In our last Lesson I addressed the military prowess of King David! Now now we’re going to talk about his KINDNESS?
Yes, because 2 Samuel 9:1 reveals a very “tender” side to this multifaceted “man after God’s Own Heart!” This last unique Phrase is an allusion to Acts 13:22, really more of a quotation.
Our Text today … “And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him KINDNESS for Jonathan’s sake?” Again, 2 Samuel 9:1.
Wait a second!
Was not King Saul David’s avowed enemy for many years? And would it not be possible for anyone in Saul’s lineage to try to lead an uprising against the new King?
In the eyes of the secular world, especially the ancient world, “assassination” would have been more in order than “showing kindness” to someone in the former king’s clan!
Yet David is seeking some descendant of Saul (if one is still living) … expressly to be gracious to that person!
The beautiful noun “kindness” in our Text is spelled “hesed.” This key Old Testament word is found 251 times in our Bible!
It really does mean “kindness,” but is also (in the King James Bible) translated “mercy” (149 times) and “lovingkindness” (30 more times) and “goodness” (12 more times) and even “pity” (1 time).
Now … we can see that “hesed” is actually a synonym for God’s amazing GRACE!
Wow!
You folks know the rest of the story. David’s search party found a (lame) young man named Mephibosheth. His name means something like “shattering the shame” (my own translation, definition, based on the Hebrew) … obliterating any ignominy (disgrace, dishonor, embarrassment) that might have been in one’s background!
Wow again!
Once he (Mephibosheth) is found and brought to Jerusalem … this man (a direct descendant of Saul through Jonathan) is provided for (lavishly) for the rest of his life!
Eating at the royal table!
Being made heir (better than that, made the outright owner) of all Saul’s former estate! Lots and lots of land!
That acreage will be farmed for Mephibosheth too, at kind King David’s command! And the lame lad will be the recipient of all those proceeds, profits too! Made wealthy now, an ongoing supply of cash!
That’s the thing about GRACE (God’s Grace), it’s lavish and abundant and ever-giving!
David never read these word penned by Paul many years later, but he acted like he had ready them. “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
Christian reader here this morning … the Holy Spirit abiding within your being is fundamentally “kind!” And His Presence should make us all practitioners of that type “kindness” too!
Anyone listening?
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
By the way, that verb to “show” kindness is spelled “asah” in Hebrew. It literally means “to do” kindness! It’s not just a feeling, it is an action! Oh, to be busy overtly spreading the Love (Kindness) of God!
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