LO DEBAR: INVITATION TO THE KING’S TABLE.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
DEBAR: to stop, to hinder
MEPHIBOSHETH: from the mouth of shame,
THERE IS A DARK DAY FOR ISRAEL… THE REBELLIOUS, STUBBORN DISOBEDIENT KING IS REMOVED FROM THE THRONE… SAUL AND HIS SONS DIE ON THE SAME HILL THE SAME DAY…
1 Samuel 31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
WE FACE TRIALS AFTER DARK DAYS… COME WITH ME AND LET US TRAVEL TO AN OLD TESTAMENT TOWN CALLED LO DEBAR.
LO DEBAR is a ghetto town. LO DEBAR is a place where there were NO PASTURES, NO HOPE, NO WORD FROM GOD, NO COMMUNICATION. LO DEBAR is on the west bank near Hebron. LO DEBAR is a place that is lacking, not having opportunity. LO DEBAR was a place of failures and has been, forgotten people. LO DEBAR was a town of uneducated, ignorant and unskilled people.
LO DEBAR in Israel is known as a place of DOOM and GLOOM. LO DEBAR was desolate and barren… LO DEBAR IS A TYPE OF LONELINESS. Please understand those living in LO DEBAR probably did not choose this town.
LET US UNDERSTAND WITH CLARITY THAT LO DEBAR WAS THE END OF THE ROAD OF HOPELESSNESS...
All the people that lived in LO DEBAR were “THE CASTE SYSTEM: “THE UNTOUCHABLES.” Those living in Lo Debar owned nothing. They were living in this town with NO HOPE. The residences of Lo DE BAR were just WAITING TO DIE…
On one day King Saul, his grandfather; Jonathan his Dad and his uncles were killed. The family was forever doomed
To LO DEBAR.
ONE DAY KING DAVID REMEMBERED THE KINDNESS OF JONATHAN AND HE ASKED ZIBA HELP ME KEEP MY VOW… ARE THERE ANY SEED OF JONATHAN?
MEPHIBOSHETH WAS LITTLE…WHEN HIS WORLD CAVED IN ON HIM. DEATH TOOK ALL HOPE AWAY. The NANNY or NURSE was afraid that the enemy or David would come and kill MEPHIBOSHETH and her. So she grabs Jonathan’s son and tries to escape with their lives. In a hurry to escape, the NURSE grabs baby MEPHIBOSHETH and they run for their life. Somehow the NURSE MUST have fallen and she dropped the baby. The fall was so bad, MEPHIBOSHETH would be crippled all his days. MEPHIBOSHETH WOULD LIVE A LIFE OF TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON OTHERS. LO DEBAR WAS NOT A CHOICE… NOT ONLY WAS THIS MAN CRIPPLED, HIS FAMILY IS DEAD AND NO DOUBT HE HAD MANY FEARS, ANXIETIES AND PANIC ATTACKS. They escaped to a little town called LO DEBAR.
DAVID HAD A BEST FRIEND, A SOUL-TIE, NAMED JONATHAN…. AND DAVID ENQUIRED ARE THERE ANY DESCENDENTS OF JOHNATHAN STILL LIVING? King David wants to honor his best friend, Jonathan even after Jonathan’s death. THE KINGS RULED IN A DYNASTY AND THE KINGS WOULD ELIMANTE ANY THREAT TO THE THRONE.
THERE WAS A SEARCH OF THE RECORDS THERE WAS ONE YOUNG MAN STILL LIVING THAT WAS A SON OF JONATHAN.
JONATHAN’S SON WAS NAMED MEPHIBOSHETH. After a search it was found out that MEPHIBOSETH’S NURSE FLED TO THE GHETTO TOWN OF LO DEBAR.
2 Samuel 9:7 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.
MEPHIBOSHETH was the low of the lowest. He had absolutely no hope of ever doing any better. His goal of each day was just to make it to the night. Then he just hoped to make it to sun up. MEPHIBOSHETH SEEMED FOREVER TRAPPED.
2 Samuel 9:8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHEN THE ROYAL CARAVAN HEADED TOWARD LO DEBAR? The whole area was wondering WHY? WHY WOULD KING DAVID SEND HIS SERVANTS TO THIS DUMP? The people of LO DEBAR assumed there is going to be SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
This must be serious trouble for the King to send his men to LO DEBAR!
2 Samuel 9:1 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.
IT IS TIME TO MOVE OUT OF LO DEBAR. TOTAL RESTORATION… GOODBYE PAIN AND SHAME…
1 SAMUEL 9:5 hen 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. 8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? 9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. 10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.
MEPHIBOSHETH knew his Daddy was Jonathan. Mephibosheth knew King Saul was his grandfather. Mephibosheth knew DAVID MIGHT SEE HIM AS A THREAT TO HIS THRONE. Through the years Mephibosheth knew if the proper authorities found his hiding place there would be a PRICE ON HIS HEAD. Who will look for this CRIPPLE BOY in LO DEBAR?
ALL THE KINGS HORSE AND ALL THE KINGS MEN RODE INTO LO DEBAR… This was a bad sign. MEPHIBOSHETH KNEW HIS GRANDFATHER TRIED TO KILL THE NOW KING. So why on earth would the KING’S MEN COME RIDING INTO THIS GHETTO OF A PLACE?
KING DAVID REMEMBERED HIS BEST FRIEND JONATHAN. DAVID WANTED TO FIND THE NEXT OF KIN. KING DAVID RESTORES ALL OF KING SAUL’S PROPERTY TO HIS GRANDSON… KING DAVID LOVED HIM.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN LONELINESS, FEAR and DEPRESSION… THE KING INVITES US TO HIS TABLE… GOD’S PLAN IS TO RESTORE… ALL THAT THE ENEMY HAS TAKEN… THE PLAN OF GOD IS TO BREAK ALL THE CHAINS OF BONDAGE THAT HINDER US FROM THE OPEN DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY.
JESUS HAS A PLAN AND PURPOSE TO RESCUE US FROM THE TRAPS OF LO DEBAR. CRIPPLES WERE NEVER ALLOWED IN THE CLOSE PRESENCE OF THE KING… DAVID DID NOT CARE ABOUT THE TRADITIONS… DAVID INVITES MEPHIBOSHETH TO EAT EVERY MEAL AT THE KING’S TABLE.
When we are weak, God is strong. The KING’s men have come into LO DEBAR to claim us as His own.
CONCLUSION: ARE WE STUCK IN LO DEBAR WITH NO HOPE? WAIT, HANG IN THERE… THE KING IS SENDING HIS FORCES THAT WILL CLAIM US AS HEIRS AND JOINT HEIRS WITH JESUS. ZIKLAG: EVERYTHING IS LOST… SMOKE COULD BE SEEN FOR MILES…, RUINS, ALL IS LOST… GOD RESTORES ALL…
Jeremiah 30:17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
WHY WOULD WE MOVE AND STAY IN LO DEBAR! THERE IS NEW HOPE. GOD IS A GOD OF RESTORATION. COME TO THE KING’S TABLE.
RESTORE IS IN THE BIBLE 136 x’s. GOD HEALS! GOD RESTORES. NOTHING LACKING!
1 Samuel 30:18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
THERE HAS BEEN YEARS OF PROBLEMS AND LACK --- BUT THERE IS A PROMISE…
Joel 2:24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
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