Mephibosheth

Introduction

Good morning. It is so good to be here with you. We appreciate the church here. You are involved in my support back in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. And so we appreciate the elders and the church here and have looked forward to the opportunity to be back with you again. I had contacted Brother Walcott and let him know that after a meeting up in Tennessee, we were coming this way just to take a week off and uh recharge a little bit. And uh he had indicated that uh the elders would like me for to speak while we were here, and so we’re delighted for the opportunity to be here and to share God’s word today. One of the things that I enjoy doing when studying in the scriptures, uh, I love looking at people.

Uh I love looking at character sketches, if you will, as we study in the scriptures. And there are certainly some great lessons that can be learned. There are some amazing people to look at, people like Abraham and David and Daniel, uh, just to name some of the Old Testament, Peter and John and Paul, and of course, Jesus in the New Testament. But I particularly enjoy doing character studies of the uncommon or unfamiliar people in the Bible. You see, if I were in the Bible, I suspect that I would be some obscure individual who is possibly unnamed. And so I like to look at those kinds of people in Scripture and to see what we find, what lessons are there. And so our focus today is going to be on one of those uh lesser known people in the Bible, a young man by the name of Mithiboshef.

1. A Son of Jonathan, Lame in His Feet

It is entirely possible that some who are here have not heard that name before, or maybe you have heard it in passing and had forgotten the context in which the name Methiboshef came up. But Mithiboshef is a son of Jonathan. We are introduced to him first of all in 2 Samuel chapter 4 and at verse 4. In 2 Samuel 4 and at verse 4, we’re told that Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. We’re given a little bit more information, but the verse closes out by saying his name was Mithiboshef.

But in the midst of writing about that, the author of the book gives us just this little tidbit of information. There is another descendant. There is Mithiboshef, and he will come back and tell us more about Mithiboshef later on. Well, here’s the details that we know concerning Mithiboshef. He was five years old when his father Jonathan and his grandfather Saul died in battle. His nurse, fearing that David would seek to destroy the child, took him up and rushed away in order to flee with him. And unfortunately, in the process of doing so, it seems that she had dropped him, he fell, and he became lame in his feet. Now, why was she rushing away? What was the concern? It would not be uncommon as a practice in times of antiquity when a new monarch takes over to perhaps try to extinguish the family of the previous monarch.

And so that may have been her concern. And given the lies that Saul had been spreading throughout all of Israel concerning David, it is no doubt that she had heard David would seek to do such a thing to any of the descendants of King Saul. In reading the Bible narrative, I’m not even sure that David knew about Mithiboshef. I suspect that he was born after the last time that Jonathan and David were together. 1 Samuel and chapter 23 is the last time the two of them were with one another. But even if he had known about him, he would not have sought to destroy him, but rather he would have sought to comfort him first of all at the death of his father, and then to do good to him as well.

As you keep reading through 2 Samuel, in chapter 5, David becomes king over the entire nation. At first he was just received by Judah. But in chapter 5, the entire nation has now received David as their king. In chapter 6, the Ark of the Covenant is moved. At first, they failed in the moving of it. They did as the Philistines had done, using a cart. That’s not how God wanted the ark to be moved. But eventually, David and those who were with him bring the ark, and it is put into a tabernacle that David had built for it. In chapter 7, we have God’s covenant with David. David in the beginning of chapter 7 wants to build a temple, but that’s not for him to do.

2. Kindness for Jonathan’s Sake

But we do see in chapter 7 that God says he will establish his throne forever. Of course, that being fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the Son of David. In chapter 8, David is blessed in battle as he goes out against his enemies. And what we find by the time we get to the end of chapter 8 is that all of the enemies of David have been subdued. And so that brings us to chapter 9, which is the text that I want us to focus on this morning. And in chapter 9, with the nation running smoothly, David seems to turn his attention from national matters to a personal concern. And so in chapter 9 and at verse 1, 2 Samuel chapter 9 and at verse 1. The question is posed: Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

David doesn’t know.

And so is there anyone left? Ishboshef, again, uh chapter 4. That was about Ishboshef and his death at the hands of the sons of Ramon. And so is there still anybody left to whom I could show kindness, to whom I could do good. Now we might wonder, well, why is he focused on doing good? What’s this focus on kindness that he wants to show? And it has to do with his relationship with Jonathan. David and Jonathan were close friends. They were kindred spirits, if you will. When they first met, Jonathan was the greater of the two. He was the king’s son. And so in 1 Samuel and chapter 18, at verse 1, it says the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Verses 3 and 4, Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off his robe that was on him and gave it to David with his armor, even to his sword and his belt. These two were just close individuals. From the very start, it seems like they loved one another and they sought to do good for one another, sought to be a blessing for one another. And so Jonathan bestows all these wonderful gifts to David. It would have been a great honor. David was a shepherd. That’s what he is. He’s a shepherd. And yet he is receiving the clothing of a prince, and not only the clothing of this prince, but his armor as well, including his sword.

