Greetings members and friends and welcome to another commentary and preview to this Sunday’s study of the Word. This Sunday’s study text is entitled “David Administers Justice and Kindness” and it is based on 2 Samuel 9:1-7, 9-12.
Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was only 5 years old when his father died. He was left crippled and lame when his nurse accidently caused him to fall as they fled. By the time David inquires about Jonathan’s descendants in this text, Mephibosheth has a young son.
Assuming Mephibosheth was at least 17 or 18 when his son was born, David’s inquiry takes place somewhere between 12 and 20 years after Jonathan’s death. Jonathan and David were very close friends and had sworn to each other to also treat each other and their family with kindness.
David had been king now for about 16 years. During that time, he had been engaged with securing the kingdom and establishing himself as king of all Israel. At last, he has finally at a point where he could bring Saul’s family out in the open and show Jonathan’s family the kindness he had promised him. Whatever the reason for the delay or the cause, at long last David is inquiring about Jonathan’s family for the sake of showing kindness to them.
It just so happened that a servant of Saul, Jonathan’s father, was alive and taking care of Saul’s estate and his name was Ziba. He was summoned and came before David. David asked him if there was anyone left of Saul’s family that he could should kindness to. Ziba told David that Jonathan had a son who did live and had that son brought to the king’s palace.
David told Jonathan’s son not to be afraid because he was not brought there for him to harm him, but to bless him for his father’s sake. He promised to restore to him all of his grandfather’s estate and that he would forever be welcomed and blessed in king’s house and table.
David informed Ziba that he had given Mephibosheth all that had once belonged to Saul and that he, his sons and his servants would now maintain and cultivate that land for Mephibosheth. Kings had that kind of power and authority over their subjects. Ziba complied with the king’s command and he and his household would be taken care of out of that which came from the estate which would be passed on to Mephibosheth’s son, Mica.
So Jonathan’s son, after many years of struggling to survive as a crippled man and forsaken outcast of his family, was received as one of David’s own sons and would sit with the king’s family at his table because of David’s love, devotion and promise to his friend Jonathan, Saul, the king who tried to kill him and he succeeded on the throne, son.
One thing we can take away from all this is that we should not base our relationship with all others on what or how someone else feels about us or has treated us. If this wasn’t the case, then David and Jonathan would have no dealings with each other.
If we treated and felt the same way some people feel about us or have treated us, we would have nothing to do with those who are related to them in some way though they have not mistreated us and have nothing be good intentions toward us.
Because we have had an unpleasant encounter with a certain person or group of individuals, it is not necessarily true all related to and associated with that person or group is the same way. If we are not careful, we tend to paint everyone similar to someone else in some way with the same brush when we don’t know them or their intentions or feelings toward us.
David and Jonathan didn’t let Jonathan’s father’s feelings toward David interfere with their feelings toward one another. And because of it, someone’s life and that of his family that was a struggle at best and nearly forgotten and forsaken was now blessed because two people didn’t let what others did and think define how and what they would do and think. And neither should we. Because who knows, something similar could happen to us or someone we too befriended.
Well, again be sure to look over the study again and come prepared to offer your comments, questions and perspective on the meaning of the study. If you can’t attend your own Sunday School class this Sunday, you can join us live and online at 9:00 am at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link.
You can also join us live by dialing 508 924-2890. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section or you can share them on Sunday. So, let’s all have a great lesson and discussion this Sunday and remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
