2 Sam. 9
David here is on the throne. He began with the staff of a shepherd, and ends with the scepter of a sovereign. Saul and all his enemies are destroyed or overthrown. His wandering in the woods and among the mountains are ended. God has turned the tables, and the one who was once pursued "as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains" is enthroned in power. And, here in this chapter, he represents not so much Christ in His future millennial reign, as now crowned in heaven and showing grace to a guilty world.
“And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (vs. 1). David's conduct on the throne of Israel is a marked foreshadowing of God's actions since the death of Christ. His throne became then, and has been ever since, a "throne of grace." David, with power to cast into prison or to put to death, inquires for the descendants of his inveterate enemy, Saul. Saul had never shown him anything but hatred. In return, David desires to show kindness to any of Saul’s house who may be still alive. He shows grace; and this is just how God is acting now. He is sending the precious gospel of His grace the wide world around, and in that gospel He inquires among the guilty sons of men for any who have conscious need of His great kindness.
The love and grace of God's heart is told out in the gospel. Since the fall, six thousand years ago, the world has been at enmity with God. And nearly nineteen hundred years ago, they crucified His well-beloved Son. They mocked Him, and with wicked hands they nailed Him to a cross, between two thieves. But by that very death, in which man's awful enmity to God was manifested to the full, God now would reconcile men to Himself. "When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son." Christ did not die, as men suppose and many teach, to reconcile an angry God to sinners. God never was man's enemy. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). It was man who needed to be reconciled to God. "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Cor. 5:1919To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)). God loves man, but He hates his sin. Reconciliation must be wrought in man. Christ came to do this by His death. In it He proves to man God's love and destroys enmity in those who believe. Now, on the basis of that atoning death of Jesus, God can righteously offer salvation to a world of guilty sinners. It was "for Jonathan's sake" that David offered to show kindness to the house of Saul. He had in his mind a covenant he had made with Jonathan long ago, and of Jonathan's love and friendship to him. This moved him to inquire about the house of Saul. Jonathan was a son of Saul.
It is for Christ's sake God forgives our sins. "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake" (1 John 2:22And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)). "God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Eph. 4:3232And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)). It is only because of the work of Christ that God proposes to show mercy to the sinner. He does not show us kindness because of anything He sees in us. In us there dwelleth "no good thing." We are not saved because of our pious endeavors, our earnest prayers or our sincere repentance. "We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). God's salvation is for sinners through the finished work of Christ. God looks to the cross where His beloved Son atoned for sin and is satisfied. Then He turns to a perishing world, whose sins deserved eternal wrath, and preaches peace. "Preaching peace by Jesus Christ" (Acts 10:3636The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) (Acts 10:36)).
David did not inquire for any who were worthy of his kindness. Their character was nothing. It was for Jonathan's sake alone that he was showing kindness. There is a story I have heard of a wealthy merchant's only son who enlisted in the Civil War. He was wounded in an engagement and was taken to the hospital. Here he met and became attached to a somewhat dissipated young soldier. This soldier was discharged with only a few cents in his pockets. His home was in Chicago. Before he left, the merchant's son gave him a note to his father, through whose city he would pass on his tramp towards home. One day the merchant was very busy at his books when a ragged soldier stepped up to his desk and presented a soiled and crumpled bit of paper. Begging soldiers on the tramp were very common in those days, and the merchant at first refused to receive or look into the paper thrust into his face. Said he, “I cannot bother with you. I am very busy, and I'm tired of all this begging." "The note is from Charley," said the soldier. A change came over the merchant in an instant. He took the note, opened it and read something like this: "Dear Father—This man is without means and wishes to reach his home and friends in Chicago. He was kind to me in the hospital. Help him, for Charley's sake." He rose, trembling, from his seat, and shook the soldier warmly by the hand. He had plenty of time now. He took him to his mansion and seated him at a well-spread table.