That is a great honor that Jonathan had bestowed upon David. As their relationship grew and their friendship grew, unfortunately things started to deteriorate with King Saul. As you keep going through 1 Samuel chapter 18, eventually Saul counts David as his enemy. We’re told time and again throughout the text that David behaved himself wisely. And as he behaved himself wisely, God was blessing him. And so David would go out in battle for Israel, and he would have great victory. And eventually to the point where we’re told that the women were singing a song, and the song was that Saul has killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands. And that enraged King Saul. And so Saul then began to look upon David as his enemy. Jonathan and David’s relationship was not hindered by the evil intent of King Saul.

In fact, Jonathan acknowledged in chapter 20 that David would eventually become king. And not only that he would be the king of Israel, but Jonathan pledged his support for David as the king, that he indeed would be the Lord’s anointed. And so in chapter 20, he called upon David to make a covenant. We have the covenant of chapter 18, but chapter 20 has another covenant in verse 14 and 15.

But you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever. No, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David. So, why in 2 Samuel in chapter 9 does this covenant come to David’s mind? And I think it’s because of this clause right here. When the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David, that is the very thing that happened in chapter 8. God gave David victory over his enemies. All the enemies of David were subdued. The Philistines, the Moabites, the Syrians, the Ammonites, the Amalekites, if there was an enemy of David and of Israel, they were brought into subjection. And so, having acknowledged the goodness of God and God providing this for him, then David thinks back to this covenant he had made with his good friend Jonathan.

3. Living in Lo Debar: No Pasture, No Promise

Is there anyone of the house of Saul that I may do good to? was the question. And so a man by the name of Ziba was brought in before the king. He had been a servant in the house of Saul. If anyone knows of any descendants remaining, then surely Ziba would know of such an individual.

And so these are mentioned there, and they end up being put to death because of Saul’s cruelty to the Gibeonites. And so Ziba likely knows about all of these sons of Saul or descendants of Saul. I don’t think he knows about David’s covenant with Jonathan. That seemed to be a personal and a private thing. And yet, no doubt he is familiar with their friendship. And so on that account, I would suggest that that would be why Zibah perhaps points David to Mithyboshef, Jonathan’s son. Now Mithiboshef is a grown man at this point. In fact, he has a son of his own. But he’s not living on his own. He is living in another man’s house in a foreign area to him. We’re told that he is in the house of Machireh, the son of Emil in Lodabar.

Consider a few things about the statement that is made concerning him. First of all, his name.

Evil before the Lord, his grandfather had made sure that his family wasn’t going to continue as the royal family inside of Israel. And so he got to wear that as his name, dispeller of shame, and out of my mouth proceeds reproach. Him being lame in his feet would be a constant reminder of the failure of his grandfather and the failure of his family. But he’s living in the house of Machire. Machir is a salesman or a merchant. Now, nothing against Machire, nothing against salesmen and merchants. The world needs its salesmen and merchants. But understand this that Mathiboshef’s address, were it not for the wickedness of Saul, would be very different. He would not be living in the house of a merchant. He would be living in the king’s palace.

But then further to that, the name of the town that he lives in, he lives in Lodabar. Lodabar means no pasture or no promise. So here he is, the dispeller of shame, who lives in a merchant’s house and lives in a place that reveals to him day after day, sir, you have no inheritance. That is the position that we find Mathiboshef in.

4. Do Not Fear: Such a Dead Dog as I

Now, when Mathiboshef, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, Mithiboshef, and he answered, Here is your servant. So David said to him, Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather, and you shall eat bread at my table continually. Then he bowed himself and said, What is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I? And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, I have given to your master’s son all that belong to Saul and to all his house. You therefore and your sons and your servants shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat.

But Mithiboshef, your master’s son, shall eat bread at my table always. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, according to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do. As for Mithiboshef, said the king, he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons. Mathiboshef had a young son, whose name was Micah, and all who dwelt in the house of Zibah were servants of Mithiboshef. So Mathiboshef dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table, and he was lame in both his feet. He is brought into the presence of the king, and immediately falls down on his face. He acknowledges the reign of David. Here is your servant. He’s not going to rise up against David in any fashion.

The posture itself, understand it had to have been difficult for him to even get down in that kind of position. But he understands he needs to prostrate himself before this king. But consider how emotionally nerve-wracking this must have been. He grew up believing that if David finds you, he will destroy you. And now David has found him. And he’s been called into the presence of David. This has got to be terrifying. And so David, I’m sure, sees the fear in the young man’s face. And so his first words to him are do not fear. Mithiboshev, there is no reason to be afraid. If David had known him as he was growing up, if Jonathan had not died, I’m confident that Mithiboshef would have heard of how great a man David is.

