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    First, his grandfather was Saul, who at time was a great king, but became a failure.  Actually, Saul, himself had a poor self image as a young man.  See: Dealing With A Bruised Identity to learn more about Saul's identity issues.  Saul was a fearful young man although he was a head taller than everyone else.   On one occasion, when Samuel didn't show up when Saul was facing a battle with the Philistines, Saul took upon himself the role of a priest to offer a sacrifice. When Samuel confronted Saul, he made the excuse that he "forced himself".  Samuel responded that the kingdom which God gave him would not last. (I Samuel 13:9-14). On another occasion, when Saul went into battle with the Amalekites he disobeyed God by not destroying all the animals, but keeping the spoil for himself.  This time he said the people took the best to sacrifice to God.  Samuel told Saul that because of his sin, God would reject him as king.  (I Samuel 15:8-26).  We also find that Saul was jealous of David. "And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?" (I Samuel 18:8). Saul also tried to kill David because of his jealousy.  After Samuel died when he again came up against the Philistines, he sought the counsel of the witch of Endor. (I Samuel 28:7ff.)  How would you like to have a grandfather like this?

    Second, Mephibosheth's father was Jonathan, Saul's son.  Now, Jonathan was a brave young man.  He and his armourbearer went out against whole garrison of the Philistines trusting that God would give them direction and victory. (I Samuel 14:6ff).  However, Jonathan was also abused by his father, Saul.  On one occasion, Saul became extremely angry at Jonathan because of Jonathan's relationship with David.  Saul basically cursed him out, told him that he would receive no inheritance until David was dead, and then threw a javelin at Jonathan.  (I Samuel 20:30-33).   Jonathan also be came very angry at his dad and left the meal and did not eat.   It is not uncommon that abused young men grow up and also abuse their own sons; therefore, Mephibosheth may also have received some abuse although it is not recorded in Scripture.

    Third, when Mephibosheth was about five years old, Saul, his grandfather, Jonathan, his father, and two other sons of Saul (Mephibosheth's Uncles) were all killed in a battle with the Philistines.  "And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons" (I Samuel 31:2).   You can only imagine the heartache of a young boy losing his family.  Another Uncle of Mephibosheth, Ishbosheth, ruled for a couple of years, then there was an insurrection by the sons of his captains.  The men slipped in while Ishbosheth was asleep and killed him.  Again just imagine a boy losing all the male family figures through such violence.

    Fourth, when Mephibosheth's nurse, got news of the death of Saul, Jonathan, of the two Uncles, she grabbed up Mephibosheth to run away to protect him.  However, in the rush, Mephibosheth fell and became lame in both of his feet.  (II Samuel 4:4).  He became physically HANDICAPPED for life, not to mention all the other trauma he had experienced.  We also should remember that the house of David and the house of Saul had been in a struggle for power.

    Now, back to the story .... years earlier, David and Jonathan had entered into a covenant. "And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.    And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.    Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.    And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle"  (I Samuel 18:1-4).  Jonathan recalled the covenant with David sometime later. "And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city" (I Samuel 20:42).

    Later after Jonathan was killed, David wanted to show kindness with the house of Saul.  "And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?    And [there was] of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.  And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.    And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.    Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.    Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!    And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.    And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" (II Samuel 9:1-8).
This brings us up to date.  Now, here is the rest of the story ... "Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.    Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.    Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.    And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.    So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet"  (II Samuel 9:9-13).

    Here are some applications that we can draw.

    1. God had a purpose is the life of Mephibosheth as found in his name.  His name means "dispeller of shame".  There was plenty of shame in his life coming from his grandfather who had failed miserably. He may have felt shame in the presence of other youth in that he did not have a father.   I am also sure that he also felt ashamed about his being lame and not being able to provide sufficiently for himself.  Then how could God use him to dispel shame?

