Jonathan, Ittai and Mephibosheth

 •  10 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
There are three men in the above passages of Scripture whose histories stand out with more or less prominence, during the early days, the reign and the restoration of David, King of Israel. We may look at them in the light of an illustration of Faith, Love and Hope.
Jonathan presents as thus viewed-Faith that strips itself for a victorious Christ; Ittai-Love that follows a rejected Christ; and Mephibosheth-Hope that waits for a returning Christ.
All three may, and will, be found practically in the actions and heart of the devoted Christian. Indeed, we find this, in the New Testament, fully and strikingly presented to us in the devoted Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul. In him we find the living picture of all that these three illustrate combined in himself, in the Epistle to the Philippians. Not only have we the " Faith that strips itself for a victorious Christ"
(chap. 3: 7-9), and the " Love that follows a rejected Christ (chap. 1: 20), but we also find the " Hope that waits for a returning Christ," characterizing him as a heavenly citizen, who waited for his Lord; all then that remained of his condition here below would drop off, and he be changed by the mighty hand of this returning Savior from the glory (Chapter 3: 20,21).
Let us examine them shortly. The solemn day of Israel's trial had come. Goliath of Gath- Satan's man-was there, terrifying the trembling hosts of Israel.
Man's man-Saul-was there too, and with the people he was dismayed and greatly afraid. God's man, too, despised by his brethren, and but a stripling, was "feeding his father's sheep at Bethlehem." In his retirement he had learned to slay the lion and the bear with the strength of God. If with the Lord they were but things of naught, so were they to the lovely faith of this blessed type of the true David himself. What or who, then, was this Philistine, before whom the armies of the living God were, alas, trembling?
Israel, like captive sinners, were in the power of the strong man armed, but a stronger than he had come, and took from him the armor in which he trusted and divided the spoils! With a sling and a stone David " prevailed " over the Philistine. Mark the lovely word " prevailed." How it reminds us of that other scene when the elder told John " Weep not; behold the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book." How sweet the word. It was not by power but by apparent defeat.
" By weakness and defeat,
He won the mead and crown;
Trod all our foes beneath His feet,
By being trodden down."
Satan was vanquished in his last stronghold Jesus entered into that prison house, but only to burst its bars asunder, and annul its power forever! He went down that " He might' destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Thus He prevailed. " But there was no sword in the hand of David." And " he ran and stood on the Philistine and took his sword... and slew him and cut off his head therewith." Then he returned with the spoils of his victory, the strong man's armor in which he trusted, the sword of the enemy, and his head in his hand.
At this moment, as David returned, we learn how it went with Jonathan. He beholds him with the tokens of his victory in his hand, and his soul was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. The victor, not the victory absorbed his heart But another action characterized Jonathan. His heart was ravished with David as he stood before him. His faith saw in him the future King of Israel. And Jonathan stripped himself of his robe, his garments his sword and his girdle-all were surrendered with a willing heart to David. This was faith.
Is my reader prepared for this? How many there are who find, for the soul's everlasting joy and salvation. the victorious work of the Lord Jesus Christ? Then comes the first bright moment of the soul's history and Jesus is truly precious. He stands before their souls as the peerless One. But when they find that Jesus, looks for their hearts to be entirely His, He Who was fully for them in self-surrendering- love on the cross, looks for them to be fully for Him, and that this involves the surrender of that which makes them of repute in the world, then alas! their admiration wanes. But what did Jonathan at this lovely moment? All was surrendered, and the heart was glad to do it to show its love.
How sad when we think of Jonathan's fate after` this precious moment! How bright to think of Paul's,. and after his long and checkereda career in his Master's service. The long and trying years of service for his-Master had not cooled this first love of his devoted heart; and the same faith that filled him in his early days of discipleship for his victorious Lord was fresh and bright to the end, when in the prison at Rome, he-writes those. words " I have suffered the loss of all things, and do -count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him."
If this faith be thine, dear reader, it will go on (as Jonathan's at the moment of which we speak) to strip itself, and lay itself-its all, at the feet of the Conqueror, thenceforth to be the bondsman of such a Master and Lord. Reader, have you the " Faith that strips itself for a victorious Savior?"
But we turn now to another picture. David, at the revolt of Absalom his son, is passing forth from Jerusalem, a rejected king. A sorrowful scene, yet full of the tenderest associations presents itself to us in 2 Sam. 15. David is passing forth from Jerusalem, leaving the throne in possession of his rebel son. His counselor, Ahithophel, had sold him by his treachery. David might then in spirit, say, "Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, bath lifted up his heel against me." (Psa. 41:99Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. (Psalm 41:9)).
At this moment Ittai the Gittite appears (2 Sam. 15:1919Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. (2 Samuel 15:19)). He was but a stranger and an exile; he had come but yesterday. And David owns this, and gives him the opportunity to return. He would not command the affection of others, and involve them in his own rejection. He would value and accept it when it came in all its freshness from the heart of one who was devoted to him. And Jesus looks not for the forced services and discipleship of any whom He has served and saved. He, too, would test the hearts of those who follow Him in the day of His rejection.
It was a critical moment for Ittai. He " might have had opportunity to have returned." He might have lived on in ease and quietness at Jerusalem, having shown his willingness to go with the king. But this did not meet what his heart desired. David was rejected-and would he not share this rejection with him whom he loved? Mark his reply. " And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be?" No other place would suit his devoted heart. How refuse such devotedness? No, David would not. And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over." It was enough. Too many words would but spoil the scene. It illustrates in the most lovely way, the " Love that follows a rejected Christ."
How like the response of heart to His own words when He speaks of His rejection and death (John 12:2626If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. (John 12:26)). "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honor."
Look now at Paul, the prisoner of Jesus, in his prison house at Rome. There he sat- the sufficiency of Christ filling his heart, and his appearance before Nero fast approaching, of which death seemed the issue, for his rejected Master. He writes, " According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Has my reader the "Love that follows a rejected Christ?"
" The Hope that waits for a returning Christ " we find touchingly illustrated in Mephibosheth. The days of the king's exile had passed by. No doubt they were slow and full of mourning to him who waited for his return to his throne. At last the day of reckoning had come. The king would now render to each their due. Amongst the others came Mephibosheth to meet the king. While he was absent, Mephibosheth was like a man who waited for his lord. He had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed, until he came again in peace. His heart went with David, though his feet were lame and he could not walk.
The test was applied to Ittai's love when David wished him well and told him to return; and he refused. David, and David's path of rejection was Ittai's, and he would have no other. Now comes the testing of Mephibosheth's hope. Did he await David's return that he might gain thereby? Was the land his object, or the blessing he would then receive? " And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land." And Mephibosheth's heart withstood the test. He wanted only the king, and his grateful heart found object enough in his lord. And Mephibosheth said, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house." David and David's rights were all his thought. It was not the advantage he would most surely have when the king returned to his own, which he sought. David had returned and that was enough; till then he felt that Jerusalem was not his home.
And so Paul could say " For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." Phil. 3:2020For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20)‒2I.
Reader, have you the " Hope that waits for an absent but returning Christ?"