The Gospel in the Old TestamentSample

In today’s passage of Scripture, we see David’s kindness to Mephibosheth. At this point in history, David is in his prime. He has served as a mighty warrior and won many battles. King Saul has died, and David is now king over all Israel. And yet during this time, David stops to think of someone else in a unique way.

We do not know a lot about Mephibosheth. We do know that he became lame when he was 5 years old (2 Samuel 4:4). As we read in today’s passage, Mephibosheth was living as a grown man in someone else’s house. His injury may have made it nearly impossible to support himself and his family.

When David first called for Mephibosheth, we can assume that Mephibosheth was probably terrified. He probably thought David was going to kill him, as many kings would do with their predecessor’s family members. Instead, David welcomes Mephibosheth into his palace. He gives him back the land and servants of his grandfather, and he even gives Mephibosheth the opportunity to eat daily at the king's table, as if he were a member of the king’s family.

Notice what happens in this chapter. A great king goes out of his way to show kindness to a peasant, not because of anything that the peasant has done or will do, but simply as an act of grace. The king does not merely give the peasant money or land, but he actually welcomes him to the king's own table “like one of the king’s sons.” He essentially adopted Mephibosheth into his family.

In the same way, the King of Kings desired to show us kindness. Through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ, He made a way for us to be saved. Like Mephibosheth, we had done nothing to earn the King’s favor, and we never will be able to earn it. He has simply poured out His Grace onto His people. And just like Mephibosheth, we not only receive good things from the King, but we receive “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). God adopted us into His Family.

David did not know fully the way the Gospel would play out, but he certainly understood the Heart of the Gospel Message, and he lived it out in today’s story. Let us be thankful for the Great King of Kings who has adopted us into His Family!