Mephibosheth was five years old when his father, Jonathan, and grandfather, Saul, were killed in the battle against the Philistines. His nurse fled with Mephibosheth but, sadly, dropped him and he became lame in both his feet. Mephibosheth was given shelter in the house of Machir in Lo-debar where he grew up, married and had a son named Micha. When David came to the throne, he restored Mephibosheth’s inheritance, made Ziba (steward of the house of Saul) his servant, granted him a home in the palace and allowed him the privilege of eating daily at the king’s table.
This is a heart-warming account of the kindness and mercy of David towards one whom many regarded as his enemy. More heart-warming again is its foreshadowing of the gospel of Christ through which sinful, unworthy men and women are brought by faith from destitution and judgment into blessing.
Life in the palace was not without difficulty. Mephibosheth was still lame and his name inevitably was linked with the cause of Saul. He might have harboured deep bitterness, but an incident during David’s flight from Absalom reveals Mephibosheth’s true feelings. Ziba lied about his master, saying he had remained in Jerusalem to further his claim to the throne. When David later returned to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth explained the true reason for his not following the king into exile and David reinstated him to favour. The response of Mephibosheth revealed his true feelings towards David – that all his actions were motivated by love, not avarice, 2 Sam. 19. 26-30.
How easy it would have been for Mephibosheth to nurture bitterness in his heart because of the circumstances which made him lame and the king who took his throne. Instead, he remembered that his life had been transformed by the king’s kindness and this occupied his thinking; his greatest delight was that the king had returned. We do well to emulate the example of Mephibosheth. Time spent occupied with the person and excellencies of Christ, our beloved Lord, will replace time spent on that which engenders bitterness, conflict or unworthy thoughts. Avoid ‘any root of bitterness’.
