David, Mephibosheth, and Absalom: How God Does and Does Not Respond to Our Fear and Shame

The Old Testament as a Portal for Seeing and Savoring the Heart of Christ

In recent months, I had the privilege of reading through 1 & 2 Samuel. We (at least most Christians I know) don’t usually spend much time in the Old Testament compared to the New Testament. When we do, it’s often in the Psalms (prayers to God that involve the entire human emotional spectrum) or Proverbs (practical and pithy wisdom statements). We’re more likely to read books like 1 & 2 Samuel than we are to read, say, Leviticus, but still far less likely than the Psalms or Proverbs. And this makes some sense; narratives can be hard to understand. Or even if we do understand them, we struggle to know what the “takeaway” point should be. The author doesn’t turn to the reader and give concise instructions on how to apply the events that were just chronicled. But if it is true that “every story whispers [Jesus’s] name” (as the Jesus Storybook Bible says in its subtitle), then we should expect that God intends for us to see foreshadowings of the gospel (including the character of Jesus) even in the Old Testament. This isn’t something we merely do if a New Testament author explicitly cites an Old Testament reference. In other words, we don’t confine ourselves to only seeing gospel connections when there is a proof-text. Rather, we are meant to see a pattern of how we read the gospel into all parts of Scripture.

A Picture of Christ’s Heart, Positively Displayed

If this is true, then 2 Samuel 9 and 2 Samuel 14 wonderfully show us what the heart of Christ is like towards sinners, first positively and then negatively. First, in 2 Samuel 9, we have the moving account of King David honoring an earlier promise to his late best friend, Jonathan. Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, is a cripple. Had the normal dynastic trend taken place, he would also have been heir to the throne. In one sense, this makes him an enemy of David. However, David desired to show kindness to Jonathan’s heir, in this case, a man who was lame in both legs. But catch how David conveys it in verse 3: “I want to show God’s kindness to [him].” When Mephibosheth is brought to the palace, he is understandably afraid. He could rightly be considered a threat by David. Not only is Mephibosheth at a positional disadvantage (David is the king, not him), but he has nothing to offer David (he is crippled). As if knowing what Mephibosheth needed to hear, David says, “Don’t be afraid! I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” (verse 7)

What a wonderful and beautiful portrayal of what God is like. I hope you can see some parallels between David’s invitation to Mephibosheth and God’s grace towards us. We were in a different family than Jesus, cut off from him by our sin. We were his enemies because of our sinful bloodline. We were spiritually crippled, unable to even work up the desire to want God (left to our own devices), and certainly unable to bargain with anything that would add status or value to God. We brought nothing to the table. And what does God offer in response? The kindness to understand our fear and speak peace to us. The undeserved goodness that is showered on us by virtue of the fact that God is true to his promises. A home and inheritance waiting in heaven where we can be with King Jesus forever (Psalm 16:5-6, 11). A seat at his table where we can feast with the One who delights in giving us himself to feast on. If we were hearing the story of Christianity for the first time, we would say this story is too good to be true.

A Picture of Christ’s Heart, on Display Through Its Opposite

But there’s an account some years later of David reaching out to another young man, this time his son Absalom (2 Samuel 14). Absalom had been estranged from his father for at least three years (2 Samuel 13:38). Make no mistake, Absalom had good reason to be estranged. He had murdered his half-brother Amnon in payment for Amnon’s vile rape of Absalom’s sister a couple of years prior. As a result, Absalom had fled from Israel, but the narrator tells us that David longed to be with him again. Eventually, word is sent to Absalom that David is ready to receive him back to Jerusalem, and Absalom returns. However, we then read a statement by David that is as sad as it is baffling. Verse 24 states, “But the king gave this order: ‘Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.’ So Absalom did not see the king.”

As the mere human being that David was, we can probably appreciate the mixed feelings he had. He wanted his son, but the actions committed by Absalom had relational consequences. Certainly, it would be difficult to resume their relationship in a “business as usual” kind of way. Furthermore, it is plausible that David took into account not only his own desires, but also the effect Absalom’s actions had on the entire extended family. David may have been getting pushback from others. “You can’t welcome that murderer back into our family as if he’s been a loyal son, because he hasn’t!” some might have said.

Though David’s response is understandable, it is also a sad one, especially when juxtaposed with his response to Mephibosheth. I think it’s also fair to say his response to Absalom did not mirror God’s character, whereas his response to Mephibosheth did reflect God’s character. Think about it: David wanted Absalom close-ish, but not so close as to come into the king’s presence. It’s almost as if David was embarrassed by the thought of Absalom coming too close, as if Absalom’s reputation would taint David’s. How does this compare to God’s heart towards us? God never “holds his nose” when we come near, provided that we are truly facing him and really do want him. And despite our past misdeeds, God is so holy and intrinsically pure and good that we can never sully him. Instead, he rubs his glory and joy into our souls.

Positive Plus Negative Equals the Full Picture

So how can we make sense of two seemingly contradictory narratives so close to each other in the Bible? I think we are meant to see them as complementary true tales, ultimately giving depth and texture to who God is and what he is truly like. In 2 Samuel 9 (Mephibosheth), we get a glimpse through David of God’s amazing, undeserved, and overflowing grace and compassion. And in 2 Samuel 14 (Absalom), we see the inversion of God’s character demonstrated through David; we get a glimpse of what God is not like. God rains down grace on us despite our sinful bloodline, and he does not withhold us from his presence because he loves us, and he swallows up our sin and shame rather than being tainted by them. Both of these realities cause us to marvel.

Questions for reflection:

• Both Mephibosheth and Absalom had something about their past that resulted in shame before the king. When have you ever felt something similar before God?
• If Jesus is the true and better King David, then – provided that you want him – what does this suggest about Jesus’s response to your sin, shame, and regret?
• If you are in a position to help or encourage someone who wonders how God really views them, how might David’s responses to Mephibosheth and Absalom assist you?