man is lame. He had broken feet when he was little and it stuck with him. But he sees David, he prostrates himself before David on the ground. He shows him that disposition.
Van Hoy says, it is probable that Mephibosheth thought his life was in jeopardy because he was a descendant of Saul. And it was common for the founders of new dynasties to murder all potential successors to the throne from the royal house they displaced. And then he gives us several examples. He says, this fear, however, was unfounded because David was a king who did what was just and right for all his people.
So you see Mephibosheth did not know what David's intention was. Mephibosheth gets word that he is to appear before the king. And Mephibosheth rightly, at least in his mind, concludes, the king's probably going to take my head off, so I'll just fall down before him and pay my respect to him and show my deference and my reverence to him. And then, of course, David says to him, Mephibosheth, and Mephibosheth says, here is your servant.
And that brings us now to the execution of kindness in verses 7 to 13.
The Execution of Kindness
Note first David's promise to him. in verses 7 and 8. This is amazing. Remember, if you remember, I know it was almost 16 minutes ago, but about 16 or 17 minutes ago I said that this whole idea of hesed, or this covenant love, it refers to acts of devotion and loving kindness that go beyond the requirements of duty. We're going to see that in just a moment.
Notice what David says in verse 7. So David said to him, do not fear for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather and you shall eat bread at my table continually. It's absolutely stunning. It's absolutely amazing.
Protection, Provision, and Position
Note first the promise of safety. He tells him do not fear. Mephibosheth, I'm not going to cut your head off. Mephibosheth, I'm not going to compound your problems.
I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to destroy you. I am going to protect you, Mephibosheth. And not only is there going to be protection for you, but there's going to be provision for you.
I'm going to give you land. Notice. I will restore to you all the land of Saul, your grandfather." Remember, Saul hailed from Gibeah. That's where he lived.
And at the death of Saul, then David either took it over, the crown took over that particular part of land or property. And what does David say to Mephibosheth? You're going to get that. Remember, this whole idea of hesed or kindness, it goes above and beyond the call of duty.
And then note thirdly what David says. He gives him position. You shall eat bread at my table continually. So Mephibosheth falls down before David thinking that he's going to lose his head to this new king.
And then David says, no, you're not going to lose your head, but rather I'm going to protect you, I'm going to provide for you, and I'm going to bring you into a position of intimacy. I'm going to welcome you to my table as one of my own sons. You're going to eat at my table continually, Mephibosheth. What do you think Mephibosheth thinks at this particular point?
He's probably blown away. Well, he tells us he's blown away. Notice in verse 8, he bowed himself and said, What is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I? You see what grace does?
It causes a person who receives the grace to recognize their own unworthiness. We saw the very same thing in David's prayer in 2 Samuel 7, 18. After God promises to David a successor from his line that will reign forever and ever and ever, then King David went in and sat before the Lord and he said, Who am I? O Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?
It's the same sort of thing that we find with Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth is not only not going to die, but he has received protection, provision, and a position of intimacy. Now, to underscore or to highlight how I can say that this goes above and beyond what was promised in covenant. We already looked at it. 1st Samuel 20.
You can go back there. I want you to see this so you can see how David exceeds the promises stipulated in the covenant with Jonathan. Notice in 1st Samuel chapter 20. Specifically in verse 14.
And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die. What's Jonathan asking? Jonathan is saying, when you occupy the throne, do not kill me. When he says what he says in verse 15, but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever.
No. What's he saying? Don't kill my descendants. Do not destroy my descendants.
So back to 2 Samuel 9. What is the stipulation? What is the promise of the covenant? The promise is simply that David doesn't kill Mephibosheth.
But David does not only not kill Mephibosheth, but he gives him protection, provision, and a position of intimacy. He welcomes him into his own family. Isn't that a picture of what we have in the gospel? Not only does our Lord Jesus Christ not cut us off and send us to hell, but He protects us, He provides for us, and He brings us into this position of intimacy.
You see, when Jesus Christ operates in the New Testament. There's a rich, beautiful tapestry in the Old Testament that serves as something of his marching orders. Jesus knew all these stories, and Jesus knew this work, and Jesus operates consistently with it. Again, we ought to reject that whole mindset when persons say, oh, the Old Testament, it's so filled with wrath and fury and judgment.
Here's King David of Israel. We come out of chapter 8 whereby he has subjugated all the enemy nations around him. I mean, David is the conquering king. I mean, if David was a poster in our generation, he'd have, you know, big guns and there'd be a helicopter in the background and a tank and a... and a battleship, and he would be like leather, and he would be just this rugged, brutal man.
