David Cares For Mephibosheth The Son Of Jonathan Series

Have you ever lost a dear friend, and then thought back to the fond memories you had of them over the years? You think back to the good times. The times you spent fishing, the family get togethers, the times out on the town, and you miss them. And you think to yourself, how could I do something special for that person today? Many of us have lost friends over the years.

King David also lost a dear friend many years ago. His name was Jonathan, he was one of the sons of his adversary Saul. And in 2nd Samuel 9 we see David thinking about Jonathan, and all he meant to him.

In 2nd Samuel 8, King David had gone on a sweeping military campaign in which he conquered and subdued five enemy nations that surround Israel, to the point that these nations are for the time being no longer a threat to Israel at all.

In fact it had been a rather brutal campaign, in which enemies were crushed and nations toppled.

But now the energy of those battles dies down, things go quiet in the kingdom for a moment, and David begins thinking about Jonathan his old friend.

I remember I had a friend a long time ago that I loved very dearly. His name was Greg. We used to talk all the time on AOL instant messenger. This was back in the glory days of the internet. His username was TheSecession, and my username was Revolutioninabox.

Today he actually makes electronic music for movie trailers in California. And I’m a pastor in Michigan.

We would hang out a great deal when we were in our twenties. I think he was just using me for my car, but I still cared about him a great deal. We used to make music together. We would go on adventure around town. We’d look for beauty around the city and find those places and sit and talk and enjoy nature.

But over the years we lost touch and moved on and you wonder what ever happened to that person anyway.

But David had lost Jonathan, he had died.

In 2 Samuel 9:1 it says, “David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?””

Point number one today is, find ways to show kindness to people around you.

Most people struggle through life. They live lives of quiet desperation. They live lives of fear. So find ways to show kindness to people around you. Just like David, who looks for opportunity to show kindness to one of Jonathan’s descendants.

Someone who worked for Jonathan in the past is still around in David’s court. So they find him.

It says in verses 2-3: Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“At your service,” he replied.

3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Point number two, notice what David says in verse 3, notice that David says he wants to show “God’s kindness.” Because it’s not really just David who is showing kindness here. It’s more deeply, God who is using David to show kindness to this person.

God will use you from time to time to show kindness to someone who is having a bad day. Be sure to be open to what God is doing. Slow down your day and realize someone might need your encouragement in the room you’re standing in.

In verses 3-5: Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”

4 “Where is he?” the king asked.

Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.”

The name of this son of Jonathan was Mephibosheth. Add that one to your baby name list.

But in any case he was briefly mentioned in 2nd 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 disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)”

Mephibosheth had bad feet ever since this incident when he was five years. He’s been sort of an outcast in hiding. The nurse wanted to protect him from David after Saul and Jonathan had died in battle, but instead she dropped him and caused this disability.

For years now Mephibosheth has been cared for in a small town far north of Jerusalem in the city of Lo Debar.