He gave him one of the best beds in the house that night, and the next morning he fitted him out in a new suit of clothes. Then he bought him a ticket to Chicago and slipped a few dollars into his hand as he bade him good-by. Now, why did he do all this? It was for Charley's sake. The soldier had no claim upon his kindness. And he was not thinking of the soldier's merits, but of Charley. The soldier may have been unworthy of his kindness, but it was Charley he was thinking of—he had Charley on his mind. And this is why God saves the sinner. It is for Jesus' sake. We are not accepted for any goodness in ourselves, but God hath made us "accepted in the Beloved: in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:6-76To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:6‑7)).
All illustrations fail. Someone has said, "No parable has four legs." The point of the story is the merchant's esteem for his son and his kindness to the soldier just for Charley's sake. You could not say the merchant loved the soldier. But God loves men, even though they are sinners. But His righteousness would compel Him to condemn those very men for their sins if it were not for the atoning death of Christ.
Unconverted friend, God is "not willing that any should perish." He would have "all men to be saved." May He make you willing to be saved tonight. May "the goodness of God" lead you to repentance.
God is for men—not against them, and we have an illustration of this precious truth in David's showing grace and offering kindness to the unworthy members of the house of Saul.
Every "day" must close at last, and every "time" must end. The "accepted time" has lasted almost twenty centuries; the "day of salvation" has been lengthened out to more than eighteen hundred years. But another "day" is coming. The sun of salvation's day will suddenly set at the coming of the Lord, and with His advent will be ushered in the awful "day of vengeance of our God" (Isa. 61:22To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (Isaiah 61:2)).
Solomon's reign—a type of Christ's, succeeded that of David. David's reign is characterized by grace, Solomon's by judgment. Turn with me to First Kings 2. David is dying here. Solomon, his son, is to succeed him on the throne. Notice his charge to Israel's future sovereign in verses 5 and 6: "Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace." Also verses 8 and 9: "And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood." All through David's reign these men were tolerated. Grace was shown them. But Solomon is charged to slay them. No mercy must be shown them after David's reign of grace is over. This is solemn, sinner. David's throne, like God's at present, is a "throne of grace" (Heb. 4:1616Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)). His enemies were allowed to live. Judgment was executed on these enemies at the inauguration of Solomon's glorious reign, which typifies the millennial reign of Christ. If you refuse God's grace and remain unreconciled, you must have judgment. In grace God lets you live, as David did his enemies. But remember, you will certainly be damned if you continue unconverted till the time for showing grace is passed. The Lord will suddenly come, and then farewell all hope to those who spurned the grace of God. Grace refused now insures damnation then. Then that bitter, hopeless wail will pour out from your lips, "The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and I am not saved." You will be forever past all mercy then!
In verses 2 and 3 of our chapter, Ziba, a servant of Saul, is summoned to appear before the king. David repeats his inquiry concerning the descendants of Saul to him. Only here he says "the kindness of God." In Ephesians 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7), we read of "the exceeding riches of (God's) grace, in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus." That is a wonderful verse to me. The amazing magnitude of God's kindness is unspeakable. It is higher than the heights, deeper than the depths, and broader than all breadths. It is measureless, fathomless, infinite! There is nothing so powerfully overwhelming as God's kindness. It should bow all unconverted hearts in real repentance. It should bow yours! God would have that heart, so hard, so cold, and so deformed by sin, affected by His truth—reformed.
The condemning law of God cannot accomplish this. "The law worketh wrath." Neither can the "terrors of the Lord" alone. Felix "trembled" at them, but his heart remained untouched. Thy heart must needs be fused and melted in the furnace of God's pardoning love and kindness. Every truth of Scripture has its use and value, but it is only the love of God displayed in redemption and perceived by faith that can melt and soften hearts estranged from God. May God's love touch some heart tonight! May His kindness, sinner, touch your heart and turn it towards Himself.
Now Mephibosheth comes before us. "And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ainmiel, in Lo-debar. Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar" (vss. 3-5). Mephibosheth represents the sinner here. Three things may be said of him: He was a cripple, he was in a "place of no pasture," and he was hiding from the presence of the king.
These three things, in a spiritual sense, are true of every one of you, my unconverted hearers. Pay attention as I enlarge upon them. I have a friend who has only one sound ear; the other is entirely deaf. When people wish to tell him something which he does not care to hear, he turns his deaf ear towards them. Now turn your soul's deaf ear, if you have one, to the devil's lies. Keep your sound ear open to the truth of God. If you want to hear the Scriptures with your left ear and the devil's comments on those Scriptures with your right ear, may the "sword of the Spirit" cut that right ear off as the sword of Peter cut off Malchus'. “If any man hath an ear, let him hear.”
