Interestingly, the name Mephibosheth means 'shameful one.' I'm not sure why anyone would name their child that, but when Mephibosheth was only five years old, he was dropped by his governess and as a result he was lame and couldn't walk.Īt the time David was looking for someone from Saul's house to care for, Mephibosheth was living in a place called Lo-Debar. It was a town on the outskirts - a desert - ugly - not a place you'd ever brag about being from. He's living in a barren place - empty - a location for outcasts.Īnd what does David do? He calls Mephibosheth to him. And Mephibosheth comes - hobbling, humbled, head down, fearful - thinking maybe he's going to be killed since he's part of the family that was so mean to David.īut David tells Mephibosheth he's going to give him an inheritance - all of his grandfather Saul's inheritance.Īnd David adopts Mephibosheth into his own family and he lets Mephibosheth eat at the king's table. And the tablecloth of grace and adoption covers Mephibosheth's broken and wounded feet and spirit.įriends, we are Mephibosheths. Spiritually, we're outcasts. We're shameful in our sin, emotionally crippled, seeking significance, searching for status, looking for grace, desperate for mercy, hungry for life. Saul is the first king of Israel. He had a son named Jonathan. Jonathan was a close friend of David, who would become the second king of Israel. Saul hated David, even though his own son was David's best friend. He was jealous of David because he thought David was a threat to his throne. So he tried to kill David to get him out of the way, but Jonathan helped David escape the hand of his own father.Īfter both Saul and Jonathan die in battle on the very same day, David is eventually elevated as king of Israel. And he asks if there is anybody from the house of Saul - the one who tried to kill him - who David could take care of for the sake of his friend, Jonathan. There was one - Jonathan's own son, Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth is a very interesting Old Testament character and here's why. We've been given an inheritance because we've been adopted by God into His own family.
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