The Drop Was Necessary

Many of us know the major stories that come out of the life of David, and I pray at least some of the applications that flow out of those stories would help us in our own lives.

When we look at a small portion of Davis’s resume’ we see how

• David was anointing as King.

• We can look back on the story of how David fought against the Giant Goliath of Gad.

• David´s flight from Saul but his refusal to snatch the crown.

• David´s heart for worship, how he expressed it in bringing. the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and his desire to build the temple.

• David´s sin with Bathsheba and his ultimate repentance and confession.

But amid all of these headlines there is a quieter story that does not scream so loudly for our attention, yet it has a powerful application to us all. It is the story of Mephibosheth.

And according to the biblical narrative in 2nd Samuel 4:4, Mephibosheth was five years old when both his father and grandfather died at the Battle at Mount Gilboa. And after the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, Mephibosheth's nurse took him and fled in panic. In her haste, the child fell, or was dropped while fleeing the scene.

Now please notice that Mephibosheth had royal blood flowing through his veins. He was the Grandson of Saul the King of Israel, and the son of the heir to the throne Jonathan.

He was born in royalty, and was being brought up in a royal splendor at the palace. He had everything that a little boy could want and need. He had the best in clothing; he had the best toys to play with, he ate the best of food that could be prepared. There was never any lack for anything in the palace where Mephibosheth lived. OMG what a future he had. I would imagine that the family talked about Mephibo. When he was born, I can imagine that his family saying what a beautiful child he was, and how that one day he would make a great king.

His future was all laid out for him, he had a fine life, and he had the best of the best! However, all of those things changed while Mephibosheth was only five years old.

Let’s look at the tragic circumstances that would change the future for Mephibosheth.

First of all we see.....THE CROWN

I. The Crown.....That He Would Not Wear.

At five years of age....Mephibosheth is growing fast.....into everything. He has his own Nanny to look after him, and to make sure he doesn’t get into too much trouble. And one day as Mephibo is running and playing in the palace, perhaps aggravating the palace guards. So, in the text we see a chariot approaching from the distance flying through the palace gates, with the bad news that spreads quickly. Mephibo is startled by the people screaming and running through the palace. "You must leave at once" and as this little boy hears this, Mephibosheth is frightened. And the once strategic plan for his life; has now been shattered.

The palace where his dreams were, are now about to become only a memory. The crown will never be placed upon his head! The throne that he was going to occupy is threatened! The awful news is that his grandfather, Saul and his father Jonathan have both been killed.

And now the kingdom was to be ruled by another, the palace will now be occupied by another, and the crown will be worn by another. So what happens is His nanny scoops him quickly up into her arms, and begins to run, because they must get away quickly, they must hide, because He won’t be safe there.

Because the custom of those days was that if someone else took over the kingdom they would destroy all of them which

are of royalty so that they wouldn’t be a threat.

So, as the Nanny runs with Mephibosheth clutched in her arms, with screams all around her, she trips, and Mephibosheth falls from her arms, and both of his legs are crushed in a tragic accident. There is no time for proper medical treatment.

If their lives are to be spared, they must leave at once. Mephibosheth would never walk again. It may have been that the injuries were too serious or perhaps because of the inability to seek proper medical treatment.....but for whatever reason Mephibosheth will never be able to walk again.

What a tragic set of circumstances for a five year old boy to have to endure. His daddy, and grandfather both dead. He has to flee from his home the palace, and now he’s crippled for life! But I’ve got to tell you, that the drop was necessary. Tell your neighbor that the drop was necessary.