First, then, Mephibosheth was a cripple; he was "lame on both his feet" (vs. 13). He seems to have been a perfectly helpless cripple. A man with one lame leg is badly off. He cannot walk straight and must make a crooked path. But a man with two lame legs is worse off still; he cannot walk at all. Mephibosheth was "lame on both his feet," and so are you, if you are unconverted. You are a moral cripple—spiritually lame, and unable to walk the straight and narrow way that leads to life and God. You are "without strength," as Scripture says, to tread the "paths of righteousness" (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). You are morally deformed and unable to help yourself. May God show you this. I am sure you do not like to hear me say these things about you. Some years ago I was preaching in Canada, and a very self-righteous Sunday-school superintendent came in one night to hear what the stranger had to say. It happened that he had a good deal to say that night about the utter ruin of man. I suppose this religious man had had his ears tickled many a time before by sermons on the moral dignity and superiority of man, but that night they were not tickled. He went away in a rage. "I'll never go to hear that man again! He makes nobodies of us!" Nobodies! Indeed, far worse than that. Men, before God, are guilty criminals and slaves of sin. Their natural heart is a sink of sin. Isaiah says, "We are all as an unclean thing." I want to be plain about this, and I beg of you to be honest with yourself. Just say, "Preacher, tell me what God says; show me up by Scripture. I want to see myself as God describes me in His Word.”
The mass of preachers today are like the photographers who make all their homely patrons handsome. They make beauties of the plainest of them. They have a way of "touching up" their pictures that makes every man and woman handsome. And the more skillful they are at this, the larger their business, just as the most popular preachers are those who can lay the whitewash of flattery thickest on their unconverted audiences. I was once shown a photograph of an elderly lady who must have been an honest soul. The lines and wrinkles and "crow's feet" were all retained in the picture just as they were on her living features. Her nieces, who showed me the picture, said the artist had wished to take them out of the negative, but the dear old aunty would not have it. She said she wished to appear in her picture just as she really was. Imitate her honesty, my friends, in this great question of your true condition as a sinner. "Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Rom. 3:44God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. (Romans 3:4)). Accept His own description of you. It is given life-size in the third of Romans. There you are described from head to foot. "Throat," "tongue," "lips," "feet," and all are pictured. The servant of Christ's business is to show you to yourself, by Scripture, as you truly are. All "touching up" is Satan's work.
Much of the preaching of the day is like the wonderful man of the circus billboards. He dexterously throws knives about a man who stands with his fingers and arms outstretched against a wall some distance off. The skillful performer sends the knives whizzing past his ears and between his fingers and over the top of his head and past his throat. The wall is bristling with knives all around him. Some of them may graze his skin, but the art, you see, is not to hit him. I have said enough. I think you understand. Villains and cutthroats and sneak thieves may be publicly exposed as transgressors in danger of damnation, annihilation, purgatory, or perhaps some lighter punishment. But the whitewashed hypocrite and the unconverted novel-readers and ballroom butterflies—ah, be careful, or you will drive them from the Church.
I knew a preacher in the West like this. When someone reproached him for not proclaiming the truth, he exclaimed indignantly: "I do! I give the Sunday baseball players fits, and I lift up my voice against the sin of drunkenness." He knew the miserable drunkard and the Sunday baseball player were well out of range in the beer saloon and on the diamond. Fearless preaching!
But "they be blind leaders of the blind; let them alone." Man is a moral wreck and ruin, though "the preaching of the cross," which proves it, "is to them that perish foolishness." If we deny man's utter ruin by preaching circumcision, reformation or anything else for man's improvement, "then is the offense of the cross ceased," and we cease to "suffer persecution" (Gal. 5:1111And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. (Galatians 5:11)). The truth of the incurable moral lameness of man offends, and always did and always will. Mephibosheth was lame and could not walk. And unconverted sinners cannot follow Christ. I know religious people think the way to be saved is by trying to follow Christ. But how can a man with both legs lame follow anybody? No: salvation comes by trusting in Christ's death, and not by attempting to imitate His life.
