ICS Daily Devotions
Dine at the King’s Table as Sons

2 Sam 9:10-11 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servant. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.”“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.”

Mephibosheth was in Lo Debar, in fear that David would soon send people to kill him and destroy his family. When he saw the chariots approaching the village, he was trembling in fear, thinking that the greatest fear of his life had finally caught up with him.

However,instead of being tormented and executed for being the descendent of Saul and Jonathan, David showed him grace, mercy, and restoration of everything that belonged to him. David assured him of his love, kindness and treated him like one of his sons. King David even wanted Mephibosheth to eat at his table! Mephibosheth’s status changed all of a sudden from a refugee to an adopted son and he dined at the king’s table daily.

Restoration was the key in this passage. There was a restoration of relationship between Mephibosheth and David through the affirmation from David. Mephibosheth’s position was restored from being a refugee to sonship. There was also a restoration in possession in terms of protection, provision and love.

Mephibosheth spoke of David’s grace and how David had provided for him and allowed him to eat at the king’s table.

2 Samuel 19:28 For all my father’s house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?”

When he was eating at the king’s table, he was at peace, he had protection, favor, provision and relationship. The king David would have looked after and treated Mephibosheth just like his own son. Mephibosheth was no longer poor when David restored everything to him and he ate at the king’s table daily.

David is a type of Christ. He came in search of Jonathan’s son despite the fact that he should have destroyed all his enemies descendent just in case they rebel against him in the future. Yet, he honored the covenant he had with Jonathan. He extended grace and went in search for Mephibosheth.

We might feel the same way like Mephibosheth, feeling unworthy before God. Sin and the penalty of sin kept us in bondage in fear of the impending judgment. But God is saying, “Come to the table.”

Eph 2:11-13 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands —12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

We, the Gentiles who were, once upon a time, the uncircumcised ones are being referred to people who have no covenant with God as compared to the Jews who had a covenant with God. We were without God and without hope in this world, therefore we were living a life very similar to Mephibosheth in Lo Debar. Praise be to God that He did not leave us in the land of scarcity, slavery to sin and hopelessness. God came in search for us! He came to seek and to save those who were lost. He came to restore everything to us!

Ephesians 1:5 Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

God wants us to dine at His table daily! We need to remember that we have a choice to be in His presence at the dining table. God is good. We will never outgive God in our serving because all that He has belong to us and we should dine at the King’s table continually. We are the children of the King of kings!

Sermon series: Dine at the King’s Table