From Rags to Riches A Message from 2 Samuel 9 (A story about Prince Mephibosheth, King David, King Jesus and you) An Introduction and Historical Background Before we explore some points on this wonderful chapter, let s look at some of the background to the chapter: 1. I Samuel and 2 Samuel were originally composed as one book. 2. Samuel was written after the judge and prophet Samuel s death, after King Saul s death, and after the division of the kingdom of Israel in 931 BC. 3. Why was it written? a. To teach the God s covenant community to be loyal to the Lord, b. To teach God s people that to be delivered from their enemies they must put their ultimate faith in the Lord who is their true King, and not trust in merely human kings. c. They were to learn that God s chosen and anointed, messianic king was subordinate to the Lord God, but was the one through whom the Lord s presence would be mediated and through whom the Lord s people would ultimately be delivered. 4. Samuel is a history of transition from the judges to the kings. 5. The prolog (at the beginning of 1 Samuel) and the epilog (at the end of 2 Samuel) form the central theme and core of the book: a. The Lord is the Great Reverser and Deliverer b. The story of Israel s trouble begins with the evil priests in Shiloh c. There is a true story of deliverance d. The story is to inspire people to praise the Lord e. That the Lord is the Great Deliverer and Rescuer f. This part of the history ends with praise to God in the chosen place of God, which is Jerusalem 6. Samuel begins initially with God granting the desires of His people who wanted a king just like other nations. So Saul became their king, but is a type of a religious, but godless ruler. Saul does unite the clans and tribes into a political kingdom, but ends up dividing Israel spiritually and morally. This division of God s people represents a divided humanity: a. Since Adam, the seed of the Serpent has waged an unremitting war against the seed of the woman. The ultimate seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15 is Jesus. b. Satan and his lineage have attempted many times throughout history to destroy Messiah s line. c. In a secondary sense all who are united to Christ, are also the true seed. Hence there are two races or two seed. i. This conflict of two races in humanity is radical: it goes to the root, for it is a matter of the heart.
ii. This conflict of two races is comprehensive: at every point in every moment of history the two groups are in a state of cold or hot warfare. iii. This conflict is eternal. When Christ returns to bring the conflict to an end in history, human race will still remain divided those who are separated from God and those who are with God in heaven. 7. Saul and his tribe of the Benjaminites come to represent the apostate, the hypocritical, and the unregenerate race who are in conflict with Judah s promised anointed One (David). David and the tribe of Judah comes to represent the anointed people. 8. Interestingly enough, Benjamin and Judah are joined as one people when they end up in conflict with the ten northern tribes of Israel. 9. This conflict between the northern ten tribes, who became just like the rest of the world, like Gentiles, rejected and fought the southern two tribes. 10. The two southern tribes who were united under King David, who becomes a messianic figure come to typify a future united people under one King Jesus (Jews and Gentiles into the Church). The Ten Tribes of the North come to represent the Gentile nations who belong to Satan 11. Now we come to the grandson of Saul, Mephibosheth. a. Mephibosheth was the son of Prince Jonathan. He was a pitiful figure, crippled at age 5 when his nurse dropped him on the same day his father and grandfather had been killed in battle as the Lord predicted. b. Mephibosheth was the last remaining member of a family that had gone from prestige, power, and wealth to shame, powerlessness, and poverty. He bore the name of the shame of his grandfather and forefathers. c. In the culture of the day the king who came to power would often kill off all relatives of the previous king so that no one could make war against the new king and take back the throne. Just being a family member of the previous king unrelated to the new king (or even sometimes related to the new king) meant they were enemies and therefore considered treasonous. Mephibosheth was in danger of being slaughtered merely because he was the next man in line to be king of the old regime. (These notes are taken from Dr. Futato s seminary materials. Dr. Futato is a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Florida)
The Message 1. Severed from the King s Country (2 Samuel 9:2-4) There are funny names in this passage. Funny or strange to us: Ziba meant statue Machir meant sold or perhaps salesman. He was a very rich man. Ammiel meant my people are god. This man was a powerful chief in Gilead. Lo-debar means not the pasture, another way of saying wilderness. Mephibosheth s name means terminator of idols. Mephibosheth is separated from his own family, hiding in Lo-Debar with King Saul s clansmen because there was nowhere else to go. 2. Sought by the King s People (9:5) (see also Psalm 72; Luke 15:4-7) 3. Seeking out the King s Mercy (9:6,8) Notice Meph s humility: He could have said: I have no problem I deserve to be king You are the rebel, not me I deserve life my way I m at my relative s home. I m like a god I m a living god You will serve me! But instead he is humbled and fearful, and probably sees his life: Crippled Dethroned and lost it all Rebel enemy of the king Deserving death Hiding in the wilderness Despicable me (a dog) Dead dog (really, really bad) Willing to be a lowly slave 4. Shocked by the King s Grace (9:8) 5. Sharing in the King s Fortune (9:7-13)
6. Sitting at the King s Table (9:10, 11, 13) Throughout the Bible, one particular royal gift is highlighted above all others - the gift of food! Melchizedek in Gen. 14:8 gave food and drink to victorious Abram Joseph raised to rule Egypt gave good food to the world. Nehemiah fed 150 Jews at his own table The feast is one of the predominant and key Old Testament images of the coming of the Kingdom of God. For additional study see Psalm 45; Proverbs 9; Ezekiel 34; and Isaiah 25. The true savior, Messiah-King would come and bring a great feast. Note too that all worship services in the Old Testament were feasts! 7. Serving by the King s Side (9:11, 13) This is the end of this story, but not the end of the King Jesus Story and your part in it. Mephibosheth is an analogy of your story and my story. Here s how: 1. We are Severed from the King s Country 2. We are Sought by the King s People (9:5) (Read Luke 19:10) We were hiding in the wasteland But were carried to the homeland 3. We Seek out the King s Mercy (9:6,8) (See Romans 5, 8, 9) Mercy keeps from us what we do deserve (God s punishment) Grace gives to us what we don t deserve (God s blessings) When by mercy God calls your name, Confess your need, your guilt, your shame. For you will never see God s face Unless you re humbled by God s grace! 4. Shocked by the King s Grace (9:8) (See Ephesians 2:1-5) Our treason is the reason for Christ s death
You will never know the kindness of God Until you experience the mercy and grace of God And when you know it in the depths of your soul you Will be overwhelmed by such great mercy and grace! 5. We Share in the King s Fortune (9:7-13) (See Ephesians 1:11; 2:5-7 and compare John 3, Hebrews 9:22, Luke 15:11-12; 1 Peter 1) Out of his kindness my life was restored And kingdom inheritance is my reward. This is what is so amazing about God s grace: What we inherit in Jesus is beyond what we can think or see What Jesus inherits from God is just you and just me! 6. We Sit at the King s Table (9:10, 11, 13) (Check out Luke 15:11-12 Ephesians 1:20-21) 7. We Serve by the King s Side (9:11, 13) (Read Ephesians 2:4-6, Revelation 20:4-6) In spite of our old condition, we are given a great position! We were poor and lowly fools but we re now in Christ who rules. Not the End Yet! If you have come to see who you are before God, a rebel sinner in need of mercy and grace, and if you trust and believe in King Jesus as your personal savior and lord, then this is your true identity as far as God is concerned. This is the good news message. This is your true rags to riches story! If you wish to know more or how you can make things right with God to receive all that he has for you in Jesus, then call one of the pastors or elders right away. They would be more than happy to explain how this story can be your good news story!