    2. Jonathan had made a covenant with David who later became the king.  In a covenant relation, what one has becomes also property of the other.  When Jonathan died, Mephibosheth became the rightful heir.  Mephibosheth did nothing to deserve anything, but David showed him favor because of Jonathan's covenant with David.  By analogy, Jesus entered into covenant for us through his death on the cross. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5).     "For where a testament (covenant or will) is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.    For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth"  (Hebrews 9:16-17).  We do nothing to deserve the covenant which Jesus made on our behalf.  We can only accept it through a faith commitment to Jesus as our Lord.

    3. We should see that everything that belonged to the household of Saul was given to Mephibosheth when Jonathan died. We also receive everything that belonged to Jesus through his death. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"  (Romans 8:32).  "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us"  (II Corinthians 1:20).  What belonged to Jesus now belongs to us.

    4. Ziba, his fifteen sons, and twenty servants were to till the land and provide the produce for Mephibosheth.  We should understand again that Mephibosheth was lame and couldn't do the work.  He was handicapped.  In reality, all of us are handicapped in someway or the other.   Your handicap may not be mine or mine yours, but WE ALL have our limitations.  However, God provides for us where we can not provide for ourselves.  Ziba's name means "station".  Ziba, his sons, and servants are like angels or messengers of God sent and stationed to care for us.  "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"  (Hebrews 1:14).

    5. Mephibosheth was to set at the king's table as the king's' sons.  We also as Believers are adopted sons of the KING.  "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.    For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father"  (Romans 8:14-15).  Jesus said that he would not leave us as orphans, but would send the Holy Spirit.   "I will not leave you comfortless (literally as orphans): I will come to you" (John 14:18).   "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God"  (I Corinthians 2:12).

    6. Mephibosheth also had a son name Micha meaning "who is like God".   No matter how handicapped we are, we are to be fruitful.  Our fruitfulness is to declare the gospel to the world.  When David went against Goliath, he went in the name of the LORD.  "This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel"  (I Samuel 17:46).  Throughout Scripture there is always a bigger vision than just self.  God's purpose is that all the world may know Him.  "That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else"  (I Kings 8:60).  People who are handicapped have a tendency to focus solely upon themselves. Bad news!  "Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only"  (II Kings 19:19). David called upon God to give him victory over the enemy ...  "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth"  (Psalms 83:18).  Isaiah prayed the same prayer.   "Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only"  (Isaiah 37:20).  God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit for the same reason.  "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth"  (Acts 1:8).  We are to be fruitful that the world may know God.

    7. Mephibosheth was to dwell in Jerusalem all the days of his life.  Jerusalem is the city of God and a picture of the New Jerusalem which is Heaven.  (Revelation 21:2).  However, the Word says that we as Believers are now (in the spirit) seated with Christ in heaven. "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)    And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5-6).

    8. Mephibosheth did eat continually at the king's table with the king and his sons.  This is a picture of fellowship.  We also are to fellowship with the KING in Heaven and with other Believers. Jesus tells the church, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me"  (Revelation 3:20).  He is speaking of fellowship.  John wrote, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ" (I John 1:3).  Again John records, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).

    9. We should make a note that David provided all this for Mephibosheth, but Mephibosheth also had a choice whether or not he would receive it and set at the king's table and fellowship with the king and his sons.  Often those who see themselves as being handicapped choose not to believe that God has given them an inheritance through Jesus.  They often have a tendency to believe that God is against them because of their past experiences and their being handicapped.  They may even be angry at God and get angry at others who share the blessings of God with them.  They may have a fear that this is just another set up for more failure. They MISS the blessings that God has promised.  I pray that you won't.

    10. It is also significant to note that the last clause of the passage: "and was lame on both his feet".   God didn't take away Mephibosheth handicap!  God doesn't always take away our limitations (whatever they may be).  Instead, God provides the grace for us within our circumstances.  Paul who was in someway handicapped recorded, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me"  (II Corinthians 12:9).