âFetching grace!â What a splendid truth taught in GODâs Word! This entire chapter of 2 Samuel 9 is a glorious picture of GODâs âfetching graceâ and His dealings with sinners. David sent and âfetchedâ Mephibosheth!
King David pictures GOD the FATHER upon His throne who shows mercy to Mephibosheth, who pictures a sinner. Jonathan is the LORD JESUS, and Ziba is the HOLY SPIRIT. King Saul has been an enemy of David. Mephibosheth is Saulâs grandson, just as Adam became an enemy of GOD, and you and l are his grandsons.
The Old testament is full of pictures of GODâs salvation. Letâs see what we can learn from this one; we call it âfetching grace.â
WHO TOOK THE INITIATIVE?
Mephibosheth never made a move toward David. In fact, he was hiding from David as his enemy âš(2 SAMUEL 4:4). Even so it was with Adam, he âhid from the presence of the LORDâ (GENESIS 3:8).
Why? Because sin brought guilt into his soul and broke his fellowship with his GOD (see ISAIAH 59:2). He now had a dread of GOD. Spiritually he died; as GOD had threatened, âin the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dieâ (GENESIS 2:17). So it is with all of his descendantsâwe are born as guilty sinners, dead, âalienated from the life of God...dead in trespasses and sinsâ (EPHESIANS 2:1; 4:18)
âWherefore as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinnedâ (ROMANS 5:12).
When king Saul became Davidâs enemy, Mephibosheth, Saulâs grandson, died as far as any friendship with David was concerned. David must himself take the initiative in this story of GODâs grace. Even as GOD took the initiative in the Garden to seek out our father Adam. Thatâs how it is with all of us by natureââAll we like sheep have gone astrayâ (ISAIAH 53:6)âthe Good Shepherd must seek His sheep (LUKE 15:4-7;19:10; JOHN 10:11,16). C.H. Spurgeon said, âYou once show me a lost sheep seeking the shepherd, and then lâll believe that a depraved sinner seeks GOD without first GOD finding the sinner.â Sinners do find Christ, but only after they are found of the LORD (JOHN 1:43-45). âDavid sent and fetched him.â
WHO WAS THE OBJECT 0F DAVIDâS QUEST?
It would seem that for David to do this, Mephibosheth must have been a friend, someone who could benefit David by promoting his cause, or defending his honour? On the contrary! He was an immediate descendant of Davidâs worst enemy! The king could gain nothing by showing kindness to a miserable cripple who was at enmity with him.
Even so, the Bible says, âThe carnal mind is enmity against Godâ (ROMANS 8:7). âWe are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us awayâ (ISAIAH 64:6).
Now what possible good can a sinner do for the King of Glory? Do we add to His glory? Did Mephibosheth add to Davidâs glory? No! But the kindness and compassion of the king was seen in Mephibosheth; even as GODâs mercy and grace is seen in lost sinners that He saves. We donât add to His glory; but in our salvation, His glory is put on display for all to see. Our GOD is and has always been all glorious. When a sinner is saved, it only shows forth what has always been trueââBlessed be Thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praiseâ (NEHEMIAH 9:5). His mercy is manifested in the miserable! His grace is displayed in the guilty!
WHAT DOES HIS NAME MEAN?
The name Mephibosheth means âa shameful thing.â Shamefulânothing of which to boast, without any redeeming traits. Shamefulânothing to do but hide his face in shame because his kinsman played the fool and revolted against Godâs anointed.
To be a âsinnerâ is a shameful thing! âHear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, l have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me...From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying soresâ (ISAIAH 1:2,6), Modern religion will not hear of it! But GODâs Word declares it. Have you ever seen yourself as a shameful thing? Christ said, âl came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentanceâ (MATTHEW 9:13).
WHAT WAS MEPHIBOSHETH?
He was a cripple. âHe fell, and became lameâ (2 SAMUEL 4:4), He was âlame on both his feet,â unable to run, or even walk. His own strength was non-existent. This pictures every man by nature. We became lame through a fall in Adam! Now, we're unable to come to GOD of our own accord, and in our own good time. Sinners are âwithout strengthâ (ROMANS 5:6).
Have you ever faced your helpless condition before GOD? Youâre a spiritual cripple! You donât have the ability to rise up and come to Christ when you get ready. If thatâs your attitude, youâll perish in your foolish pride. Strength must be given to you from above, or youâll never come to Christ. He said, âNo man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Fatherâ (JOHN 6:65).
WHERE WAS MEPHIBOSHETH?
Mephibosheth was in a place called Lodebar. âLodebarâ means âthe place of no pasture.â Mephibosheth lived in a place of no sustenance, no food, and no satisfaction. This world and all that it has to offer is but a dry and barren land for the soul of man. He cannot find true peace, true rest, or true happiness in the perishing things of this life.
âThe wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my GOD, to the wickedâ (ISAIAH 57:20,21). Pleasure, fame, and fortune leave but an aching void in the heart of man. Regardless of how much of this worldâs goods you may accumulate, your soul will still be filled with nothing but emptiness. Like the Prodigal who âfilled his belly with theâŠhusks that the swine did eatââhe still cried out âI perish with hunger!â (LUKE 15:16,17).
