Bible Study - Hope (1) - Hope Needed - 2 Samuel 9:1-13 - April 13, 2014

Bible Study – Hope (1) – Hope Needed – April 13, 2014

This is lesson one in our series entitled “Let Hope In.”

Our scripture is 2 Samuel 9:1-13.

This will be lesson one, then we will have a lesson on Easter, then five additional lessons on hope using a variety of scripture. A Christian’s hope is in CHRIST and he or she has the guarantee because of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Those without CHRIST hope that somehow a loving GOD will let them into heaven. JESUS said it best in John 5:24:

24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Romans 8:16: The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

When we consider eternity, hope can be valid or misplaced. Hope is valid when placed in CHRIST and misplaced when placed in human ability and logic. The Holy Spirit validates with our Spirit when we are GOD’S children.

Colossians 1:27: God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

As long as a person has life he or she is never beyond hope.

We need to cover some background before get into our main focus.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 20:14-17: (Covenant between friends which gives hope to a family member.)

14 If I continue to live, treat me with the Lord’s faithful love, but if I die, 15 don’t ever withdraw your faithful love from my household —not even when the Lord cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” 16 Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord hold David’s enemies accountable.” 17 Jonathan once again swore to David in his love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

This covenant was made about 15-20 years before our focus scripture for this lesson. David had to flee from King Saul, Jonathan’s dad. Jonathan had reconciled himself to the fact that he would not succeed his dad to be king. Eventually the Philistines killed both King Saul and David’s very best friend, Jonathan. David was made king over Israel.

It was the custom for a new king to eliminate the entire household of the defeated king. The new king demanded that his subjects be loyal to him and eliminating all of the ancestral descendents of the previous king was one way to ensure that loyalty.

King David had been busy rebuilding Israel but one day he remembered the covenant that he and Jonathan made many years ago. This prompted David’s inquiry as we read in our focus scripture.

Hope Extended

Let’s read 2 Samuel 9:1-7:

1 David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from Saul’s family I can show kindness to because of Jonathan?”

Notice that King David phrased his question such that he was looking for King Saul’s family members for a good reason and not to them harm.

2 There was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “I am your servant,” he replied.

So King David was told that King Saul’s servant, Ziba, might know about surviving members of King Saul’s family. Ziba was summoned to speak to King David. In fact, Ziba had done very well for himself following the death of King Saul as we will see later.

King David confirmed that the person in his presence was Ziba, formerly King Saul’s servant. Ziba responded that he was David’s servant and ready to serve.  

3 So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family that I can show the kindness of God to?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still Jonathan’s son who was injured in both feet.” 4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba answered the king, “You’ll find him in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel.” 5 So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.

Ziba informed King David that Jonathan’s lame son was still living in the house of Machir in Lo-debar. Machir was a wealthy, generous and an influential person who lived in the region east of the Jordan River. Later in the life of King David, Machir would be part of a group to provide food and supplies to David and those with him when they were fleeing from Jerusalem as they were being pursued by David’s rebellious son Absalom.

The exact location of Lo-debar is not known but generally it was about ten miles south-southeast of the Sea of Galilee.

We will take a side journey to consider what happened to Mephibosheth that resulted in him being lame.

Let’s read 2 Samuel 4:4:

4 Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. The one who had nursed him picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.   

Continuing in 2 Samuel 9:6-7:

6 Mephibosheth (Me phib o she th) son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, bowed down to the ground and paid homage. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied. 7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “since I intend to show you kindness because of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul’s fields, and you will always eat meals at my table.”

Mephibosheth had to leave his comfort zone in Lo-debar and face the possibility of being placed in prison or even worse killed. He gave King David due homage by bowing down to the ground and paying homage to him. Note how quickly King David put Mephibosheth’s mind at ease by telling him that David wanted to serve Mephibosheth and for him not to be afraid.

Oh, what a relief a glimmer of hope brings in uncertain moments, especially when the person in the hot seat hears words of assurances coming from the person who has the power to do him harm. King David told him “Don’t be afraid.” David continued to assure him that he was taking him into his care because he was the son of his very best friend Jonathan. King Saul’s fields would be restored to him along with the bounty from the fields but Mephibosheth was to eat at the king’s table.

Let’s read 2 Samuel 9:8:

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me?”

The term “dead dog” was a term of contempt. When applied to one’s self it was to declare one’s unworthiness for a favor received from a superior.

Let’s read 2 Samuel 9:9-13:

9 Then the king summoned Saul’s attendant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him, and you are to bring in the crops so your master’s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. 11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do all my lord the king commands.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table just like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All those living in Ziba’s house were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 However, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king’s table. His feet had been injured.

King David called Ziba back into his presence to bring him up to date regarding his new role in the care of Mephibosheth. Ziba was to work for Mephibosheth and bring in the crops for him. Ziba has 15 sons and 20 servants. Ziba agreed to his charge from King David. 

King David made Ziba accountable to him for the future income for Mephiboseth and his family. We learn that Mephibosheth had one son named Mica.

Since Mephibosheth was still lame King David’s restoration of King Saul’s field to him gave him hope for himself and the future of his family.  Mephibosheth accepted King David’s offer and ate at the king’s table in Jerusalem.

When hope is offered, a person has to decide whether or not to take it. Every person is offered the hope of salvation by accepting CHRIST as his or her Savior. Each person has to decide whether or not to accept or reject HIM. Accepting CHRIST as your Savior requires that you take a step of faith. Faith is taking a step where there is no visible step.

I know when I pondered whether or not to accept CHRIST as my Savior; I wanted proof before I took that step of faith. Sorry, we have to take that step of faith by accepting CHRIST as our Savior before we have the assurance.

 Next Sunday is Easter Sunday. My prayer is that those who do not know CHRIST as their Savior will ask CHRIST to forgive them for their sins and for HIM to come into their lives. CHRIST in you makes a person a Christian. GOD sends the Holy Spirit into their lives and opens their Spiritual eyes to truth as they read GOD’S Word, the Bible and learn of him, as they walk with HIM each day. Is it easy? No! That is why Christians must have the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit but the journey is awesome.

John 3:14-17:

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. 16 “For God loved the world •in this way: He gave His •One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.

Moses lifted up the snake to bring healing to those who had been bitten as recorded in Numbers 21:6-9:

4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the • Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the people became impatient because of the journey. 5 The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!” 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died. 7 The people then came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede with the Lord so that He will take the snakes away from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.

Physical healing came to the Israelites who were bitten by the poisonous snake when they looked upon the bronze snake; Spiritual healing comes to those who, by faith, look to JESUS who died upon the cross for your sins and mine. If that was all there was to HIS death there would be no more reason to believe in CHRIST than others humans have built religions around in their searched for the One True GOD. The resurrection of CHRIST is proof HE paid the debt for sin in full and its consequence death. GOD raised CHRIST from the dead. Because HE lives, so will all who place their faith in HIM live eternally in heaven with HIM! Because JESUS was faithful even unto death, GOD placed all things into HIS hands.

John 5:22-24:

22 The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Life and Judgment 24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Those who have placed their faith in CHRIST serve a living Savior who knows what it is like to live as a human and be tempted in all ways. HE understands. Will you accept JESUS as your Savior now?

The hope for all mankind and eternity is in CHRIST. Blessings!!!