774 of Jonathan and of his covenant, and sought to find if any of Jonathan’s kin were yet alive. He learned that Mephi- bosheth,— the child with the lame feet, now a man of thirty,—was yet alive, and that he was in the house of the rich Machir in Lo-debar, living in retirement. There is something suggestive in the question of the king: “ Is there yet any of the house of Saul that I may show the kindness of God unto him?” Saul, the first king of Israel,— the rich, strong soldier king! Any left? Do king’s families run out like the families of the poor? (Psa. 37:35, 36). Men pass away like a shadow, and the question is appropriate even of a great house like that of Saul, “ Are there any left?” Nothing serves to take the nonsense of self-importance out of us as does the thought of the brevity and uncertainty of life, and of the small place men play in a world like this. There is here also a side light into the character of the man David. Notwith standing the fact that the house of Saul had persecuted him to the bitter end, his heart was unchanged for the friend of his youth. Shakespeare has well said “ The friends thou hast, and their vir tue tried; clasp with a hook of steel.” (2) DAVID RESTORES SAUL’S POS SESSIONS, vs. 5-9. The king, when he found Jonathan’s lame son a dependent upon Machir, sent for him. Here is a beautiful illustration of the love of God for us when we have been His enemies, and have done despite to the Spirit of grace. (Rom. 8 :7). When as rebels, we have hurt His loving heart a thousand times, yet the loving kind ness of His heart is so great that He sends— not a messenger, but His own Son— for us. (Psa. 31:21;) “Blessed be the Lord, for he hath shewed me his marvelous kindness in a strong city.” (Rom. 5 :8). “But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Mephibosheth had no claim, upon his own part, for mercy from David. He
THE K I NG ' S B U S I N E S S was an enemy by nature. His claim lay in another. We have no claim, as sin ners, upon God. There is no road for us from Lo-debar ( “ the desert place where no pasture is” ) to God, except tne way He Himself has made through His Son. (John 14:6). “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This is the highway for sinners. (2) DAVID RESTORES SAUL’S POS SESSIONS TO MEPHIBOSHETH, vs. 5-9. David sent and fetched him. He could not come, for he could not walk. He had to be carried (Luke 19:10). “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Mephibosheth was full of fear, but David assured him with the blessed words, “ Fear not;” words which have been used of God ten thousand times to comfort the hearts of His own. (Isa. 41: 10; 43:1, 2, 5). “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee; when thou wajkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned; nei ther shall the flame kindle upon thee. Fear not, for I am with thee.” The kindness is not for his own sake, but for Jonathan’s sake. God’s kindness to us is for His Son’s sake (Rom. 8:32; 2 Cor. 5:21). Praise God for such lov ing-kindness to such hell-deserving sin ners! All that was lost by sin is restored and an abundance beside. (3) DAVID RAISES MEPHIBOSHETH TO A PLACE IN THÉ PALACE, vs. 10-13. “ But Mephibosheth shall eat bread al ways at my table.” Here is a picture of the grace of God. Mephibosheth is a dead dog in his own eyes, but in David’s eyes he is as his own son. We are the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:26). “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus/' We are sons of God by grace (Rom. 8:15-17).
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