Let us see now how Mephibosheth became a cripple. Turn back to the fourth chapter and fourth verse: "And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel. And his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth." He had a fall, and by his fall he became a cripple. Six thousand years ago man had a fall. He fell in Eden's garden. He sinned, and by his sin he became a fallen creature. All of us are born of fallen parents. "Like begets like." The psalmist says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psa. 51:55Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5)). Let me illustrate this truth. Suppose a man and wife—a noble couple living in Russia—are banished for some offense, as they often are, to the wilds of Siberia. Children are born to them there, and, though innocent of the crime with which their parents were charged, they are compelled to share their parent's dreary exile. They suffer the rigors of that awful climate and lead lives of misery and sorrow in that land of desolation and distress through their parents' crime. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were exiled from Eden because of their sin. All their children were born outside the garden. All of us were born in exile and of exiled parents. All are born away from God. And sinner, if God does not interpose in grace and save you, you must be forever exiled from His blissful presence and banished to the outer darkness and distance of an eternal hell. You are a fallen creature, born of fallen parents. You must be "born again" and brought to God. May this take place tonight!
The next point is, Mephibosheth was living in Lo-debar. He was in a "place of no pasture." All Hebrew proper names have some significance. Lo-debar signifies "a place of no pasture." And this is like the world where sinners live away from God. It contains no pasture. It has "husks"—food only fit for swine—but no real pasture. The prodigal was starving in the "distant land of famine." "I perish with hunger," was his bitter cry. It is the cry of multitudes. I do not say they hunger after Christ. Alas, they turn away from Him, the bread of God sent down from heaven. But men and women seek and sigh for satisfaction where it can never be found—in the world, away from God. Many seek it at the playhouse and the ballroom. "Lo-debar" is written over the entrances of these haunts of mirth and folly. Others seek it in secular literature, good, bad, and indifferent. But "Lo-debar" could be stamped upon the covers of it all, from the learned classics to the cheap novel. There is no satisfying pasture there. Others, with a show of wisdom, hope to find it in religious forms and ceremonies. But over every arching temple door where Christ is not held up, faith's eyes, anointed with heavenly eye-salve, can see written in letters black as night, "Lo-debar"—no pasture.
The persecutors of the martyrs sometimes fed their victims sawdust bread to mock them. And that's the kind of food the world is feeding on. I have a friend who told me of a dog that used to chase the thunder. How like the sinner seeking satisfaction where it has never yet been found.
I know the world has pleasures. Scripture speaks of "the pleasures of sin for a season." But pleasure is not satisfaction. King Solomon enjoyed the world, but he found no satisfaction. Hear what he says: "I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccl. 2:1-111I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. 11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:1‑11)). He tried everything, and turned away in disappointment. And he asks immediately after, "What can the man do that cometh after the king?" If he, with every advantage in his favor, could not find the satisfaction he was seeking for, how can poor and common people like ourselves expect to find it? Ah, "Lo-debar" is written everywhere. Solomon is the very man who said in a proverb, "Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth" (Prov. 17:2424Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. (Proverbs 17:24)). The eyes of a fool, like yours, my unsaved friend, are looking here and there and everywhere the wide world over for some satisfaction. But the eyes of those of understanding are set on wisdom. Christians are the understanding ones, and Christ is the "wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:2424But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24)). Their eyes are fixed on Him. He makes Himself their satisfying object.
The missionary, William Carey, tells of a native convert who was asked if he had happiness. "Yes," he answered, "I am thrice happy." He was asked for an explanation. He replied, laying his hand upon his heart, I have Christ here" (Eph. 3:1717That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (Ephesians 3:17)). Then he said, laying his hand on his Bengali Bible, "I have Christ here" (Luke 24:2727And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)). "And," he said, pointing towards heaven, "I have Christ up there" (Col. 3:11If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)). Happy man! He had Christ in his heart, and Christ in his Bible, and Christ in heaven. How could he be unhappy? Christians who make everything of Christ are always happy. The psalmist says, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (Psalm 23:22He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:2)). The sheep of Christ are in a place of pasture which is always green and fresh. They can there find perfect satisfaction. Sheep, they say, lie down when they are satisfied. So David said, "He maketh me to lie down." Where are you, my friend? In Lo-debar, or satisfied amid the ever fresh and fragrant pastures of communion with the Lord?
