A Place with the King
2 Samuel 9
April 14, 2002
Evening Service
Introduction
I. The hard reality of war
A. War is a result of sinfulness
B. War illustration
II. David’s new kingdom
A. David was rebuilding the kingdom
1. The kingdom was divided because of Saul
2. David was bringing the kingdom back together
B. David was God’s chosen king
1. David was anointed as king by Samuel. He was God’s chosen replacement for Saul.
2. David was now establishing his rule over the entire kingdom and proving his place as the new and rightful king
C. David’s gracious question
Body
I. An injured man (1-3)
1 David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?" 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "Your servant," he replied. 3 The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet."
A. The injury of Mephibosheth
1. Saul’s kingdom was falling apart and this family fled in panic
2. Mephibosheth was injured from a fall (2 Samuel 4:4)
B. This is also a picture of our state
1. We were injured from a fall
2. We are not always able to walk as we should
C. Two key problems
1. Mephibosheth was lame. The injury he received from the fall left him crippled
2. Mephibosheth was afraid. His family line could get him killed. The standard practice of the ancient times was that the entire family of a deposed king was killed. This was to insure the security of the position of the new king
II. An invited man (4-8)
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. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "Your servant," he replied. 7 "Don’t be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"
A. David sends for Mephibosheth
1. The worst fears had been realized
a.) The king had found Mephibosheth. It was bad enough that the king knew where he was but he had requested an appearance
b.) Mephibosheth more than likely believed that David was bringing him to the palace to have him executed
2. The place of hiding
a.) Mephibosheth was in Lo Debar. It was a place of great desolation and there was a difficult place to live
b.) Lo Debar was a place of hiding because Mephibosheth did not want to be found
B. The reasons for David’s invitation
To show kindness
To know him on a first name basis
To bless him
To restore what had been lost
To give him satisfaction
To offer him security
III. An important man (9-13)
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, "I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.
A. David gave Mephibosheth all he had lost
1. David had restored all of Saul’s land back to Mephibosheth
a.) Everything that had been Saul’s was now rightfully David’s because he was the new king.
b.) David gives everything back to Mephibosheth. This was an act of grace
2. David had restored Mephibosheth to the palace
a.) Mephibosheth was again received into the king’s palace
b.) Mephibosheth was restored to all that he had lost
B. David gave Mephibosheth a place of importance
1. David gave him a place at the royal table
a.) Mephibosheth would be given a place of supply
b.) Mephibosheth would be given a place of sustenance
c.) Mephibosheth would be given a place of significance
2. David gave him a place as a son
a.) David literally adopted Mephibosheth into his family and gave him the rights and responsibilities of a son
b.) David made Mephibosheth a part of his family
3. David gave him a place of peace
a.) Mephibosheth no longer needed to live in hiding. He no longer had to remain in a place of desolation but rather he was given a place of importance
b.) Mephibosheth was given a place that provided peace
1.) Mephibosheth was given security
2.) Mephibosheth was given support
3.) Mephibosheth was given strength
Conclusion
God has done the same things for us
God has rescued us from a great injury
God has sent us a great invitation
God has offered us a place of importance