Instead, he was caused to be fearful of him, and yet David wants him to not be afraid. Do not be afraid. My intentions are good. And so he goes ahead and reveals what it is that he’s going to do. First of all, I’m going to show you kindness. I’m going to show you kindness for Jonathan, your father’s sake. Mithiboshev doesn’t know anything about the covenant that was made. That’s neither here nor there for him. But for David, this is the fulfillment of his word. This is him doing what he had told his good and good friend Jonathan that he would do. And so he has two blessings that he wants to bestow. The first is this.

Now remember where Mithiboshef was earlier that day. Lodabar. No pasture, no promise, no inheritance. David says, I’m going to restore to you all that belong to Saul. Now, it is rightfully David’s on two accounts. First of all, he’s the king. And taking over as king, it would be rightfully his, but also he’s married into the family of Saul. And so it would be his on that account as well. And yet anything that belonged to King Saul was now given to Mithyboshef. But further to that, you will sit at the king’s table continually. He is received as an honorary son in David’s household. He hadn’t been in the king’s palace since he was five years old. But now he is back in the king’s palace and he will continue in the king’s palace.

Now, Mithiboshef, who had no property to call his own, lived in a salesman’s house in a town called No Promise. He’s overwhelmed by this, and understandably he would be overwhelmed by it. You see his response when David offers these wonderful blessings. Verse 8: What is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I? You ever had somebody do something just enormously generous for you, and felt like you did not deserve what has been done for you? That’s the position where he’s in. He doesn’t feel that he is worthy of this, that he deserves this. He is completely unworthy. He came possibly expecting to die, and well, he’s not leaving. He’s staying because he’s been received into the king’s house and his household.

And so he calls himself a dead dog. Now, what’s this dead dog? And in the Bible, dogs are not the cute, cuddly family pets that we have at home. We’ve got a dog back home. I don’t know how cute or cuddly he is, but he’s our family pet. And we love our dogs. Well, in the Bible, that’s not the case. You know, these are often animals that will do harm. They are scavengers or potentially dangerous, they are dirty, and according to the law of Moses, they are unclean animals. To refer to somebody as a dog is to speak with disdain and contempt towards them. The Jews of Jesus’ day, when they were talking about the Samaritans, they would refer to them with that kind of terminology, that they were as dogs.

Do you remember in 1 Samuel chapter 17, Goliath, he’s waiting for Israel to send a champion to come out and to battle against him? And then this young David shows up with a few stones and a dog that you come to me with sticks? He was offended. Am I a dog? Well, a dead dog would be even worse. Because that’s doubly unclean. Not only the uncleanness of the animal itself, but then it’s now a deceased animal. It is now a dead body. And so he acknowledges, I don’t deserve this. Whether he deserves it or not, David’s going to do it. Because David loved Jonathan. And David keeps his word. And so he will be in the king’s house. He will receive the land of Saul, his grandfather.

5. Spiritually Infirm, Dead in Sin

He is richly blessed. Now you might be thinking, well, that’s that’s a great story. And it is. It’s one of my favorite stories in the scriptures. But you also might be wondering, well, what does that have to do with us today? And if you’re asking that question, I’m glad you asked. When I look at Methyboshef, and in the Bible class this morning, we’re talking about types. I see a type in Bethiboshev. He is a picture of our salvation. When I look at him, I see you and I and what has been accomplished for you and I by Christ Jesus. And so, as we noted, Mithiboshef is lame in his feet. It was an accident, an accident that didn’t have to happen, but nonetheless it took place.

David didn’t know about him. Had he known about him, he would have consoled him, but that’s all in the past. He was physically infirm, but friends, let me suggest to you that we were spiritually infirmed. And if we’re not in Christ yet, we’re still spiritually infirmed individuals. In fact, that’s plagued the whole world. Romans 3 and at verse 10, there is none righteous, no, not one. Romans 3 and verse 19, all the world is guilty before God. Romans 3 and verse 23, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are all lame, not physically, but spiritually. We are all spiritually infirmed individuals, dead in sin. Well, Mathiboshef, circumstances of life resulted in him living in a place called Lodabar. No pasture, no promise, no inheritance.

And we don’t know how long he lived in the house of Machire, but regardless, he had no inheritance. His inheritance was gone before he was even born.

But consider that you and I are to blame for us being separated from God. That the inheritance that would be available, that the abode with God in heaven, that you and I, because of our sin had removed that, we had taken away our own inheritance on account of our sin. In Isaiah 59, verse 1 and 2, we’re told, Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor is your heavy that it cannot hear, but your sins have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear you. Friends, when you and I chose to walk our way instead of God’s way, we put a separation between ourselves and God. And on that account, therefore, we could not be those who were heirs of God.

