(2 Sam 9:9,10 NLT) Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
This morning we continue our new series entitled, “Faith and Patience VOL III – Never Give Up!” I figure we will close out the week with Mephibosheth, so we will look at his story today and tomorrow. Let’s pick up the story where we left off. King David called over one of his servants (Ziba) who used to serve Mephibosheth’s grandfather (Saul) and told him that he and his entire house (15 sons and 20 servants) would now work for Mephibosheth. They were to work Mephibosheth’s newly restored land and bring him the provisions from it. Mephibosheth himself would take all his meals at the King’s table. I will speak about the significance of that tomorrow.
This is one of the greatest stories of redemption in the Bible. Mephibosheth got back everything he had lost because of a covenant that had been established with his blood line. He was unable to tap into the benefits of the covenant while he was ignorant of it. However, once he was made aware of the covenant he was able to receive a complete restoration to his rightful place. Life had dealt him a big blow and it seemed like all hope was gone, but a covenant that was already in place provided the means for total restoration and life transformation.
The same can hold true for us. We are all born ignorant of the covenants established in the Word of God. God made a covenant with Abraham and promised to make of him a great nation (Gen 12:2,3). That covenant also applied to Abraham’s seed (Gen 17:6,7). God blessed Abraham and made him very rich; everything he did was successful (Gen 24:1). God then extended and offered that same blessing to his descendants if they would hear His voice and obey His Word (Deut 28:1). Obedience unlocked the blessing and God promised to bless their businesses and farms (Deut 28:3). The descendants of Abraham were to have many children and large crops (v.4), they would have plenty of bread to eat and experience success in their daily work (verses 5,6); they would overcome their enemies (v.7), their harvests so large that their storehouses would be full (v.8), they would have plenty of money to lend to other nations and have no need to borrow (v.12), and they would be wealthy and powerful, not poor and weak (v.13). Paul taught us that every Born-Again believer has been baptized into Christ and has put on Christ. In Christ, there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. We are all one in Christ Jesus. Our connection to Christ makes us Abraham’s seed and heirs to the promises established for Abraham’s descendants (Gal 2:27-29). Furthermore, the writer of Hebrews tells us that the covenant we have in Christ is a better covenant with better promises (Heb 8:6).
Mephibosheth’s life was changed when he was made aware of the covenant attached to his bloodline. His knowledge of the covenant opened him up to the possibility of receiving the benefits of the covenant.
So what does this mean to you today? It means that you have a covenant that offers you the blessing of Abraham (which is natural) and the Blessing of Jesus (which is spiritual). Now that you know about it, what are you going to do with this knowledge? Your knowledge of the covenant opens you up to the possibility of receiving the benefits of it. For it to change your life, however, you must believe that you are part of the bloodline and therefore and heir to a better covenant with better promises.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for Your Word. You established a covenant with and through Abraham. It is the Old Covenant and those who walked in it experienced natural blessings. They were blessed in their earthly affairs. Father, You also established a New and better Covenant through Christ Jesus. Those who have walked in this covenant have experienced spiritual blessings. With this New Covenant we are able to lay hands on the sick and watch them recover, we have direct access to You in prayer, in the name of Your Son, we are redeemed from spiritual death, and we have eternal life in Christ Jesus. I declare that I am who You say that I am and that is an heir and a joint-heir with Christ Jesus. The natural blessings of Abraham and the spiritual blessings of Jesus are all part of my inheritance. I receive them by faith and I declare that my life will never be the same. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
