2Sa 9:13 | KingComments | STEP | Mephibosheth comes to David, falls on his face and prostrates ( ). Does he know what David is planning? What can he count on? He can only think of one thing and that is that this is his last hour. The only person he didn’t want to meet is David. The only person who can do him good is David. And that happens. When David has found him, there is no tirade of accusations, he is not accused, no verdict is pronounced. He experiences only grace. When David sees him, he only mentions his name. “Mephibosheth” means “radiation of Baal”. The reaction of Mephibosheth is: “Here is your servant.” It is reminiscent of the reaction of Mary when the Lord Jesus reveals Himself to her. He did so by calling a deeply distressed Mary only by her name: “Mary!” Mary’s reaction is like that of Mephibosheth: “She turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher)” ( ). There need be no fear with Mephibosheth. David did not call him to end his life, but to give him a much richer life than he has had so far ( ). He gets everything back that belongs to his family. This suddenly gives him an enormous property. But this is not the only thing. He gets much more, for he may be constantly in the presence of David. It is said three times that he may be at the king’s table. Once again, and if possible even deeper, Mephibosheth prostrates himself ( ) upon receiving so much grace. He calls himself “a dead dog”. This is how David once called himself ( ; cf. ; ). Mephibosheth is aware of who he is in himself. This consciousness must also penetrate us as well. In ourselves we are nothing but a dead dog, nothing more. In Israel, a dog is already something despicable, let alone a dead dog. Mephibosheth is not only interested in being saved, but it is knowing that David’s attention is on him. He is overwhelmed by the kindness of David in what he gives him. In the picture it is about a dead dog becoming a son of God. David gives Mephibosheth an abundance of food, much more than he can eat ( ). So it is with the riches of the Christian. And David does not leave it to the provision of food. He goes even further. Mephibosheth is allowed to eat regularly together with David and even live in Jerusalem, in the immediate vicinity of David. This is how God has dealt with us. He has delivered us from a state in which we could only expect judgment. He has given us who are so reprehensible in ourselves a treasure in heaven. And already now we may have contact with Him, be in His presence, without fear of judgment. Convinced of His perfect love there is no place for fear ( ). In we see the contrast between someone who is a servant and also satisfied to be so and someone who is a son and to whom this is his greatest good. Ziba is meaningfully referred to in as “the servant of Saul”. His sons and servants must have their share of the income. It is a considerable portion, as is evident from the number mentioned. Ziba has fifteen sons and twenty servants. They will need a lot of what is available. We see here: “When good things increase, those who consume them increase” ( ). All who live in the house of Ziba are servants of Mephibosheth. They are all busy with his possessions and live therefrom. They feast on it, because they are out on their own advantage. The Jews have a saying: “He who multiplies servants multiplies thieves.” Ziba is now satisfied, for he loves the riches and has them at his disposal in abundance. He promises the king that he will act faithfully with it. It even seems that he says he wants Mephibosheth at his table and will treat him like a real king’s son. David does not go into that, for he wants him at his own table. How unfaithful Ziba has been, we will see later ( ). In we see that the blessings are not only for Mephibosheth, but also for his son, “whose name was Mica”. Mica means ‘who is like the LORD?’ In the naming of his son, Mephibosheth has already expressed the faith which is in him. For that he now receives the reward through the treatment of David. The last announcement about Mephibosheth ( ) is the remembrance of what he is by nature. This makes what he has become and where he has been brought all the greater. He is and remains a sinner in himself, for the flesh never changes. In ourselves we are and remain as powerless as ever, but it should not be the matter we always are busy with. We should not, so to speak, look under the table, but on the table, and especially over the table to Him to Whom the table belongs. We do not keep ourselves busy with ourselves, but with the Lord Jesus. It is about the constant fellowship with Him and not only about the fellowship at His Table once a week to celebrate His Supper. Once Mephibosheth lives in Jerusalem, there is no longer reference made about his property, nor his origin, but still about his lame feet. We can apply it to ourselves as follows. It remains an everlasting miracle that I, who is naturally powerless, may now be so close to the Lord Jesus and eat at His table, that is, have fellowship with Him. In the grace of David which he shows to Mephibosheth, I see the grace of the Lord Jesus to me. He is so overwhelmingly good to me; He has given me so much. The greatest thing is that I may have fellowship with Him and be in His presence, even though I am a dead dog in myself and have no power to live to His glory.