And what's he doing here? He's telling Mephibosheth, don't fear. I'm going to give you back your land. And not only am I going to give you back your land, but you personally, Mephibosheth, are going to eat at my table every night for the rest of your life.
That is glorious, wondrous, blessed grace. That's what Chesed is all about. David says this, David goes far beyond any bare requirement. David doesn't merely spare Mephibosheth's life, but heaps goodness on him.
He not only protects his life but restores his inheritance. He not only saves him from the shadow of death but prepares a table for him. David's kindness goes beyond survival to sustenance. Mephibosheth is cared for by and with the king and will never face destitution.
It takes no imagination, but only faith, to see that David's chesed is but a faithful reflection of Yahweh's, with whom there is no such thing as bare chesed. And he deals with three sites, Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
Why? Because he loads us daily with benefits. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Do we ever unpack the meaning of that?
I don't want for anything because God the Lord is my shepherd. That's what David is exhibiting to this man Mephibosheth. It truly is a picture, a symbol, an emblem, a type of the gospel concerning David's greater son. And as I said, Mephibosheth understands this and that is precisely why in verse 8 he bows himself and he says, what is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?
He's a lame man, he doesn't have a whole lot of capacity to serve the king in any way whatsoever, but most importantly and most foundationally and fundamentally, Mephibosheth is an enemy of the throne. As an heir of Saul, as a descendant of Saul, this Mephibosheth is an enemy of King David of Israel. So King David of Israel, as far as Mephibosheth was concerned, would be in his rights to cut off his head and throw him into a ditch. But that's not what King David of Israel does.
King David of Israel affords him protection, provision, and a position of intimacy.
Ziba Appointed to Carry Out the Command
Now note the execution of this plan. Verses 9 to 11, he essentially tells Ziba to make it happen. "'Do it, Ziba. "'I have given to your master's son "'all that belonged to Saul and to all his house.
"'You, therefore, and your sons and your servants "'shall work the land for him, "'and you shall bring in the harvest "'that your master's son may have food to eat. "'But Mephibosheth, your master's son, "'shall eat bread at my table always.' "'Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. "'Ziba wasn't hurtin'. Ziba was doing quite well himself.
Then Ziba said, verse 11, according to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do. That next clause probably is the remaining words of Ziba, when he says, as for Mephibosheth, There's no said the king, it's probably he shall eat at David's table like one of the king's sons. So essentially, he is rehearsing the command that Yahweh had given to him. Ziba executes faithfully the command that David had given to him in this particular instance.
And then it tells us, or it indicates for us, that Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah, and all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. Just to show that it was fleshed out. Probably the reference to his son Micah indicated that there were persons attached to Mephibosheth's family that would indeed reside in the land that King David was giving to them. And then that last statement underscores the graciousness of David in this whole event.
So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table, and he was lame in both his feet. I really don't know why it reminds us that he was lame in both his feet. I tried to get super spiritual and metaphorical earlier and thought to myself, well, it does indicate that even though we've received protection, provision, and position, it doesn't mean that our feet grow back. It doesn't mean that all our woes in terms of the physical well-being of our lives, just because we come to that place of graciousness from the living and true God, it doesn't necessarily mean that all of our earthly trials are away from us.
We're still Mephibosheth and we still have lame feet, but we have a position at the king's table, we have provision from the king's hand, and we have protection afforded to us from the king.
Application
Well, as we conclude, there are a couple of lessons that I want to draw out. In the first place, we ought to follow, and I've already touched on this a bit, but I do want to read an extended quote from Davis that I think underscores this.
David as a Covenant Keeper
We ought to follow the example of David as a covenant keeper. Again, we all are in covenant in one form or another. If we are believers in Jesus Christ, we are certainly covenanted to our God. We are supposed to be faithful.
We are supposed to pursue holiness. We are supposed to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. If we are married, we are in a covenant. If we sign on the dotted line and we pledge that we will pay back whatever it is we borrow, that is a covenant of sorts, and we need to be faithful men and women, and we need not renege on those obligations.
Turn to Psalm 15. I think this is an important passage for us to see and to understand. Psalm 15 asks the question, Lord, who may abide in your tabernacle? Who may dwell in your holy hill?
Now, I personally believe that this is a description of our Lord Jesus Christ, because He fulfills these things perfectly. He fulfills them perpetually, exactly, entirely, and personally, and on behalf of His people. But having saved us by His grace, having brought us out of darkness into marvelous light, He calls us to live in a similar way. He calls us to function in a way that is consistent with the gospel.
We are to let our conduct, according to Paul in Philippians 1, be worthy of the gospel. We are saved in order to pursue good works. We are saved in order to do good things. We are saved in order to represent our blessed Christ in this world.