This world is Lodebarââthe place of no pasture.â Our jobs, our families, our recreation, our riches, cannot satisfy the longing within. Men were made for GOD, and theyâll know no rest, and no peace, till they rest in GOD. Jesus said, âCome unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you restâŠye shall find rest unto your soulsâ (MATTHEW 11:28,29).
WHAT WAS DAVIDâS MOTIVE?
We know that it couldn't have been anything in Mephibosheth. He was a miserable cripple, and an enemy of the king. What then moved the heart of king David? Three very important words found in our text âfor Jonathanâs sakeâ (vv 1,7). It was something entirely outside of Mephibosheth! David had made a covenant with Jonathan, whom he loved, while he yet lived, to show kindness to his house (1 SAMUEL 20:15-17). It was on the basis of a covenant, a promise, that king David sent and fetched this helpless cripple from his sad estate.
Why does God the Father show mercy upon helpless sinners? for the sake of His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Why does He forgive sinners? âGod, for Christâs sake, hath forgiven youâ (EPHESIANS 4:32). Throughout all this beautiful story, Mephibosheth was not the one who was foremost in the mind of the king, Jonathan was! King David didnât rescue Mephibosheth merely to improve his state, but rather he brought this miserable cripple into his palace that he might glorify Jonathan, and by this, he would let all Israel know how much he loved Jonathan, and how dear he was to the heart of the king.
Even so is the Son of GOD dear to the heart of the Father! GOD doesnât rescue sinners merely to keep them out of hell. He rescues them to magnify Christ! Heâs dead set on showing how much He loves His Son. Heâs willing to save undone and ungodly wretches that Jesus might be glorified!
Mephibosheth, youâre no good! Youâre of no count! But lâm fetching you out of your miserable state all the way into the palace of the king, for no other reason, than to show my love for Jonathan.
WHAT DID DAVID DO?
Did he send a message that if Mephibosheth would âdo his part,â mercy would be his? Did he send crutches and say that if you can just get to Jerusalem, everything will be OK? (Perhaps a âJerusalem Road Plan of Salvationâ ) Of course, he didnât! âHe sent and fetched him!â
What kind of a message are we hearing from so many pulpits today?ââGOD has done all He can, and now itâs all up to you. He sent His Son to die; the sin-debt has been paid; Heâs done His part, and now you do yours.â
Thatâs not in GODâs Word! We need to study the parable of the âGreat Supperâ again (LUKE 14:16â24), Christ said, âThey all with one consent began to make excuse!â (v. 18). Because all men by nature hold GODâs Supper in contempt by offering worthless, flimsy excuses, the Spirit of GOD must âcompelâ sinners âto come in!â (v. 23). âThere is none that seeketh after GOD...the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of GOD: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discernedâ (ROMANS 3:11, 1 CORINTHIANS 2:14), The Good Shepherd goes out to âfetchâ the lost sheep. Why? because theyâre lost! Lost means lost! You need to be found! âThe Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost!â (LUKE 19:10, see 2 CORINTHIANS 4:3,4). âBlessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Theeâ (PSALM 65:4). If it were not for GODâs âfetching grace,â where would we be? âDavid sent, and fetched him!â (2 SAMUEL 9:5)
WHAT IS GRACE?
It is purely a matter of charity, exercised sovereignly and spontaneously attracted by nothing praiseworthy in its objects. It is not shown to those who merely have no merit, but rather, to those who are full of demerit. The sinnerâs condition is desperate to the last degree; itâs a wonder that heâs not already in hell. Grace is the sinnerâs last and only hope. Since it is a matter of charity, GOD is free to give it, or to withhold it (ROMANS 9:15).
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE CRIPPLE MET THE KING?
Mephibosheth knew his life âšhung on the mercy of the king. He âšwasnât prancing down the churchâš aisle to some fancy evangelistâs âfirst-time decision.â No! âHe fell on his face, and did reverence!â (v. 6).
There are multitudes getting so-called âsavedâ today who know nothing of the humility and reverence that accompanies a true conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ. He doesnât reside down at the front of a church; Heâs seated on the throne of all power! âKING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDSâ (REVELATION 17:14; 19:16); and He bids sinners, âCome unto ME.â You try to get into the presence of a king without bending those kneesâyou'll never make it!
Consider, too, Mephiboshethâs response when David addressed him, âWhat is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?â That doesnât paint too beautiful a picture of a sinner in the eyes of a holy GOD. Think about it. Do you really think that you deserve GODâs mercy? Think again. âThereâs none righteous, no, not oneâ (ROMANS 3:10). God has mercy on whom He will (ROMANS 9:18).
Be wise. Humble yourself before the Lord. Cast away your foolish pride. Be done with your high esteem, and all those good thoughts of yourself. âThereâs none that doeth good, no, not oneâ (ROMANS 3:12). Admit that youâre just what GOD says you areââa shameful thingâ; and bow down before the Lord your GOD. Heâs promised, âTo this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.â (ISAIAH 66:2)