‏ 2 Samuel 9:13

Mephibosheth With David

Mephibosheth comes to David, falls on his face and prostrates (2Sam 9:6). Does he know what David is planning? What can he count on? He can only think of one thing and that is that this is his last hour. The only person he didn’t want to meet is David. The only person who can do him good is David. And that happens. When David has found him, there is no tirade of accusations, he is not accused, no verdict is pronounced. He experiences only grace. When David sees him, he only mentions his name. “Mephibosheth” means “radiation of Baal”.

The reaction of Mephibosheth is: “Here is your servant.” It is reminiscent of the reaction of Mary when the Lord Jesus reveals Himself to her. He did so by calling a deeply distressed Mary only by her name: “Mary!” Mary’s reaction is like that of Mephibosheth: “She turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher)” (Jn 20:16).

There need be no fear with Mephibosheth. David did not call him to end his life, but to give him a much richer life than he has had so far (2Sam 9:7). He gets everything back that belongs to his family. This suddenly gives him an enormous property. But this is not the only thing. He gets much more, for he may be constantly in the presence of David. It is said three times that he may be at the king’s table.

Once again, and if possible even deeper, Mephibosheth prostrates himself (2Sam 9:6 ; 8) upon receiving so much grace. He calls himself “a dead dog”. This is how David once called himself (1Sam 24:14; cf. 2Sam 16:9; Mt 15:26-28). Mephibosheth is aware of who he is in himself. This consciousness must also penetrate us as well. In ourselves we are nothing but a dead dog, nothing more. In Israel, a dog is already something despicable, let alone a dead dog. Mephibosheth is not only interested in being saved, but it is knowing that David’s attention is on him. He is overwhelmed by the kindness of David in what he gives him. In the picture it is about a dead dog becoming a son of God.

David gives Mephibosheth an abundance of food, much more than he can eat (2Sam 9:10). So it is with the riches of the Christian. And David does not leave it to the provision of food. He goes even further. Mephibosheth is allowed to eat regularly together with David and even live in Jerusalem, in the immediate vicinity of David.

This is how God has dealt with us. He has delivered us from a state in which we could only expect judgment. He has given us who are so reprehensible in ourselves a treasure in heaven. And already now we may have contact with Him, be in His presence, without fear of judgment. Convinced of His perfect love there is no place for fear (1Jn 4:18a).

In 2Sam 9:11 we see the contrast between someone who is a servant and also satisfied to be so and someone who is a son and to whom this is his greatest good. Ziba is meaningfully referred to in 2Sam 9:9 as “the servant of Saul”. His sons and servants must have their share of the income. It is a considerable portion, as is evident from the number mentioned. Ziba has fifteen sons and twenty servants. They will need a lot of what is available. We see here: “When good things increase, those who consume them increase” (Ecc 5:11a).

All who live in the house of Ziba are servants of Mephibosheth. They are all busy with his possessions and live therefrom. They feast on it, because they are out on their own advantage. The Jews have a saying: “He who multiplies servants multiplies thieves.” Ziba is now satisfied, for he loves the riches and has them at his disposal in abundance. He promises the king that he will act faithfully with it. It even seems that he says he wants Mephibosheth at his table and will treat him like a real king’s son. David does not go into that, for he wants him at his own table. How unfaithful Ziba has been, we will see later (2Sam 16:3).

In 2Sam 9:12 we see that the blessings are not only for Mephibosheth, but also for his son, “whose name was Mica”. Mica means ‘who is like the LORD?’ In the naming of his son, Mephibosheth has already expressed the faith which is in him. For that he now receives the reward through the treatment of David.

The last announcement about Mephibosheth (2Sam 9:13) is the remembrance of what he is by nature. This makes what he has become and where he has been brought all the greater. He is and remains a sinner in himself, for the flesh never changes. In ourselves we are and remain as powerless as ever, but it should not be the matter we always are busy with. We should not, so to speak, look under the table, but on the table, and especially over the table to Him to Whom the table belongs. We do not keep ourselves busy with ourselves, but with the Lord Jesus. It is about the constant fellowship with Him and not only about the fellowship at His Table once a week to celebrate His Supper.

Once Mephibosheth lives in Jerusalem, there is no longer reference made about his property, nor his origin, but still about his lame feet. We can apply it to ourselves as follows. It remains an everlasting miracle that I, who is naturally powerless, may now be so close to the Lord Jesus and eat at His table, that is, have fellowship with Him. In the grace of David which he shows to Mephibosheth, I see the grace of the Lord Jesus to me. He is so overwhelmingly good to me; He has given me so much. The greatest thing is that I may have fellowship with Him and be in His presence, even though I am a dead dog in myself and have no power to live to His glory.