So notice what we find in verse 2 in terms of description. He who walks uprightly and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart. We all would affirm that these are the things that we should be doing. We need to walk uprightly, we need to work righteousness, we need to speak the truth in our hearts.
He who does not backbite with his tongue. We ought not to slander or backbite or speak ill of others. We ought not to compromise somebody's privacy by telling someone else who has no need to know what this person does. We dealt with this on Sunday morning in our study in church discipline.
If your brother sins against you, go to him. Tell him his fault. Don't tell everybody. Don't Facebook it.
Don't tweet it. So he does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend. In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord, and he who swears to his own hurt and does not change. That ought to be us, brethren, when we give our word.
We swear to our own hurt and we do not change. That is what God calls us to, faithful covenant keeping. Goes on to say, he who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
So covenant is most important. So when David makes this covenant with Jonathan 15 to 20 years prior, He doesn't get to this point and say, well, you know, I've already got power over the kingdom, doesn't matter if there's any contenders, doesn't matter if there's any descendants of Saul. Saul treated me pretty crummily, and I'm certainly not feeling duty-bound or constrained to bless anyone from his family. No, that's not the way we're supposed to reason.
Davis says, if you are a Christian, your life consists of covenant obligations, times when you made sacred promises. He gives several examples. Calvin gives several examples in his sermons, both of them being Pedo-Baptists, say that when we baptized our children, we made a covenant to bring up our children in the training and admonition of the Lord. both Calvin and Davis are Presbyterian, so you can see what drives that. But as Baptists, I like to think that we have at least an unspoken covenant that we're going to Ephesians 6 for our kids as well, and bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
I mean, we can't say, well, you know, I'm just tired for the rest of these three years, and I'm not going to do anything. No, we have covenant obligations. We have duties. We have responsibilities, whether we're tired or whether we feel like it or not.
You see, covenant overrules what we feel like. Covenant is steadfast. Same with husbands and wives. I don't feel like loving her as Jesus Christ loved the church.
I don't feel like submitting to him the way that the church submits to Christ. It doesn't matter what you feel like. You have made a covenant. You have an obligation before the living and true God.
You don't have a right to renege on a promise made to God and to men. I mean, all of us stood before men and God and said, we will, we do, we will, we do. And yet we don't, we won't, and we rot, whine, and grumble, complain, and snivel, and say, well, you know, it's just not because of this. No.
And then he gives this illustration about B.B. Warfield. Anybody heard of B.B. Warfield?
Yeah. He says, and he gives several examples before the war field day, he says, and then he says, this is Davis again, one does not keep such vows because it is dramatic, but because it is faithful. Sometimes you do not keep your covenants because you feel like, but simply because you promised. And then he says, the works of B.B.
Warfield, the esteemed biblical theologian of Old Princeton Seminary, are still known and read in evangelical churches today. What is not so well known is the tale of his marriage. Warfield was pursuing studies in Leipzig, Germany in 1876 and 77. This time also doubled as a honeymoon with his wife Annie.
They were on a walking tour in the Harz Mountains when they were caught in a terrific thunderstorm. The experience was such a shock to Annie that she never fully recovered, becoming more or less an invalid for life. Warfield only left her for his seminary duties, but never for more than two hours at a time. Amazing. says his world was almost entirely limited to Princeton and to the care of his wife for 39 years.
One of his students noted that when he saw the Warfields out walking together, quote, the gentleness of his manner was striking proof of the loving care with which he surrounded her, end quote. Davis again, for 39 years. That is the power covenant exercises. When a husband or a wife has an ailing partner, they don't say, well, I'm going to divorce you now because you don't meet my needs.
No, they push up their sleeves and they get busy taking care of the other person because they've made a covenant. You see, this chapter is very applicable to each and every one of us, because David is a paradigmatic covenant keeper that you and I ought to follow.
David as a Type of Christ
A second thing we ought to consider in this passage is the typical significance of David. In other words, he functions here as a type of Jesus Christ. David functions as a type of David's greater son. In the first place, he operates according to covenant.
So does his greater son. The covenant of redemption, compacted between the persons of the Trinity, prior to the creation of the world in eternity. I don't say eternity past, because there's no past with eternity. But the Father, the Son, and the Spirit covenanted together to save a people from their sins.
Christ comes into this world and he says, my meat is to do the will of him who sent me. Jesus is operating strictly and according to covenant. throughout the entirety of his life. He is the covenant mediator. He is the surety of a better covenant.
He is the Lord of the covenant. He is the messenger of the covenant. He is the one that is obedient to the terms of the covenant. So David and David's son operate according to covenant.