The third thing is, he was hiding from the presence of the king. I suppose he thought that David was against him. He very likely thought that if David found him, he would hang him on the nearest tree, or slay him with the sword, or have him cast into prison. Was not Saul his grandfather, the almost life-long enemy of David? Had he not for years wronged David of the throne of Israel? So he hid himself away in Machir's house in Lo-debar.
And sinners try to hide away from God. Adam hid among the trees of Paradise. He had sinned against his good Creator, and he feared to meet Him. But the Lord God sought His erring creature. "Adam, where art thou?" showed His interest in the welfare of the fallen man. Adam says, "I was afraid, because I was naked and I hid myself." And sinner, God is for you. He gave His Son that He might never be compelled to damn thee for thy sins. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). You need not hide away in fear, if you have any real concern about your soul. Men seek to hide away from God because they do not know His love. Mephibosheth did not know that David's mind was set upon his welfare. He did not know the grace of David's heart towards such as he. And so he hid himself. Why hide from God, poor soul? His blessed heart is full of love for sinners just like you. His love was manifested to the full by giving Jesus up to die a death of shame, "that we might live through Him" (John 4:99Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. (John 4:9)). He forsook His Son upon the cross that we might bask forever in the blissful sunshine of His favor, though in ourselves unworthy. Oh, God's love is well-proven love! You could not ask for better proof. Why, then, believe the lie of Satan, who would have you think God's heart is filled with wrath against you? "There is wrath," but it is against sin. Christ has atoned for sin. He has made Himself a Mediator, so a holy God can spare the guilty sinner. Why, oh why, poor sinner, hide and flee from God? I once sought to hide from God. I'll tell you why: God had been misrepresented to me, and it was the work of Satan. He pictured God to me in this way: there crouched the sinner, trembling from head to foot. Over him stood the Almighty with the glittering sword of divine wrath raised above his head, ready to strike him down without a moment's notice. He represented "the God of all grace" as anxious to rid Himself of a wretch so vile by hurling him down to hell without the least compassionate regret. BUT IT IS FALSE, my unconverted readers! God is not against you! His very warnings evidence His love. Why warn if He is careless or indifferent to your fate? Oh, do not take the caricature of Satan as a representation of the God who emptied heaven of its “chiefest treasure,” His beloved Son, that a world of rebel sinners might be saved!
At the time when Luther was first giving the Bible to the German nation in their native language, a scrap of the third of John and the sixteenth verse was blown or thrown into the street from the shop where the precious Bible was being printed. It was picked up by a little child and carried home. Eight words only were on the bit of paper: "God so loved the world that He gave—" The rest of the verse was torn away. The family read it, and they wondered what God "gave." They had never seen a Bible. And they never knew God loved them. The priests had always told them God was angry with them and must be appeased by penance, alms and masses. They had been taught to believe that God was demanding something from them. But here they saw that God had given something. They soon procured a Bible, and behold, in glad surprise, they saw what God had given in His love, even "His only begotten Son." They believed the glad tidings and were saved. They had learned God's love, and "there is no fear in love." Their dread of God was gone forever, even as the mists of the morning disappear before the noonday sunshine. Believe that love right now, my unsaved reader! May it draw thee from thy hiding place! For remember, if you die away from God, the trump of the last great day will call you from your distance and darkness to stand in the full-blazed light of the judgment-throne. There you will stand in the searching brightness of the Judge's awful presence. There thou shalt hear those soul-crushing words—the most awful that mortal ears have ever heard: "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." May God bring thee to the light by His Spirit now! "Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.”
