2 Sam. 9
2 Sam. 9 and 10 are a sort of appendix. 2 Sam. 9 presents in type the Messiah's grace toward Israel and 2 Sam. 10 the same grace extended to the nations who reject it and bring down the judgment of God upon themselves.
In chapter 9 the time comes when David remembers the house of Saul. He looks for some survivor of this family that he may show him kindness on account of his friend Jonathan (2 Sam. 9:1). He finds Mephibosheth, a poor offshoot of this family, who bears in his person the consequences of the lack of faith of the woman who had had charge of him in his childhood.
As it was with David, so it will be with the Lord Jesus. The time will come when the Messiah will renew His relationship with the remnant of Israel whose fathers, like Jonathan, acknowledged Him during the days of His rejection and despite their weakness loved Him as their own soul. This first remnant converted during Jesus' time on earth ended, and merged, so to speak, into the Christian Church after the Lord's resurrection. At present the Church forms the great parenthesis that will be closed by the Lord Jesus' coming to rapture His saints. Only then will the true David remember Jonathan's offshoots, morally the descendants of the first Jewish disciples. He will be able to discover these descendants in a poor remnant that once turned their backs on the Messiah because they did not trust in grace and who now suffer the results of their unbelief.
This remnant will have two characteristics that again we find throughout the psalms. They will bear the weight of divine governmental wrath against a rebellious people from whom the remnant ought to have separated themselves. But this remnant will also, like Mephibosheth, bear the character of the grace that will be their portion. Through the mouth of the remnant the psalms express these two lines of thought which appear to contradict one another: first, God's government acting in outward wrath against the remnant because they are part of the people who crucified the Messiah and also called down upon themselves "bloodguiltiness" (Psa. 51:14). Secondly, grace operating in the hearts of these righteous ones to lead them to acknowledge the Lord as Savior and to share the glory of His kingdom.
Let us now point out the features in our account that relate to our own relationship with Christ.
David gives free flow to his mercy toward those whom he desires to bless. There was no reason that his interest should he drawn toward the house of Saul; this house had ever made war against David and, as far as its present condition was concerned, only its misery could attract the king's attention. But it is precisely misery that attracts grace. David says: "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (2 Sam. 9:1), and then: "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" (2 Sam. 9:3)- that is, divine kindness. Ziba comes to tell him that there was a poor miserable person, a man whose both feet were lame. They were lame because in time past he had fled from the one whose only thought was to bless him. The king sends for him, for this Mephibosheth who was numbered among "the lame and the blind hated of David's soul" (2 Sam. 5:8), and this lame man presents himself before David. What emotions must have stirred in the heart of this poor cripple! With what anguish he must have pictured the fate awaiting him! David had indeed told Ziba that he would exercise mercy toward Saul's descendants, but when once he had this offshoot of the family which had hunted him mercilessly would David still dream of exercising the promised mercy toward him?
"And David said, Mephibosheth!" He calls him by name, the name that no one had pronounced in his presence. David knows me then; does he remember me? the wretch must be thinking. And Mephibosheth, bowed at the king's feet, says: "Behold thy servant!"
David does what the Lord always does when He desires to gain a sinner's confidence. He says to him: "Fear not," when this poor soul terrified by the judgment he was expecting finds himself at the feet of his judge. "Fear not; for I will certainly show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake." He remembers his covenant with Jonathan; he had bound himself to Jonathan by promises not to be repented of (1 Sam. 20:14-17); he could not and would not break them. Mephibosheth had nothing to fear for his judge is telling him: "I will surely show thee kindness."
But David does not stop there: I "will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father." He gives Mephibosheth his inheritance. Then: "Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually." The king's grace gives Mephibosheth a most privileged place at his court. He eats with the king; and much more, he does so "as one of the king's sons" (2 Sam. 9:11). Before the eyes of one and all David gives him the title and relationship of a son!
To look at him, this man must have been wretchedness itself. This poor cripple could not move about by himself and must be carried to the king's table. What must outsiders who were present at a feast at the palace have thought of him? But to David he is a son, set in the highest place he could give him. Is not this what we find in Eph. 2:6-7? God "has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that He might display in the coming ages the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus." David acts in the same way toward Mephibosheth. The fact of his being seated as a son at his table was a thousand times more precious in the king's mind than the fact of being an heir, and so he repeats these words to him three times (2 Sam. 9:7,10,13).
Notice that the fact of being introduced into this glorious relationship changed nothing about Mephibosheth's condition. The chapter ends with the words: "And he was lame on both his feet." In the eyes of others and in his own eyes he is just the same. "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, good does not dwell," says Paul in Rom. 7:18. In David's eyes it is quite otherwise; he is clothed in all the dignity of a son of the king. Thus we Christians who "have no confidence in the flesh" ought to remain where we are, considering what God has made of us. He no longer sees us in our misery. In order to exalt His grace He gives poor persons crippled in both feet a right to enjoy His presence in glory.
How does Mephibosheth respond, beholding himself as the object of such favor? "He bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" In David's presence he terms himself a dog, unclean and despicable, the very image of defilement; a dead dog, a foul and repulsive object worthy only of being kicked aside. Speaking in this manner to David he took—and others might well know this—the place that David had taken in reference to Saul, Mephibosheth's forebear: "After whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog?" (1 Sam. 24:14). The powerful king before whom Mephibosheth stood had in time past taken the same place as he was taking; he had come to know the meaning of defilement, death, and rejection during the days of his sufferings. It was with such a savior that Mephibosheth had to do.
When the Syrophenician woman found herself in the presence of the Messiah He told her: "It is not right to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied. She accepts this sentence. "Yes, Lord," it is true; I affirm what You have just told me; I am unworthy, but You are the very grace in which I confide. "Even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" (Mark 7:24-30). These words go directly to Jesus' heart. Faith which despite our profound unworthiness in no wise doubts His love and power is sure to receive an abundance of divine blessings in exchange. Our unworthiness only serves to bring to light the grandeur of grace.
The Jewish remnant in the end times will also come to thorough self-judgment in the presence of the One whom they have rejected. They will say: Is it possible that we "esteemed Him not," the very Son of God? And as the object of my hostility He allowed Himself to be stricken in my place! He entered into my condition, like a lamb led to the slaughter, dumb, resolved to save me at any price.
Mephibosheth's portion cannot be taken away from him: He will "eat bread at my table continually" (2 Sam. 9:7,10); "He did eat continually at the king's table" (2 Sam. 9:13). "Thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house forever" (1 Sam. 20:15). He dwelt at Jerusalem, the same place that the king had chosen for his dwelling. We possess these same privileges, and this series of favors that were Mephibosheth's is also our present and future portion. We have the inheritance and we shall possess it. We dwell in the Father's house and we will dwell there forever. He has seated us at His table; we will he there forever. And truly, when we are at that feast in time to come the love that humbled itself to save us will consent to be servant of our joy eternally!
Like Mephibosheth we must measure ourselves in the presence of grace and, having judged ourselves, understand that our glorious position as children of God depends solely on the love that fills Christ's heart for poor creatures such as us.