Secondly, in this passage, David provides every temporal blessing to Mephibosheth, protection, provision, and position. Every temporal blessing is given by David to Mephibosheth. In the New Covenant, our beloved Lord Jesus gives us every spiritual blessing. He gives us a whole world of temporal blessings as well, but with reference to spiritual things.
Everything we need for protection, for provision, and for position is afforded to us by our covenant head. So what David does for Mephibosheth, Jesus does for Mephibosheth as well. Thirdly, He provides in an over and above sort of way, doesn't He? He goes above and beyond the call of duty in chapter 9.
He not only not kills Mephibosheth, but he heaps this goodness upon Mephibosheth. The same is true with our Lord Jesus. Just two specimen texts will underscore this, and you can probably think of many more in the New Testament. In John 1.16 we read of Christ.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. He doesn't just give us grace, He gives us grace for grace. He doesn't just miser out a little portion, but of His fullness we have received. And then that blessed statement of the Apostle in Romans 8.32 concerning God, He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
So David heaps goodness upon Mephibosheth, Jesus heaps goodness upon us, Mephibosheth. And he does so over and above the call of duty. He doesn't just keep us alive, he makes us alive together with him. He says in John 10, I came that they might have life.
And that they might have life what? abundantly. Jesus isn't about just giving us a little tiny bit of his blessing. Jesus heaps it upon us. It is glorious.
It is effusive. And then in the last place, with reference to the typical significance of David, he blesses the one who is insignificant, the one who is unworthy, and the one who is even an enemy. And of course, so does our Lord Jesus Christ. What does Paul say to the Corinthians?
Not many wise, not many noble, not many of the beautiful people are called out of darkness into marvelous light. You're not where you're at because you're significant. You're not where you're at because you're worthy. You're not where you're at because you're deserving.
You're where you're at because of the sovereign predestinating grace of Almighty God and the doing and the dying and the rising of the Lord Jesus Christ. Never forget, by the grace of God, I am what I am. That's the reason by which we stand. And for that final observation concerning the fact that Jesus, as David's greater son, deals mercifully and graciously with his enemy the way that David did with Mephibosheth,
Sinners Blessed as Enemies of the Throne
you can turn to Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5. So not only is Mephibosheth insignificant and unworthy, but Mephibosheth is an enemy to the throne. And yet David begraces him.
David pours out blessings upon him and we are like Mephibosheth with reference to Christ. Notice in Romans 5.6. For when we were still without strength, In due time, Christ died for the ungodly. What do we glean from that statement?
When we were still without strength, we were helpless! We had no strength, we had no ability, we had no power. We were Mephibosheth, basically hiding in Lod-de-Bar, hoping that nobody would ever come fetch us to cast our heads off, or take our heads off and throw us into a ditch. Notice, for scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So you see, not only are we helpless, but we're ungodly, we're sinners. We're just not worthy of all the blessings that we are recipients to. And now notice in verse nine, much more than having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. We can stand with Mephibosheth before David's greater son and acknowledge our insignificance and our unworthiness and the fact that we are enemies, and yet He has blessed us with protection, provision, and position. Do we not respond with Mephibosheth and say, why in the world would you do this for a dead dog like me? Davis says, the first principle for grappling with the marvel of God's love is to realize that He has no business.
He has no business, in a sense, loving whom he loves. What I am saying is that we are the Lord's Mephibosheths, and there is absolutely no reason why we should be eating continually at the king's table. And if we have any sense, we won't be able to understand it either. We will be as shocked as Mephibosheth when we are summoned to the king's table.
Every time we sop, every time we take that bread and we take that wine, maybe we ought to remember Mephibosheth as he considers the promise from David that he will sit at his table continually. And may we respond in like manner, confessing the goodness and the graciousness and the kindness and mercy of God, and never for a moment thinking, we're where we're at. because of something good in us, because of something decent in me, because of something that God looked down upon and fell for. No, there was nothing that God should look down upon and fall for when He saw us. But He, in His mercy and in His grace, has given us protection, provision, and position.
So I suggest that 2 Samuel 9 is a lot more practical for the Christian today than we might have previously considered. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank you for the Word of God, and we thank you for the things that we learn in a chapter like this. And I pray that you'd help us to be men and women that are faithful to the covenants that we are in. Help us to be faithful in our relationships, and as we swear or we give promise, help us not to change, even if it means our own hurt. We ask as well, God, that we would appreciate completely what we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, that we would see but an illustration in 2 Samuel 9, a small picture of a much greater thing that our Lord Jesus has done with the Mephibosheths in the New Covenant.
We are insignificant and we are unworthy and we were your enemies, and yet because of what Christ has accomplished, we have been brought nigh. how we thank you and how we praise you and we ask that you would go with us now and we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.