At The King's Table

 "So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table, [even though] he was lame in both feet." 

        --2 Samuel 9:13 Amplified Classic

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat the King's table?

Here in America royalty isn't as much of the order of the day. Our closest equivalent is our governmental leaders, heads of State, members of Congress, and of course those who reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in our nation's capital. I have visited our nation's capital but have only been privy to the sights of the White House from the perspective of a taxi cab window whereas my daughter and her eighth grade class while on their class trip were privileged two years ago to have had a group photo taken outside the White House gates. I'm thrilled she had this experience for the simple reason being the doors and gates to the White House, much like those of Buckingham Palace in England, aren't open to the general public but by invitation only. 

Mephibosheth was one blessed with an invitation. 

Why?

Because of a covenant relationship between his father, David, and the King...

Covenant...relationship....

Hmmmmmmmm.................

You see, Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of the late King Saul. In those days, relationships were not merely relationships; they were covenant relationships, relationships or partnerships which in which two or more people are bound together through promises to each other and by each working together for a common purpose or goal. These relationships weren't made willy-nilly nor were they made by chance or random circumstances; they were deliberately chosen relationships. The main difference between relationships and covenants is that most relationships today are seen as contracts to be fulfilled, exchanging one thing for another whereas a covenant is a giving of oneself to the other. David and Jonathan's friendship was a covenant; when King Saul's attitude toward David went from loving him as a son to seeking him out to kill him, David's love for the house of Saul carried over into the next generation. 

How was this possible?

Let's travel back to shortly after Goliath's defeat, keeping in mind this humble shepherd boy who came against this chosen warrior of the Philistines had already been anointed by God to be king. There is a great celebration taking place, their equivalent of a block party. We read that "As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the Israelite towns, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with timbrels, songs of joy, and instruments of music.

And the women responded as they laughed and frolicked, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." (vv.6-7) 

Ah! And what follows? "And Saul was very angry, for the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed only thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?

And Saul [jealously] eyed David from that day forward." (vv.8-9)

From this moment on Saul is no longer looking on David as though he were a son but as an evil enemy who should be destroyed. Twice David nearly dies at his hand, having been on the receiving end of a javelin in midair. At one point Jonathan talks his father out of killing David, reminding him of that not only was no sin committed against Saul by David but that through killing Goliath Israel was delivered (1 Samuel 19;1-7). Based on the covenant made between the two men in 1 Samuel 18, David was to promise that the descendants of Saul would be kept safe from harm once he became king and Jonathan was to find out whether or not Saul still sought David's life. In those days when a new king was on the throne the families of the king preceeding him would be completely destroyed. Why? Because of the possibility of them posing a threat to the new regime. However, David took things in a completely different direction through his covenant promise to Jonathan that no harm would come to any of Saul's descendants.

Which brings us to Mephibosheth....

Saul and Jonathan were long since dead but that didn't mean David had forgotten his promise. Chapter 9 of 2 Samuel opens with him saying "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?" 

Wow...can you imagine..?

David asks this question again in verse 3 and is met with this response--"Ziba replied, Jonathan has yet a son who is lame in his feet." 

Now Ziba was a servant at the house of Saul who had been called before King David when this question was first posed. He informs the king that Mephibosheth has been living in a place called Lo-debar...

Lo-debar....doesn't sound like a place very many of us want to be but often times find ourselves there...but I'm ahead of myself...

King David sends for him and brings him before him. Watch what happens next...

"And Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold your servant!

 David said to him, Fear not, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father [grandfather], and you shall eat at my table always." (2 Samuel 9:6-7)

You shall eat at my table always....ALWAYS!!! Wow!!!!

But how did Mephibosheth respond? 

Did he greet the king with an embrace and a kiss?

Did he shower him with thanks and praise?

None of the above....

This was his response...read it slowly...,mull it over a time or two...let it sink in...

"And [the cripple] bowed himself and said, What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I am? (v.8)

Did you catch that?

What is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I am?

This passage makes it a point of driving home the point that Mephibosheth was crippled not in one foot but in both. 2 Samuel 4:4 tells us that when he was five the news of his father's and grandfather's deaths had reached Jezreel. Remember that bit about the family of the established monarchy being wiped out by the new monarchy? That was the fear spreading through Jezreel; not knowing of the covenant between Jonathan and David, Mephibosheth's nurse had picked him up and began to run. However at some point the boy fell and because of the nature of his injuries both feet were lame. In those days it was believed that a person with a disability such as Mephibosheth's was being punished for either sin, disobedience, or maybe even both. Individuals with physical disabilities were either looked upon with scorn as being burdens or they were seen as someone to be pitied, people whose lives were empty and without purpose. Their bodies are limited; therefore their intellectaul abilities must be limited as well.

Don't miss the king's response--"Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, I have given your master’s son [grandson] all that belonged to Saul and to all his house.

And you shall till the land for him, you, your sons, and your servants, and you shall bring in the produce, that your master’s heir may have food to eat; but Mephibosheth, your master’s son [grandson], shall eat always at my table.." (vv. 9-10)

You know how I translate this?

I see this as King David saying, "Look, I could care less what he has going on with his feet. None of that matters. I made a promise to his faher long ago and so long as I am pushing air past my teeth he and his own will be provided for!" 

i also see the relationship between Mephibosheth and King David as a correlation between God and us. 

Mephibosheth spent the better part of his life in what we would consider to be a ghetto like town. Loosely translated the town's name means "nothing." From the age of five until being called by one of David's servants this young man lived in a nothing (or nowhere) town living a nothing (or nowhere) life. He had no knowledge of the covenant made between his father and David; if he would have i would like to think he would have been the first one to be seated at the dinner table. Once he gains this knowledge the first thing he does is to ask how the king could look upon someone as low and worthless (my paraphrase) as him. He felt unworthy and undeserving of the blessing about to be bestowed upon him because of his beginnings. However nowhere do I read of this being a determent or a discouragement to King David. If anything it was just the opposite.

How many of us have been or may still be living in our own little subdivision of Lo-debar? Lame in our bodies? Lame in our minds, our hearts, our spirits? How many of us have spent the better part of our lives with our heads down eating crumbs so to speak because we wonder why God would look upon such a dead dog as we are? 

Huddle up...I've got something to tell you...

God knows what we are...and what we aren't...

He knows where we're strongest...and where we're weakest...

He knows all about our little sublets of Lo-Debar...

 His hand is still outstretched...

The table is set...

Dinner is ready....

And He waits...

Just as King David was looking for someone to bless for the sake of his friend Jonathan, our Abba Father is looking for someone to show unlimited, unfailing, and most of all unsought mercy, grace, and kindness for the sake of His Son Jesus...

Will it be me?

Will it be you?