Who is Mephibosheth?
Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, the son of King Saul, who was five years old when the news came about their deaths in battle. His nurse was fleeing with him to hide when “he fell and became disabled” (2 Sam. 4:4). Now, perhaps 16 years later, King David called for him.
Surely he was terrified as he limped into the king’s throne room and fell prostrate on his face before the king. Middle Eastern custom would have suggested that David would slay all remaining descendants of Saul in order to secure his own throne. Yet, while the crippled Mephibosheth lay face down, trembling with anxiety, he heard King David say, “Fear not. For I will surely show you kindness for your father’s sake, and you shall eat bread at my table continually” (2 Sam. 9:7).
Who is Mephibosheth? First, we must understand David’s identity. For David was a type of Christ, and his behavior towards Mephibosheth foreshadowed the kindness of Christ towards us. Mephibosheth had fallen and was crippled all his days. He was from the House of Saul, who had made David his enemy, trying to kill him. It was a scandalous thing that King David would seek to find Mephibosheth and then invite this crippled, former enemy to eat at the same table as one of his own sons. Yet, this is exactly what David did.
Who is Mephibosheth? We are. We are fallen and crippled by sin. We have been enemies of God. Yet Jesus Christ, the Son of David, has sought us out and found us. He has invited us to eat continually at the King’s table as one of the Father’s own sons.