Notice now, king David sent and fetched Mephibosheth from his hiding place. “Then king David sent and fetched him from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar” (vs. 5). And God, in His absolute sovereignty, brings the sinner to Himself. “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy” (Rom. 9:1616So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. (Romans 9:16)). God, by His Spirit, does for or in us, what we never would, or could do, for, or of ourselves. The work from first to last is God's. If left to ourselves, we never would be saved. None are saved but by the free and sovereign grace of God. It is God who makes us willing to be saved. We have an illustration of this in Luke 1416Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: (Luke 14:16). There the feast is spread, the invitations are sent out, and all refuse to come. "They all with one consent began to make excuse." But the servant is sent out and charged to "compel them to come in." And again, "Bring in hither." Every guest at that feast was either compelled to come in or brought in. If left to themselves, not a single one of all those invited would have been there. What Christian would or could refuse to sing—
"'Twas the same hand that spread the feast
That gently forced me in;
Else I had still refused to taste,
And perished in my sin.”
A man said to me once, "Do you mean to say that God takes men by the coat collar and forces them to come against their wills?" "No," I replied, "He compels them to come by persuasion. He makes them hungry by His Spirit. It is an easy thing to make a hungry man sit down before a well-spread table." May He make some sinner hungry tonight, is my prayer.
One thing David did; two things he did not do.
“David sent and fetched him." He did not send him a bottle of medicine to try on his crippled feet. A mass of professing Christians seem to think that God has provided religion to act as a sort of medicine on our souls, and which, if taken in liberal doses, will prepare us to be saved when we come to die. But religion cannot save. The Hottentots, and the Mohammedans, and the Brahmans are all religious people. You may be saturated to your very soul's center with religion and sink into hell at last. How many sing—
“’Tis religion that can give
Satisfaction while we live;
’Tis religion can supply
Peace and comfort when we die.”
Cain was a religious man; he brought an offering to the Lord. The persecutors of the prophets were religious. An intensely religious nation crucified the "Lord of glory." Fanatical religionists tortured and burned the martyrs. Christening, confirmation, sacrament taking, prayer reading, psalm singing, mass hearing, penance, all are vain and cannot save or even help to save the sinner. It is God, by His Spirit, working in our souls and producing repentance towards Himself and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. This He does apart altogether from the above named forms and ceremonies of religion. The only necessary instrumentality is the written Word of God—the Holy Scriptures. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:1717So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)).
“None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.”
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)). The woman with the issue of blood in the 8th of Luke, spent all her living upon physicians. They experimented, but they could not heal her. She only grew worse in their hands. Were it not for Christ, she would have died in spite of all her doctors. Distrust and turn from all who preach not Christ. Only the interposing grace of God can save a helpless sinner.
Nor did David send a pair of crutches to Mephibosheth, telling him to try and do the best he could, hobbling his way towards Jerusalem. But there is a class of people who imagine the ten commandments were sent from heaven to help the sinner back to God. Two great commandments—love to God and love to man—are the essence of the ten.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself" (Luke 10:2727And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. (Luke 10:27)). They look upon these two commandments as a pair of crutches. You try to keep them, "doing the best you can," and hope for heaven at last. Love God, that is one crutch; love your neighbor, that's the other. Make a start, keep up courage, and work out your soul's salvation.
But no one keeps these two commandments. For it is written, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)). Trying to keep them is not enough. It says, "This do, and thou shalt live" (Luke 10:2828And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. (Luke 10:28)). It does not say, "This try to do and thou shalt live." So the holy law of God can only curse the sinner, because he fails to keep it. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)). Do you love God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind? None but the most hardened hypocrites dare say they do. And do you love your neighbor as yourself? I know some people think they do. I met a lady out in Indiana who thought or said she did. I thought I'd test her, so I said, "Look here, Mrs. —, suppose your own house was on fire and your neighbor's house was on fire, and someone came rushing into this hall crying, 'Mrs. — your house is on fire and your neighbor's, too!' You rush out, and there, alas, is your house just starting to burn, and your neighbor's house right next door is the same. Now, whose house would you run to first?" "Why, I'd run to my own, of course," she said. "Then," I said, "you do not love your neighbor as yourself, because if you did, it would not matter to you which house was saved and which was burned." Well, I tell you, I hope she saw how short she came of doing what she claimed she did. Law cannot help the sinner, for the sinner has no strength to keep it.