Ezekiel 18 and at verse 20, the soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. But sadly we have all done wicked. We have chosen a way which was contrary to our God and Father. And so we were dead in sin because we walked in sin. In Ephesians chapter 2, and at verse 1 beginning, the apostle Paul says that you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we once conducted ourselves in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

I think David would disagree with him. David took him in because he loved his father, and I think David grew to love Mathiboshev very quickly. But we made ourselves dead dogs before God. We made ourselves repulsive before the Lord because of our sin. In Psalm 5 at verse 4, beginning, you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood. The Lord abhores the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. We became dead dogs in the presence of God because of our sin. Romans chapter 8 and at verse 7, the carnal mind is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

6. Made to Sit at the King’s Table

And grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. From the very start, God has wanted to save you and I, despite the fact that we had transgressed his law, despite the fact that we had made ourselves enemies and had become dead dogs before him. And there was a lot of preparation and a great price that was paid, and Jesus was willing to pay the price. Understand, he died, not for anything he had done, but for what you and I have done. He gave himself as the Lamb of God. Mithiboshef left Lodabar behind.

But he now gets to dwell in the king’s palace, and he gets to sit at the king’s table. And so wonderful, wonderful inheritance that was not to be his was now his.

Ephesians chapter 2, and at verse 11, we’re told, therefore, remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by what is called circumcision, made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were afar off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. We have an inheritance that is offered to us. Colossians chapter 1 at verse 21, beginning, and you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight, if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard.

That hope of the gospel is that you and I in eternity will be with God. We have an inheritance now through Jesus Christ. Mithiboshef was given a seat at the king’s table. He was not received there as a guest. It would be one thing to be an honored guest and able to sit there from time to time. But he sat at the king’s table continually. In fact, in the text it says that he would sit at the table like one of the king’s sons. The image is that of adoption, that he was brought into the family of David. In Christ, you and I are made to sit at the king’s table. In John chapter 6, Jesus says, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.

He’s offering the people to come and to feast on him. They came for a meal. Those are the same people who the day before had been fed by Jesus, the feeding of the five thousand. They came back the next day, but they wanted physical food, the food that perishes.

If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. And therefore, in Revelation 3 and at verse 20, Jesus extends the invitation. He says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, and if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and he with me. Weekly, we do get to sit at the Lord’s table in a tangible sense. We get to assemble each Lord’s day and to partake of the bread and of the fruit of the vine, a memorial feast in order to remind us of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. And we rightly refer to that, and the scriptures refer to that as the Lord’s table.

But further to that, and in a greater sense, we’re always seated with the Lord. In Ephesians in chapter 2 at verse 6, the Apostle Paul says that he has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Paul, through the book of Ephesians, keeps talking about the heavenly places time and again, and he’s talking about the spirit realm, and that you and I are called into the spirit realm to be the servants of God, to be God’s people. And so you and I on a daily basis get to sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We are called to the King’s table, if you will. But then listen, verse 7, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Now we get to sit at the King’s table. We get to be with the Lord on a day to day basis to be part of his body, part of the spiritual realm that is serving him. But there is a greater hope still. He has heaven in store for us, where we will be brought into his presence for eternity.

Conclusion

Well, friends, that’s why I like Mathiboshef. Because I see myself in Mithiboshef. All of us are Mithiboshef. All of us have been lame and needed restoration. All of us were without promise and without hope and needed to receive hope and promise. And God accomplished that through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so what we see then is David being a type of Christ. David comes and he renews this young man who has fallen. He comes and he redeems him from the losses that he had suffered. He comes and he restores to him dignity and honor. And Christ has done all that for you and I in the spiritual sense. Now here’s the thing had Mithiboshef died in the house of Machir in Lodabar, he would have died as part of a disgraced family in Israel, but it would have had no effect on his spiritual condition.

It would have just been he died as a disgraced member of this family, but he still could have had the hope of heaven. If you and I die outside of Christ, there are eternal consequences.

Don’t leave what Jesus has done for you unreceived. He seeks for all of us to come to Him. He wants all of us to be in heaven. He has done His part. And He will continue to do His part. What we need to do is submit ourselves to the will of God. If we will do so, He will bless us. And so if you’re with us this morning and you’ve not obeyed the gospel, can we help you in doing so? Can we help you to be baptized in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins? Or if you are with us and you’ve struggled in your faith, seek the prayers of this congregation. God has given you a beautiful, wonderful family to help and to encourage, to help us to all help each other be ready for heaven.

If we can help you in some way, let us know. We stand together and sing.