The Adoption Of Mephibosheth.

THE ADOPTION OF MEPHIBOSHETH.

2 Samuel 9:6-13.

David the son of Jesse, and Jonathan the son of king Saul, were the best of friends. When they parted ways they entered into a covenant in which David vowed to show kindness to Jonathan’s family “for ever” (cf. 1 Samuel 20:14-16). After David became king, he remembered this promise (cf. 2 Samuel 9:1), and summoned Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth from Galilee to Jerusalem.

We can imagine that Mephibosheth came to David with a certain amount of uncertainty. As a member of a fallen dynasty in the Ancient Near East, what could he expect from this new king? Mephibosheth prostrated himself, and paid obeisance to his King (2 SAMUEL 9:6).

“Fear not,” David reassured him. Then king David promised to restore to Mephibosheth all the land of his grandfather Saul, and to give him a seat at the king’s table (2 SAMUEL 9:7; 2 SAMUEL 9:10-11; 2 SAMUEL 9:13). In other words, David gave Mephibosheth a royal inheritance (2 SAMUEL 9:9), and effectively adopted him as his own son (2 SAMUEL 9:13; cf. 2 Samuel 19:28).

Mephibosheth’s response (2 SAMUEL 9:8) echoes the humility of David’s earlier attempt to reassure king Saul that he was no threat to him (cf. 1 Samuel 24:14).

David further determined to ensure that Mephibosheth would be properly provided for (2 SAMUEL 9:10-11). As well as eating at the king’s table, Mephibosheth would have provision for his own household: his wife and son (2 SAMUEL 9:12).

APPLICATION. This passage serves as an adequate illustration of the Christian doctrine of Adoption: what it means to be adopted into the family of God.

In the New Testament, the Greek word translated ‘adoption’ means ‘a placing in the condition of a son’ (cf. Romans 8:15; Romans 8:23; Romans 9:4; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:5). This is not gender specific, as there is (literally) ‘not male and female’ in Christ Jesus (cf. Galatians 3:28). The Lord says, ‘I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters’ (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:18).

Mephibosheth was born into a rebellious house, whom God had rejected. So were we: as a certain rhyming couplet says, ‘In Adam’s fall, we sinned all.’ Consequently, the Bible says, We were born ‘dead in trespasses and sins’ (cf. Ephesians 2:1).

Mephibosheth was effectively ‘adopted’ into David’s family on the basis of a historic covenant between David and Jonathan. All he had to do was believe it, and receive it.

Likewise, the basis for our adoption into the family of God is in the fact that, even before the beginning of time, God ‘predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will’ (Ephesians 1:5; cf. Romans 8:29). Then, in the fulness of time, we were ‘redeemed’ with a purpose: ‘that we might receive the adoption of sons’ (cf. Galatians 4:4-5). And all we have to do is believe it, and receive it (cf. John 1:12).