No, David did not send Mephibosheth crutches or medicine; he "sent and fetched him." I can almost imagine Mephibosheth's feelings as he was being brought to David. The officers come to the door of Machir's house and knock. Machir sees them through the window and turns deadly pale. They both expect arrest or execution. To Mephibosheth's surprise, they lift him tenderly as a child and carry him to the waiting chariot. Then they start off towards Jerusalem. Mephibosheth sits and trembles like an aspen. They enter the city, and he fully expects to be driven towards the prison quarters. But they drive right to the royal palace. Mephibosheth is bewildered. He sees a man with a golden crown upon his head, and a purple robe upon his shoulders, hurrying down the marble steps. It is the king. He hastens to the chariot and asks so tenderly, "Art thou Mephibosheth?" "Behold thy servant," Mephibosheth falters. In an instant the arms of the king encircle the crippled son of Jonathan, and he weeps upon his neck. Still Mephibosheth trembles. David tenderly kisses him on the cheek, and says assuringly, "Fear not; for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan, thy father's sake, and I will restore thee all the land of Saul, thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually" (vs. 7). Such kindness overcomes Mephibosheth. "And he bowed himself and said, What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?" (vs. 8). They carry him into the palace, and he is given a place and portion "as one of the king's sons." "Fear not," David said to Mephibosheth. "Fear not," God says to every trembling sinner trusting in the death of Christ. He wants them at rest in His presence. They have nothing to fear, for Christ has suffered for their sins. He "made peace through the blood of His cross." All the claims of justice have been met, Their Substitute has died and lives forever now upon the throne of God. There He sits in heaven, their righteousness and representative. Fear not, then, fellow believer.
If an unbeliever, you have good cause to fear, "He that believeth not shall be damned." Well may you tremble in your seat as you think of your awful condition as a sinner in arms against the almighty God. Felix trembled, and the demons tremble too. God does not say to you, "Fear not." His word to such as you is this, "Behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish.”
Mephibosheth calls himself a "dead dog" in David's presence. It is in the presence of God that we learn the truth about ourselves. There Job learned about himself. "Behold I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth," he says. And also, "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 40:4; 42:5-64Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. (Job 40:4)
5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:5‑6)). This is repentance. A repentant man has no good thing to say about himself. A living dog is bad enough, but Mephibosheth calls himself a dead one. God, in His grace, grant some one repentance tonight. May He, by the action of His Spirit through the living and powerful Word, bring sinners into the light of His presence, that there they may abhor themselves as vile and only fit and ready fuel for the flames of hell. Sinners, once there, receive with joy the grand and glorious message of the Gospel of God's grace—"Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)).
I notice one thing more before closing. Mephibosheth gets two things—a portion and a place. "Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house" (vs. 9). That is his portion. But there was more. He was brought into the royal palace "as one of the king's sons." "As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons" (vs. 11). There you have his place.
Christians have a portion. They have forgiveness of sins, justification from all things, and spiritual blessings innumerable. But they also have a place. And oh, what a place it is! It is a place in the Father's house as sons. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:11Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)). The place is even better than the portion, blessed as the Christian's portion is. All believers stand accepted as sons in God's everlasting favor. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)). Too many rest with being saved, and but feebly, if ever, enter into the enjoyment of their place as "sons of God." They know their portion, but scarcely apprehend their place. When the Danish missionaries at Malabar wished to get out a catechism for the natives, they set a bright young convert to the work. When he came to the part where believers in Christ are said to be "sons of God," he stopped. "It is too much," he exclaimed, "let me rather render it, They shall be permitted to kiss His feet." Fellow-Christians, it is not too much. If we look only at our poor, unworthy selves it is far, far too much, but if we look at God, it is just what suits His heart.
Oh, what joy to sing—
"How blest a place! The Father's house;
There love divine doth rest;
What else could satisfy the hearts
Of those in Jesus blest?
His home made ours—His Father's love
Our heart's full portion given,
The portion of the First-born Son,
The full delight of heaven.”
One more word in closing. . . .
Sinner, will you have this place and portion? Or will you choose to have a place and portion with the devil and his angels in the lake of fire? Oh, choose life! Yield to the strivings of God's Spirit. Resist Him not! May God in His grace constrain you to turn to Him now.
God bless His word to many souls. Amen.