Montrose, Colorado

Rev. Willis A. (Bert) Jones, a country preacher & Bible teacher

November 7, 2015

Mephibosheth's birth name was "Meribaal." He was five years old. This name's meaning was "from the mouth of the lord." His name became, following his father and grandfather's death in Israel's battle against the Philistine on Mt. Gilboa, "Mephibosheth" meaning "from the mouth of shame." His grandfather was King Saul of Israel and his son Jonathan was the heir to the throne. The grandson was now at risk of being murdered by the Philistines. The boy's nurse took the child and fled from his home, stumbling and dropping him. His broke his legs and became lame in both feet. He grew to become a youth in Lo-Debar (a town of little importance). The Philistine army killed the rest of King Sail's family. Mephibosheth is now about 12 years old. David has become the new King of Israel. (See 2 Samuel 9.)

David was thinking of how blessed he was. He asked an aid if any of his friend Jonathan's family still lived. He learned that there was one, a cripple in both legs, who lived in Lo-Debar. David sent several army men to get him and bring him to his palace in order to show friendship to Jonathan.

A frighten teen-ager bowed before King David, expressing his servitude to the King. David told him fear not! David then restored the land belonging to Jonathan and Saul to the Mephibosheth and assigned the former servant of Saul, now one of David's men, with his 12 sons to farm the land for the crippled son of Jonathan, David's close friend. All the profits from the farms went to Mephibosheth. Furthermore, David made him a part of his family, eating daily at the King's table. That day this young man went from Lo-Debar to Jerusalem, from nowhere to the Capitol city. He went from nothing to much.

Do you feel outside the "family of God?" Do you feel that you do not belong? Do you think God would not accept you into His family, even as a hireling? YOU ARE WRONG! Humbly approach God and repent of all wrong behavior, He will forgive you in Jesus' Name and restore to you all that which should have been yours. From Lo-Debar to Jerusalem! You can go from outside -- to inside the Kingdom of God!